In a new book that Publishers Weekly says "puts a human face on Christian homeschooling," a professor at the Indiana University School of Education chronicles the stories of six conservative Christian families from across the country and analyzes the growing homeschooling movement. Write these Laws on Your Children: Inside the World of Conservative Christian Homeschooling (Beacon Press) is written by Robert Kunzman, associate professor for curriculum and instruction.

A new survey of Indiana superintendents, principals and school counselors finds that a majority see virtual learning as a way to enhance academic offerings in public education. Sixty percent of respondents to the "2009 Survey of Virtual Learning in Indiana," conducted by the Center for Evaluation and Education Policy (CEEP) at the Indiana University School of Education, said they are offering or may offer online courses in six different areas, including alternative education, gifted and talented education, and instruction for homebound students. But just half the respondents indicated their school would pay for virtual instruction and cited instructional cost as a barrier to offering more online courses.

A program developed by an Indiana University School of Education professor is the basis for a workshop on project-based learning for math teachers taking place next week and next month in Columbus, Ind. Fifty-six teachers from 11 counties will participate in Math Matters in Southeastern Indiana on June 22-26 at the Columbus Signature Academy-New Tech High School. A second workshop takes place July 22-23.

Two Indiana University School of Education professors are in Cape Town, South Africa, this week to attend the "Civitas World Congress" and continue discussions about a growing new partnership for civic education with Malawi and India. The conference is designed for both international and U.S. participants to share best practices in education for democracy programs.

The producer-director of a film that follows students around the globe as they work to bring attention to critical issues in their countries will be on the Indiana University campus Thursday evening, March 26, for a 7 p.m. screening of The World We Want, his award-winning documentary.

Twenty-two secondary math teachers are in the middle of a four-week mathematics education training program at the Indiana University School of Education. This is the third year the IU School of Education has won a grant from South Korea's Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to host the teachers. It's part of a program the government in Korea sponsors to send math and science teachers across the United States to learn different teaching methods.

Continuing the "Pathways Initiative" that began collaborative projects last year, the Indiana University School of Education is funding four projects this year to bring faculty expertise and IU staff assistance together with teachers in Indiana's schools. Two projects based at Gary, Ind. elementary schools will build upon already established Pathways projects; two others will start new projects at Indianapolis high schools.

Educators from the Indiana University School of Education are involved in an initiative to support Indiana teachers and administrators to better prepare their students for success in algebra, starting with a free conference for 200 today in Indianapolis.

A state appeals court ruling that leaves discretion to individual districts regarding part-time students could have a negative impact on home-schooled students, according to Robert Kunzman, a professor of curriculum and instruction in the Indiana University School of Education. Kunzman is in the middle of a multi-year research project exploring home-schooling practices and philosophies across the U.S., and said that last week's decision reflects the policies of many states around the nation.

How should school administrators react In the wake of school violence across the United States? Find out in the November issue of Learning Matters. In additional to school violence, this issue looks at full-day kindergarten, which will be one of the hottest issues in the next legislative session. Also, hear from education researchers at IU Southeast about why teachers must adapt their instruction for both children living in poverty and those who are not, as well as how to teach K-12 students about the global market.

Holiday story ideas from Indiana University include how the season appears to people with a color vision deficiency, a survival guide to family get-togethers, how children are affected by their parents' holiday stress and deciding where to contribute your charitable donations before the close of 2006.

Indiana University professors of law, education and history offer their insights into the national debate about immigration and the need for reform.

Controversy involving intelligent design and public schools, classroom discussions -- or the lack thereof -- about the war in Iraq, and the Underground Railroad are discussed by Indiana University education experts.

Learning Matters for November contains items about effective reading instruction for struggling older elementary students and the use of sorrow as a teachable moment.

Fourth- and eighth-grade results from the 2005 mathematics and reading assessments of the National Assessment of Educational Progress were released this morning by the National Center for Education Statistics. Peter Kloosterman, professor of mathematics education and executive associate dean of education in the Indiana University School of Education, has worked extensively with NAEP data and can discuss the results. He can be reached at 812-856-8147 and klooster@indiana.edu.

Learning Matters for August contains items about the digital divide, charter schools and gifted instruction, homeschooling, student expression and the Internet, and challenges facing urban schools in Indiana.

Results of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), an international assessment that compares math and science performance of students in fourth and eighth grades, were released today (Dec. 14). Indiana University Bloomington math and science education professors Peter Kloosterman, Frank Lester and Valarie Akerson can offer insights into TIMSS and PISA findings and their implications for school curricula and policy. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results were released last week.

Learning Matters for December includes items about students' mathematics performance in Indiana and nationwide, service learning courses for college students over spring break, and a partnership aimed at helping elementary students who struggle with math and reading -- before they fall behind.

On Nov. 19, Congress passed and sent to the White House the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Here is one perspective from Indiana University's School of Education on the potential impact of the revisions.

Learning Matters for November provides information about innovative ways to incorporate the holidays into science activities, a problem-based learning CD-ROM to help special-education pre-service teachers, and helping students with disabilities get an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment.

Learning Matters for October provides information about autism, gender balances in China and elsewhere, and concerns about quantitative research.

Learning Matters this month discusses School of Education faculty research findings and initiatives concerning a variety of learning needs.

Many children and adults suffer from learning-related visual problems that affect classroom or work performance. Some of these problems can be remedied with glasses. Others require therapy to help the child or adult learn how to deal with the problem on a regular basis.

High school to college is a BIG transition.

Learning Matters for July discusses research and plans involving education's role in burgeoning democracies, science education and the classroom inclusion of students with disabilities.