The hottest Education Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Education Topics

Beware of Econ Grad School

In My Tribe • 956 implied HN points • 29 Nov 24
🚌 Education Higher education Economics Career Advice Teaching Methods
  1. Econ grad school might not be the best choice if you're just curious about ideas. It's better to explore other careers that can satisfy that curiosity, like business.
  2. Many econ programs focus on teaching specific skills rather than encouraging discussions and new ideas. This can stifle your interest and creativity.
  3. You can learn a lot about economics on your own. Understanding basic concepts and real-world business behavior can be more valuable than fancy math techniques from grad school.

What it's like being a political communication professor right now

The Future, Now and Then • 234 implied HN points • 19 Aug 25
🚌 Education Higher education Political Communication Teaching Methods Academic challenges Pedagogy
  1. Being a political communication professor is a unique job where you get paid to think deeply. It's a special opportunity, especially as such positions are becoming rare.
  2. The impact of technology like ChatGPT on education may not be huge in some classrooms. Engaging students in meaningful discussions still remains crucial.
  3. Current political issues and a shift towards authoritarianism make teaching political communication more challenging. Professors have to adapt to these changes and modify their teaching strategies.

Maybe K-12 schools should rebrand discipline

Sex and the State • 38 implied HN points • 29 Dec 25
🚌 Education K-12 Classroom Management School Policy
  1. Rebrand discipline as assistance: when a student disrupts class, remove them to get help from a counselor or support staff instead of using punishment.
  2. Treat misbehavior as a sign of unmet needs—like home trouble, learning differences, or mental health—because helping those needs is more effective for learning and more ethical than retribution.
  3. Shift resources and policy away from punishment and bloated administration toward counseling, tutoring, vocational options, and flexible learning to reduce racial punishment gaps and better support boys who act out.
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The End of Liberal Education?

Castalia • 539 implied HN points • 27 Oct 23
🚌 Education Higher education Liberal Arts Social justice Student activism
  1. There is growing concern that elite universities like Harvard are losing touch with their traditional liberal values. Recent incidents have highlighted a divide between student activism and mainstream liberalism.
  2. The rising costs of education are making it harder for middle-class families to access top schools. This situation has led to a focus on superficial diversity rather than true socioeconomic representation.
  3. The environment on college campuses has shifted towards heightened sensitivity and protection of student feelings. This shift includes the use of concepts like 'safe spaces' and 'trigger warnings,' which some argue restrict open debate and dialogue.

Einstein on Education

Humanities in Revolt • 459 implied HN points • 25 Nov 23
🚌 Education Humanities Ethics Learning
  1. Albert Einstein believed that humanities were crucial for human flourishing and couldn't be replaced by a purely scientific education.
  2. Einstein criticized early specialization in education, emphasizing the importance of a broad humanistic general education over narrow career-focused paths.
  3. Einstein advocated for cultivating independent thinking skills in students, warning against excessive competitiveness in educational systems and promoting a philosophy of honoring individuality and social responsibility.

Putting the "M" in STEM

The Bell Ringer • 239 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🚌 Education STEM Math Learning Curriculum Achievement
  1. Math is really important in STEM fields, but schools need to focus more on improving math skills. We need better math education to succeed in science and technology.
  2. Many people talk a lot about STEM, but they often overlook how crucial math is to it. If we want to see progress, math achievement needs to be a priority in education.
  3. To get students excited about STEM, we should encourage a strong foundation in math from an early age. This can help build confidence and interest in science and technology careers.

The Dragon Every Math Teacher Has to Slay Eventually

Mathworlds • 569 implied HN points • 22 Jun 23
🚌 Education Teaching Mathematics Student learning
  1. Students often feel worse about math class compared to other subjects because of the pressure to only have one correct answer for each question.
  2. Math should be taught as a creative discipline that embraces human subjectivity, not just a set of memorized steps.
  3. Teachers can help students deconstruct the idea of one right way to do math by introducing activities that show multiple paths lead to the same solution.

The Intensive Margin

David Friedman’s Substack • 260 implied HN points • 29 Jul 25
🚌 Education Economics Mathematics Theory Research Pedagogy
  1. Many economics courses focus too much on math, making it less about real economic concepts. This can turn students away who expect more practical learning.
  2. Doing new research on topics that have been studied for a long time is tough because it's hard to say something fresh. It's often easier to use new math tools on old problems.
  3. To make meaningful contributions in economics, it's better to apply existing ideas to new areas rather than just trying to add more math to classic studies.

AI Does Not Fit the Shape of Schooling

Mathworlds • 550 implied HN points • 01 Jun 23
🚌 Education AI Teaching Learning EdTech Curriculum
  1. Schooling has a multidimensional shape with various purposes like cognitive development and social development.
  2. AI models need to align with the full visions for learning, beyond what AI can currently model well.
  3. In classroom settings, AI may have potential for teacher support and professional development, but may not fit within the primary vehicle for student learning.

How to make a map of your mind

Austin Kleon • 3577 implied HN points • 02 Nov 21
🚌 Education Learning Techniques Cognitive Science
  1. To get your thoughts flowing when you're stuck, try making a mind map. Start in the middle of the page with a word or image, then branch out from there.
  2. This method helps you get ideas out of your head quickly and allows you to see connections between them that you might miss while writing normally.
  3. You can do this on a small scale in a notebook or go big on a wall or whiteboard. Starting in the middle can jog your creativity and help you dive right into your ideas.

Why is Academic Writing so Bad?

Going Awol • 179 implied HN points • 28 Mar 24
🚌 Education Academic writing Philosophy
  1. One reason for bad academic writing is intentional complexity to ensure longevity and generate discussions and interpretations.
  2. Academic writing issues stem from language barriers, knowledge curse, insecurity, and lack of incentives for clear writing.
  3. Encouraging academics to focus on knowledge pursuit over personal legacy could help improve academic writing quality.

Notebook: (2) Classroom Libraries

Book Post • 314 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🚌 Education Curriculum Reading Libraries Literacy Pedagogy
  1. New legislation is being introduced to protect library collections from political interference.
  2. Efforts are being made to provide free books and support for restricted books through private initiatives.
  3. There is a debate over teaching methods in early childhood education, with concerns about prioritizing 'Science of Reading' and its impact on student-directed reading and diverse classroom libraries.

Innocence Lost

Becoming Noble • 538 implied HN points • 11 Aug 23
🚌 Education Hiring Process Alternative Education Educational Philosophy
  1. Children's childhoods are being sacrificed to the education machine, making them lose their innocence to endless hours of schooling and homework.
  2. The modern education system forces a desperate rat race where exceptional grades are paramount, disadvantaging many groups and perpetuating progressive control.
  3. To revolutionize hiring and education, businesses must embrace efficient cognitive aptitude tests to ensure fair selection processes and better predict job performance.

Why I am Leaving Academia

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 2021 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🚌 Education Career Change
  1. The main reason for leaving academia is to pursue new opportunities.
  2. One of the motivations for leaving academia is to have more time for book-length projects, like writing three new books.
  3. Issues in academia, like student accessibility, misplaced priorities such as emphasis on football, and lack of support from administrators, are significant factors influencing the decision to leave.

The Topography of Thought Edition

Why is this interesting? • 965 implied HN points • 24 Oct 24
🚌 Education Writing Research Learning Cognition Creativity
  1. Your writing style can show how you think and might predict your success. It's not just about the words you use, but how you organize your ideas.
  2. Some people can express a lot of different ideas briefly, while others might take longer to get through them. This can affect how effectively they communicate their thoughts.
  3. Understanding how successful people manage their ideas can help us improve our own writing and storytelling skills. It’s useful to have data to back up what we believe about writing.

How to Get Kids Reading More Books

The Analog Family • 319 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🚌 Education Reading Literacy Child development Parenting Books
  1. Kids are reading less because of distractions like smartphones and a focus on analytical approaches in school. It's important for them to enjoy reading whole books to gain emotional connections and confidence.
  2. Setting up an environment full of books helps encourage reading. Having books available everywhere can make reading more appealing to kids.
  3. Parents should model reading habits. When kids see their parents reading, they may be more inclined to pick up a book themselves and find enjoyment in it.

Weekend Roundup

Classical Wisdom • 255 implied HN points • 11 Feb 24
🚌 Education History Mythology Literature Podcasts Classical Studies
  1. Listen to the wisdom of Herodotus and learn about the Scythians, an ancient nomadic people who were once considered 'invincible'
  2. Explore mythological fiction like Tad Crawford's 'On Wine-Dark Seas', a sequel to the Odyssey, to delve deeper into the story of Odysseus and Telemachus
  3. Access exclusive content and resources by becoming a member of Classical Wisdom, including podcasts with professors, webinars, e-books, and magazines

Apologies for yet more radio silence/forthcoming book

Building a New Economics • 275 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🚌 Education Economics Research Publishing Finance
  1. The author has been busy working on a new book and various projects for BC4LS.
  2. The new book includes chapters on economics, pricing, energy, and the role of neoclassical economics in misleading about global warming.
  3. The author plans to release the manuscript to financial supporters only to avoid jeopardizing potential sales for the publisher.

Can parents save math?

The Bell Ringer • 159 implied HN points • 05 Apr 24
🚌 Education STEM Parenting Learning Assessment Equity
  1. More math education can help get more students into STEM fields. Parents believe that improving math is a fair way to provide opportunities.
  2. A group of parents in California is advocating for better math programs in schools. They think this will help kids who want to succeed in science and technology.
  3. Investing in math education is seen as important for the future. Parents want to ensure all students have the chance to excel in these subjects.

What if societies were (deliberately) built to learn? (part one)

Brain Pizza • 794 implied HN points • 10 Dec 24
🚌 Education Learning methods Social Issues Public Policy Behavioral Science
  1. An 'experimenting society' uses real-life experiments to solve social problems. Instead of guessing solutions, we can test ideas to see what really works.
  2. Complex issues like poverty and health don’t have easy answers. We often need deep expertise and careful study to find effective solutions instead of relying on common sense.
  3. Learning from mistakes is important. If societies are built to learn, they can adapt and improve over time by evaluating what strategies succeed or fail.

Reflections: my class about LLMs and Cognitive Science

The Counterfactual • 139 implied HN points • 17 Apr 24
🚌 Education Teaching Methods Cognitive Science Artificial Intelligence Course design Learning Outcomes
  1. A new class on Large Language Models (LLMs) was created to help Cognitive Science students understand the intersection of AI and human cognition, especially after the popularity of technologies like ChatGPT.
  2. The course covered the history and technical foundations of LLMs, with hands-on labs and discussions that helped students think critically about their societal impacts and ethical concerns.
  3. For future classes, there's a desire to expand the content, particularly by adding discussions on topics like tokenization and exploring more philosophical aspects of LLMs.

Soviet Lessons on Ethnic Disparities in STEM

Heterodox STEM • 220 implied HN points • 06 Aug 25
🚌 Education STEM Ethnic Studies Soviet history Labor Economics
  1. Soviet efforts in STEM education showed mixed results. They successfully promoted education for women and some minorities but struggled with significant under-representation of certain ethnic groups.
  2. The Soviet Union's focus on broad access to quality STEM instruction helped elevate educational standards, but the emphasis on equity didn't always lead to equal outcomes for all ethnicities.
  3. High-performance recognition and a strong commitment to STEM were central to the Soviet identity, but their rigid systems sometimes limited the potential of certain groups and led to brain drain as talent emigrated.

Open Thread 318

Astral Codex Ten • 1858 implied HN points • 04 Mar 24
🚌 Education Discussion
  1. This post is part of a weekly open thread where users can share and discuss various topics.
  2. Manifold Markets is hosting a prediction market conference called Manifest, scheduled for June 7 to 9th, with early bird tickets available at $499.
  3. Jessica Ocean from the PsychCrisis blog has shared interesting insights on Proposition 1 regarding mental health funding in the California primary.

Children of the Revolution

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 1850 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🚌 Education Black History Cancer Research AI Technology
  1. Teaching Black History Month to kids through a Black Lives Matter coloring book has sparked controversy and concerns among parents regarding the content being taught in schools.
  2. The importance of teaching actual black history, like the stories of the Tuskegee Airmen, as opposed to contemporary political ideologies in schools.
  3. The issue of fraud in cancer research highlights the lack of transparency in data sharing within the scientific community, leading to questions about the integrity of medical research and the need for more stringent protocols.

Unlocked: Teaching math with John Mighton

The Bell Ringer • 79 implied HN points • 31 May 24
🚌 Education Teaching Learning Curriculum Assessment Pedagogy
  1. John Mighton emphasizes the importance of understanding math concepts rather than just memorizing formulas. This helps students develop deeper problem-solving skills.
  2. Focusing on problem-solving in math education encourages critical thinking and creativity in students.
  3. Teaching math should be about making connections and understanding rather than just practicing procedures. This approach can make learning more enjoyable.

Oh the equity!

A User's Guide to History • 294 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🚌 Education DEI History
  1. DEI - diversity, equity, inclusion is a battleground in public affairs.
  2. Equity has a historical foundation in English and American law.
  3. The DEI movement aims to bring about equitable outcomes amidst differing opinions.