Teaching, Learning and Behavior

Stephen Jackson, education scholar at the University of Kansas, writes in a new article that history education standards are prone to politicization and only stoke the culture wars without improving what students learn. He instead proposes "standards minimalism” and points to Kansas and Maine as two states with exemplary standards.

Research from the University of Kansas has shown that when people found “Easter eggs” — hidden objects, characters or references to another story in their entertainment — they reported enjoying the movie or entertainment more and that they were more likely to engage in fan behavior, like posting about it online.

Research from the University of Kansas has found that college students with lower self-control and who use short-form video to escape tend to procrastinate more with apps like TikTok, Instagram reels and YouTube shorts. And while students had lower-quality sleep if they procrastinated with short-form video, it did not show to negatively affect their academics.

A research project among educators, students, journalists and communities in six states has found that pairing student journalists with communities through structured conversation can help to rebuild trust while also teaching future reporters how to listen to and investigate on the needs of overlooked populations. A KU journalism faculty member is co-author of the new study, published in Journalism Practice.

The Center for Innovation, Design & Digital Learning at the University of Kansas has received a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, to expand its work in helping educators across the country keep up with rapidly evolving technology like artificial intelligence.

New University of Kansas research shows which personality types are most affected by communication overload in the workplace and how that corresponds with in-office versus remote work preferences.

Juniper Gardens Children’s Project, part of the Life Span Institute at the University of Kansas, is the focus of a special issue of the peer-reviewed journal Education and Treatment of Children.

Two University of Kansas scholars began using gamification in their teacher prep courses and had enough success that they decided to write a book dedicated to helping other educators with the strategy. The result was "Gamification Made Simple: A Guide for Higher Education Professionals."

The Department of Religious Studies at the University of Kansas received a $60,000, two-year grant from the nonprofit group Interfaith America to create partnerships with community groups addressing the spiritual connection to health issues.

“Transforming College Teaching Evaluation,” a new book from scholars at the University of Kansas and colleague institutions, outlines a project that developed new ways to more fully evaluate the value of college teaching. The book details how three institutions developed a new, more robust method of evaluation that recognizes how to fully evaluate teaching and how schools can overcome resistance to implement the methods at their campuses.