In much of the world, gender is viewed as binary: man or woman, each assigned characteristics and traits designated by biological sex. But that's not the case everywhere, says France Villarta. In a talk that's part cultural love letter, part history lesson, he details the legacy of gender fluidity and inclusivity in his native Philippines -- and emphasizes the universal beauty of all people, regardless of society's labels.

Author Priya Parker shares tools for creating meaningful connections with friends, family and coworkers during the coronavirus pandemic -- and shows how we can take advantage of gatherings that are unique to this moment of social distancing. "We don't necessarily need to gather more," she says. "We need to gather better." (This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers. Recorded March 27, 2020)

Pardons, commutations and bankruptcy laws are all tools of forgiveness within the US legal system. Are we using them frequently enough, and with fairness? Law professor Martha Minow outlines how these merciful measures can reinforce racial and economic inequality -- and makes the case for creating a system of restorative justice that focuses on accountability and reconciliation rather than punishment.

As COVID-19 continues to spread, the world is facing two existential threats at once: a public health emergency and an economic crisis. Political theorist Danielle Allen describes how we can ethically and democratically address both problems by scaling up "smart testing," which would track positive cases with peer-to-peer software on people's cell phones -- so we can end the pandemic and get back to work. (This virtual conversation is part of the TED Connects series, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and business curator Corey Hajim. Recorded April 6, 2020)

If you had to explain to a newborn what it means to be a human being living on Earth in the 21st century, what would you say? Visual artist Oliver Jeffers put his answer in a letter to his son, sharing pearls of wisdom on existence and the diversity of life. He offers observations of the "beautiful, fragile drama of human civilization" in this poetic talk paired with his original illustrations and animations.

APPLICATION DEADLINE OCTOBER 15, 2019 The Operations, Information and Decisions Department at the Wharton School is seeking applicants for a full-time, tenure track, Assistant Professor faculty position in the area of decision-making. Our decision-making faculty is comprised of scholars with a diverse set of backgrounds and interests, and we encourage applicants with degrees in economics, […]

The post Professorship in decision making at Wharton, Operations, Information and Decisions (OID), University of Pennsylvania appeared first on Decision Science News.

By Emily Reynolds. But self-assessed intelligence was not actually related to objective measures of intelligence

The state's two virtual charter schools have earned poor marks from the state's accountability system in the few years they've been operating.

In Florida, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Utah, Republicans are arguing that candidates for local and state school boards should run on party tickets.

Officials have not done enough to prevent fraud in Head Start programs, the GAO said. The findings prompted Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the ranking member of the House education and labor committee, to call for a hearing on the federally funded preschool program for low-income children.

The West Virginia House of Delegates passed its version of a sweeping education omnibus bill, which would allow the state's first charter schools.

The Ohio board of education last week voted to order the state's largest full-time online charter school to repay $60 million in state aid.

Ohio is seeking to recoup millions of dollars in funds from now-defunct online charter school, the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow.

Ohio's attorney general last week filed suit against the founder of the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow, aiming to recover millions of dollars in public funding that the state claims wrongfully went to the cyber charter school.

Building science lessons around phenomena that students know equally and can see in their own lives is making the subject more relevant and interesting.

California classrooms could reopen with modifications as soon as late July, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday, bringing a new wave of anxiety for parents, teachers, and students.

Montana Superintendent Denise Juneau said it would be "in the best interest of our students" to let districts cancel Smarter Balanced testing if necessary.

In addition to a delay, Wisconsin had to eliminate certain questions from its Smarter Balanced exam, after opting not to use the adaptive testing feature of the test.

The state decided that the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium offers it a chance to share assessment goals with neighboring states.

The state requested a waiver from the federal requirement in January. Failure to meet the 95-percent requirement can lead to funding penalties for states.

North Dakota and Wyoming state superintendents said this week that they will soon hire new testing vendors.

Officials in Illinois, Nevada, and Pennsylvania are proposing to close online charter schools over concerns that they're producing subpar academic results for students.

The principal of a school in Kentucky went back to the drawing board on his school's schedule after hearing author Daniel Pink talk about what children really need.

Alabama lawmakers passed a charter school law last year, becoming the 43rd state to adopt one.

A K-8 charter school has opened in Livingston, Ala., that is making history.

A court said legislators violated the state's constitution when they passed a law that targeted specific areas to be included in the program without local consent.

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who helped initiate a shakeup of Denver Public Schools, has announced that he's running for president as a Democrat in 2020.

California joins a growing number of cities and states hoping to spotlight which students do and do not have access to high-quality arts education.

State Assembly member Tony Thurmond ultimately prevailed over former charter school executive Marshall Tuck in a contest that drew more than $50 million in outside campaign spending.

Lawmakers are considering legislation that would put limits on the state’s charter school sector and give districts broader discretion to deny applications.

Building science lessons around phenomena that students know equally and can see in their own lives is making the subject more relevant and interesting.

State education officials are responding to a state law passed last year requiring them to solicit feedback from the community on the impact of implementing later school start times for middle and high school students.

Most New Jersey students get schooled in the arts, but time devoted to the subject has been dwindling.

In Florida, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Utah, Republicans are arguing that candidates for local and state school boards should run on party tickets.

Utah's state board members said last week that they support its state's test participation law which conflicts with the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, has become increasingly critical of charter schools this year, and his new proposals for charters would change how they operate and how they are funded.

Officials in Illinois, Nevada, and Pennsylvania are proposing to close online charter schools over concerns that they're producing subpar academic results for students.

Rhode Island may become the first state to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards.

The Rhode Island Department of Education and the nonprofit Learning Accelerator are teaming to develop a strategic plan and a communications strategy aimed at expanding blended learning.

The state's highest court allowed some claims brought on behalf of relatives of victims of the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School to proceed against the firearms industry.