The headlines that got the most attention during the week of May 13 focused on topics related to teaching and learning, which garnered more than 2,316 minutes of coverage. Other stories focused on structures of schooling, health, climate change, and equity. The top stories cited in the list included the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on schools, and the impact of social media on education. Here are some interesting facts and trends that you may find interesting.
Issues related to education
Many significant Supreme Court decisions have impacted public education in the United States. The National Constitution Center highlights some of the most influential legal cases. In one case, the Supreme Court upheld racial segregation in schools, using the “separate but equal” doctrine to allow states to separate children based on race. Despite the Constitution’s protection of free speech, this decision left education up to school districts, which are supposed to follow federal and state laws.
Both candidates are “reformers” of education, but the Republican candidate has more experience and a more passionate view of the subject than the Democratic candidate. Al Gore, for example, never served on an education-related committee in Congress. However, he did co-sponsor two pieces of legislation to bring distance learning technology into schools. In addition, he has been a strong proponent of smaller class sizes and greater access to college education.
Trends in news coverage
There have been a few general trends in news coverage of education over the past few decades. While some stories focus on education as a failure, most articles focus on specific cases or trends, such as the Chicago strike. The trend line shows that educational news coverage has been increasing in the 1990s. The trend line for negative stories is similar, though, with the exception of a couple of anomalies. A Nation at Risk report was released in 1983, but received fewer stories on its release. But it likely contributed to the countless stories on educational quality that followed. In addition to those, news stories on standards and quality also featured prominently. Finally, union stories were the most popular topics in news coverage of education, which was largely driven by the Chicago strike.
While news coverage of education is important for the health of democratic governance, it is important to understand how the media covers education. Education coverage in the news isn’t as comprehensive as it could be, and some outlets lack historical, moral and practical context. As a result, it can be difficult to gauge the value of news coverage of education. However, this trend can be reversed if educational news is covered more thoroughly and appropriately.
Also Read : What is the National Education Association?
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on schools
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread around the world, schools have been grappling with how to best respond. Schools are dealing with severe shortages of staff, high absenteeism rates, and rolling school closures. In addition, students are facing increased mental health challenges, higher rates of misbehavior, and concerns about lost instructional time. These changes have made it difficult for many school districts to find ways to keep students engaged in their education.
One way to address these concerns is by examining the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on teachers’ morale. Survey data from New South Wales schools, for example, compare teachers’ morale and efficacy pre-pandemic to pre-pandemic levels in 2020. Teachers report significant declines in morale and efficacy. Teachers also expressed feelings of unappreciation. The disease is challenging teachers’ confidence in their ability to educate.
Impact of social media on education
Social media has many benefits, but it also poses a few risks, especially for students. While social media can be a great way to connect with friends and family, it also serves as a distraction, preventing students from concentrating on their studies. Moreover, social media can also lead to poor study habits, because students are too distracted to complete their work on time. As a result, the impact of social media on education is far from certain.
Social media can also improve communication in schools and colleges. The use of social media allows students to participate in online community discussions and deepen their understanding of concepts. Furthermore, it can boost learning in the classroom through interactive learning activities. For example, platforms like YouTube and TED Talks offer extensive educational content. Teachers who are having difficulty relating concepts to students can use YouTube videos to help them understand the subject better. Moreover, social media can be used to share news and information with parents, and to initiate fundraising projects.
