The Conversation

6 big changes in standardized tests – including less focus on grading students and more on learning

Written by Stephen Sireci, Professor of Psychometrics, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Today's tests have more potential to facilitate student learning, rather than just monitor it.Paul Bersebach/Orange County Register via Getty Images

The standardized tests given to children in schools today are a lot different from those their parents might remember.

For example, students today might take a standardized test at home on a laptop or...

Western fires are burning higher in the mountains and at unprecedented rates as the climate warms

Written by Mojtaba Sadegh, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, Boise State University

Heat and dryness are leaving high mountain areas more vulnerable to forest fires. David McNew/Getty Images

The Western U.S. is experiencing another severe fire season, and a recent study shows that even high mountain areas once considered too wet to burn are at increasing risk as the climate warms.

With more than 5 million acres already burned by...

Jim Crow tactics reborn in Texas abortion law, deputizing citizens to enforce legally suspect provisions

Written by Stefanie Lindquist, Foundation Professor of Law and Political Science, Arizona State University

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law a bill that effectively bans abortion in the state. AP Photo/Eric Gay

The new Texas law that bans most abortions uses a method employed by Texas and other states to enforce racist Jim Crow laws in the 19th and 20th centuries that aimed to disenfranchise African Americans.

Rather than giving state officials,...

'Imagine' at 50: Why John Lennon's ode to humanism still resonates

Written by Phil Zuckerman, Professor of Sociology and Secular Studies, Pitzer College

Fifty years ago, did John Lennon tell us not to pray?Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Fifty years ago, John Lennon released one of the most beautiful, inspirational and catchy pop anthems of the 20th century: “Imagine.”

Gentle and yet increasingly stirring as the song progresses, “Imagine” is unabashedly utopian and deeply...

Biden's pandemic plan overlooks mask mandates and vulnerable populations

Written by Julia Raifman, Assistant Professor of Health Law, Policy and Management, Boston University

President Joe Biden addresses the nation on latest coronavirus plan.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

President Joseph Biden on Sept. 9, 2021, unveiled his revamped strategy to confront the pandemic, outlining an approach that focuses heavily on attempting to reduce the number of unvaccinated Americans.

The new plan comes at a crucial time. The delta...

Over-the-counter rapid antigen tests can help slow the spread of COVID-19 -- here's how to use them effectively

Written by Zoë McLaren, Associate Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Rapid antigen COVID-19 tests, designed for use at home, can show results in 15 minutes. Ellen Moran via Getty Images

The rise of the highly transmissible delta variant around the U.S. has increased demand for rapid antigen COVID-19 tests that can be purchased from a pharmacy without a prescription, used at home, school or work and that give results...

How 'engagement' makes you vulnerable to manipulation and misinformation on social media

Written by Filippo Menczer, Luddy Distinguished Professor of Informatics and Computer Science, Indiana University

People tend to view social media posts more favorably when more people have liked, commented on or shared them, regardless of the quality of the posts.Sai Aung Main/AFP via Getty Images

Facebook has been quietly experimenting with reducing the amount of political content it puts in users’ news feeds. The move is a tacit acknowledgment that...

How 'sissy men' became the latest front in China’s campaign against big tech

Written by Shuaishuai Wang, Lecturer of New Media and Digital Culture, University of Amsterdam

Workers congregate in a meeting room at the headquarters of BlueCity, the parent company of Blued, China's most popular dating app for gay men.Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images

The Chinese government has recently taken action against what it calls “sissy men” – males, often celebrities, deemed too effeminate.

On Sept. 2，2021,...

American Muslims are at high risk of suicide -- 20 years post-9/11, the links between Islamophobia and suicide remain unexplored

Written by Amelia Noor-Oshiro, PhD Candidate in Public Health, Johns Hopkins University

American Muslims are two times as likely to attempt suicide compared to other major faith groups.MmeEmil/E+ via Getty Images

This year, 9/11 holds a dual significance for Americans across the country. It not only marks the 20th anniversary of the tragic events and lives lost since Sept. 11, 2001, but also National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week....

9/11 survivors' exposure to toxic dust and the chronic health conditions that followed offer lessons that are still too often unheeded

Written by Roberto Lucchini, Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health Sciences, Florida International University

Toxic dust hung in the air around ground zero for more than three months following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.Anthony Correia/Getty Images

The 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York resulted in the loss of 2,753 people in the Twin Towers and surrounding area. After the attack, more than 100,000 responders and recovery workers...