College Entrance Exams Measure Intelligence and More
IQ Tests and the SAT measure something real and consequential, report researchers David Z. Hambrick, a professor at Michigan State University, and Christopher Chabris, a psychology professor at Union College. Their study, described in an article published online in SLATE.com, indicates the SAT helps predict success in college. Furthermore, unlike a “complex portrait” of a student’s life, it can be scored in an objective way. The lesson for college recruiters and future employers: Smart people don’t just make better mathematicians; they make better clerks, service workers, and soldiers.
Why It’s Imperative to Teach Students How to Question as the Ultimate Survival Skill
To make scientific progress, Albert Einstein first asked questions. Even if he did not find the expected answer, asking questions often led to discovery of even greater truths than what were searched for originally. For instance, when he was 16 years of age, Einstein asked what it would be like to ride the crest of a light wave? The question became part of a “thought experiment” that would lead to the Theory of Relativity. Writer Warren Berger of MindShift reminds us we all should develop the ability to ask, “Why?” and the other questions in order to make personal discovery and personal progress.
Truly learning math makes wise thinkers
Math educator Dr. Edward Burger, president of Southwest University in Texas, makes an excellent point about learning mathematics: By thinking through math, I mean understanding the material in a very deep way so that the student can appreciate and (ideally) discover connections between seemingly disparate ideas. Discovering relationships and patterns is not only at the heart of mathematical discovery but also the requisite trait to innovate and create in any space — from big business to the fine arts, from sports to technology, from politics to education. For the complete article…
Free Webinar to Kickstart College Journey
Our friends at WOW Writing Workshop are offering a free online program, “What you really need to know about starting your journey to college” on Thursday, Feb. 6. The webinar (web-based seminar) will be held from 9-10 p.m. For details on the speakers, agenda and links to register continue reading…
They Loved Your G.P.A. Then They Saw Your Tweets.
Here’s an important heads-up for the college-bound. It seems college recruiters do more than check academic records. They search through students’ electronic trail of tweets, posts, photos and text messages. Reporter Natasha Singer of The New York Times provides details what happens when college admissions officers examine applicants’ digital trails through cyberspace:
Reading Fiction May Change the Brain for the Better
Neuroscientist Gregory Berns reports reading fiction — stories and novels — may help develop the human brain. Research conducted at Emory University shows that good stories and novels seem to develop neural connectivity, a mind-altering effect that may be long-lasting and positive.
