Americans generally celebrate the abstract principle of diversity but does this translate into the policies that they support and the friendships that they form? A new study from Prof. Neeraj Rajasekar of the University of Illinois Springfield, Prof. Evan Stewart of the University of Massachusetts and Prof. Douglas Hartmann of the University of Minnesota, examines this. Rajasekar and colleagues find inconsistencies between Americans’ support for diversity in principle versus their attitudes in their day-to-day lives. The findings reveal widespread gaps that exist across demographic groups, with implications for understanding public opinion and advancing diversity efforts in the United States.

Studies suggest that children who rely more on vision from their left eye could be more likely to develop dyslexia if they learn to write using pathways in the right brain hemisphere. Dr David Mather, a researcher at the University of Victoria, recently published a paper reviewing these findings. He outlines a proposed approach to teaching writing skills that could prevent these children from developing dyslexia. This approach involves teaching children to write when they are 7 or 8 years old, when the human brain is better at mapping and memorising entire words.

Western approaches to environmental science typically focus on existing and future issues, such as climate change, and technological solutions to these issues. While these frameworks have their value, they often set aside holistic perspectives on land management, coexistence with nature, and ecosystem preservation. Dr Kristiina A. Vogt, Dr Samantha De Abreu and Dr Maria Blancas at the University of Washington are exploring the potential of holistic storytelling practices common among Indigenous communities to teach environmental science in more effective ways.

The broad dissemination of information online has made students more inclined to question what they are being taught in the classroom. Many educators are thus trying to adapt their teaching strategies to ensure that new generations successfully acquire new skills and learn new knowledge. Dr Brenton Fredericks, Head of the Communication Sciences Department at Central University of Technology in South Africa, recently developed a framework that could improve communication between educators and students in the classroom, promoting more constructive and effective learning.