Art education improves students' academic, social development, study finds

Educationdive | February 13, 2019

A new study from the Houston Education Research Consortium — a partnership between Rice University and Houston-area schools — has found an initiative to expand arts education in elementary and middle schools improved students' academic and emotional development, according to the consortium's website. The study, called "Investigating Causal Effects of Arts Education Experiences: Experimental Evidence from Houston’s Arts Access Initiative," was conducted by Dr. Daniel H. Bowen of Texas A&M University and Dr. Brian Kisida of the University of Missouri. According to the study, which examined 10,548 students across 42 schools, students' art educational experiences reduced the proportion of those receiving disciplinary infractions by 3.6 percentage points, and it additionally improved students' writing achievement and compassion. The results also showed elementary school art programs boosted school engagement, college aspirations and arts-facilitated empathy.

Spotlight

What is RPL? Michael Kenny, Lecturer in the Department of Adult and Community Education at Maynooth University speaks about the transformative potential that RPL as a nationally deployed system can have for individuals who wish to begin or continue their education at a later point in their life.

Spotlight

What is RPL? Michael Kenny, Lecturer in the Department of Adult and Community Education at Maynooth University speaks about the transformative potential that RPL as a nationally deployed system can have for individuals who wish to begin or continue their education at a later point in their life.

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TALENT DEVELOPMENT

Melmark Starts Its New England School Facility in Stoughton

Melmark | March 10, 2023

On March 09, 2023, Melmark, a non-profit human service organization, started a new school facility for special education and recreational environment in Stoughton, Massachusetts. It selected Maggiore Construction Corporation with Roth and Seelen, Inc. to design and build this facility. It conducted the groundbreaking ceremony on January 24, 2023. This facility will offer a state-of-the-art and accessible special education learning and recreational surrounding, opening in May. Its New England division presently enrolled about 132 students at its Andover school, and this new facility will educate up to 84 students. It will provide new opportunities for school districts, students, and families deprived of clinically sophisticated educational services. In addition, it would also offer job opportunities with skilled special education leaders. This facility has a license from DESE and helps students aged 3 to 22 with an intensive individualized education approach. This approach and a behavioral framework create the learning environment needed for education. Its students are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities, having secondary to complex behavioral profiles. Melmark New England is also the Massachusetts Association of 766 Approved Private Schools (MAAPS) member. President and CEO of Melmark, Rita M. Gardner said, "This is a poignant time in the history of Melmark, this is a project that was slated to start during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are thrilled to stay focused on the needs of families in our communities. We are collaborating with school professionals, families, and other stakeholders to share information about the opportunities our new school will make available, as we are keenly aware of the critical, growing need for the evidence-based services we offer. The new school building will support spacious, intentionally designed classroom environments with innovative tools for learning and skills building. This growth in MA reflects our mission and strategic goal to serve children in diverse and inclusive communities who need and deserve Melmark's specialized special education services to reach their best outcomes." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About Melmark Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Melmark, an individual and family services provider, specializes in applied behavior analysis, special needs, intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, autism, education, healthcare, approved private school autism and intellectual disabilities, charity and non-profit, and volunteers. It is a multi-state human service provider with special education schools, training, research centers and professional development. It has transformed the lives of individuals with autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities and supporting their families since 1966. It provides evidence-based and behavior-analytic services to them daily.

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EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

Learning A-Z Announce the Launch of Complete K-5 Writing Solution

Learning A-Z | January 12, 2023

Learning A-Z, a subsidiary of the Cambium Learning Group, has announced the addition of its totally redesigned Writing A-Z® product to its superior range of learning solutions. Writing A-Z is a new and improved curriculum option for K–5 students that draw on the Learning A-Z principles of valuing the teacher at the center of the classroom. In addition, the platform provides teachers with customizable, user-friendly tools that foster excellent student results. In addition, Learning A-Z has, for the first time, made a Teacher Grant Program available to K–5 educators interested in discovering new and innovative ways to improve student writing achievement. The winners of the grants will receive a one-year subscription to Writing A-Z. The application deadline for awards is January 31, 2023, and grants will be distributed on February 10, 2023. Lisa O'Masta, President of Learning A-Z, said, "Writing is an essential part of K–5 education and deeply connected to the instruction of literacy." She further added, "The most recent NAEP writing scores show that nearly ¾ of students in grades 8-12 are not writing at a proficient level. Because students write daily and the practice is a foundation of their educational experience, we've recognized the need for new writing tools that are even more innovative and easy to use and are committed to delivering these tools into the hands of teachers." Using Writing A-Z, teachers assist students in the development of their writing abilities through research-based education. Writing A-Z combines best practices for teachers with guided practice for students to facilitate writing achievement in the classroom. Lesson plans that are simple to apply, digital writing and grammar practice, and continuous professional learning are some of the elements that make Writing A-Z a comprehensive and user-friendly writing solution for K–5 education. About Learning A-Z Learning A-Z is an emerging provider of literacy-focused PreK–6 education technology solutions. The company's products combine traditional teacher-led instruction with technology-enabled resources to make teaching more efficient and effective, practice more personalized and accessible, assessment more automated and strategic, and learning more proactive and informed. Its award-winning digital products, such as Raz-Kids and Reading A-Z, are used by more than 12 million students in over 170 countries.

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ONLINE EDUCATION

Title: edX Launches Cloud Solutions Architecture Certification with AWS

edX | February 15, 2023

On February 14, 2023, edX, an online learning platform, announced its extension with Amazon Web Services AWS to launch its first Professional Certification program in Cloud Solutions Architecture on the edX platform. This program provides the knowledge and skills needed for a successful career in cloud architecture and prepares learners for the Associate exam of AWS Certified Solutions Architect. edX has been working with AWS since 2017, providing more than 30 AWS courses on its platform to about 300,000 learners worldwide, based on various topics ranging from DevOps to Building Modern Python Applications on AWS. They are accessible to all professionals worldwide to upgrade their skills and learn new professional skills for the cloud-based services on AWS. With this newly launched program on edX, learners can enhance their critical professional skills in the trending and growing field of cloud computing. President of Partnerships at edX, Andrew Hermalyn, said, "Cloud computing is an enduring and critical skill set that tech professionals across industries can use to secure and build meaningful careers." He added, "The new Professional Certificate program in Cloud Solutions Architecture on edX will give 48 million learners around the globe the opportunity to pursue a valuable, employer-recognized credential that can drive real career impact in an accessible and affordable format." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) Vice President of Training and Certification at AWS, Maureen Lonergan, said, "The scarcity of individuals with cloud skills is a major concern for our AWS Partners and customers, and hiring the necessary talent continues to pose a real challenge to the industry." She added, "Through our cloud training and education programs, we are preparing diverse learners for in-demand cloud roles around the world. With edX, we are reinventing how talent is cultivated, trained, and retained and building a pipeline of cloud talent for the future." (Source – Cision PR Newswire) About edX edX, an e-learning solutions provider, has been helping learners worldwide to enhance their skills and potential since 2012. Harvard and MIT universities came together to establish this platform. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is a 2U company supporting about 48 million learners with their educational goals. It connects universities and companies for free and open courses, boot camps, professional certificates, credit-based micro-credentials, and graduate and undergraduate degrees. It offers purpose-driven online programs in various fields like healthcare, science, technology, social work, education, and sustainability.

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