One of the world's foremost learning scientists says the educational system is at odds with technological innovation and change is imperative to ensure many students don't fall further behind. Allan Collins, professor emeritus of education and social policy at Northwestern University, will speak about the changing nature of schools' relationship to technology during an appearance at the IU School of Education on Thursday (Oct. 8).

A new book by an Indiana University School of Education professor takes a comprehensive look at how Web technology is changing worldwide education. The World is Open: How Web Technology is Revolutionizing Education, was written by Curt Bonk, professor of instructional systems technology. It documents the many ways in which he says innovations have made it possible so that "anyone can learn anything from anyone else at any time."

Research at the Indiana University School of Education reveals how course evaluations can help teachers gauge their teaching. Findings from ongoing work by Ted Frick, associate professor of Instructional Systems Technology, will be published in an upcoming edition of the journal Educational Technology Research and Development.

Media are invited to observe as Indiana University School of Education researchers gather data Friday morning while 15 middle school students play a variety of video games. The research is focusing on game players' technique and decision-making to help develop instructional technologies to better impart knowledge in the classroom.

The Indiana University School of Education has received a $500,000 grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to help researchers better understand how video games can help students become empathetic citizens and to support their knowledge development. The project is called "Academic Play Spaces: Learning for the 21st Century."

The September 2006 issue of Learning Matters looks at research examining Latina/Latino parent involvement, sex education for students with developmental disabilities, the Teach with Tech podcast series and research that indicates the climate at rural schools may be beneficial to special education students.

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.

Learning Matters discusses faculty and student research involving the rights and responsibilities of college students, why children's books need not always have happy endings, and culturally-relevant group counseling techniques that could help residents in an African country cope with the AIDS epidemic.

Learning Matters for April discusses research by Indiana University Bloomington education faculty involving how African American girls handle stifling classroom situations, gender differences in art students, teachers' cultural biases and professional development for teachers. Full story