The hottest Education Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Education Topics

AI Literacy For Educators

Teaching computers how to talk • 83 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🚌 Education AI literacy Teaching Methods Critical Thinking Technology Integration Student Engagement
  1. AI is already part of classrooms, and ignoring or fighting it will not benefit students. Teachers need to adapt to these changes instead.
  2. Critical thinking will be the most important skill for students in the future, as traditional education methods won't be enough anymore.
  3. A free handbook on AI literacy for educators is available to help them understand and teach about AI effectively, making sure they are prepared for its influence.

If You're A Writer, You Can Also Be Successful On YouTube

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 119 implied HN points • 24 Nov 22
🚌 Education Writing YouTube Content creation Video Production
  1. Good writing skills are important for YouTube success. Writing video scripts helps organize your thoughts and keeps viewers engaged.
  2. A well-structured video should have a clear introduction, informative middle, and a concise conclusion. This makes it easier for audiences to follow along.
  3. The more viewers watch your videos, the better they will perform on YouTube. A higher watch time signals to the algorithm that your content is interesting.

[Solution]Problem 73: Find the smallest positive number missing from an unsorted array [Apple]

Technology Made Simple • 59 implied HN points • 03 Feb 23
🚌 Education Problem Solving Arrays
  1. When given a complex problem, consider starting with a simpler version to gain insights on how to approach the harder problem.
  2. Challenging problems often have specific constraints that indicate the existence of a trickier, optimized solution. However, don't let these constraints limit your exploration of simpler, slower solutions first.
  3. To solve harder problems smoothly, create a brute-force solution and optimize incrementally. Remember to focus on maximizing efficiency in terms of time and space complexity.

Duolingo’s Scaling Journey: Education Revolution or Engagement Obsession?

Gad’s Newsletter • 26 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
🚌 Education EdTech Language Learning Gamification User engagement Learning Science
  1. Duolingo uses fun games and personalized lessons to help people learn languages. This method keeps users engaged but raises questions about whether it's helping them learn deeply.
  2. The app has many users but faces challenges in getting people to pay for premium features. Most users stick to the free version, making it important for Duolingo to find new ways to encourage subscriptions.
  3. While Duolingo effectively attracts beginners, it struggles to keep advanced learners. The company needs to create better resources for those wanting to reach high levels of fluency.
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All About Athena

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 08 Nov 23
🚌 Education Mythology Literature Ancient Greece Legends Analysis
  1. Athena's role in Homeric epic is as a right-hand to her father and a special sponsor of heroes like Diomedes in the Iliad.
  2. Athena's birth, as per various texts, reflects the resolution of conflicts in the creation of the Universe, showing her as somewhat androgynous.
  3. Athena is depicted with a wide range of epithets and cult-names across different regions, showcasing the diversity in her representations and worship.

'Human intelligence'

imperfect offerings • 13 HN points • 10 Apr 24
🚌 Education AI Data Work Learning Assessment
  1. The concept of 'artificial intelligence' has historically been used to define and value 'intelligence', leading to discriminatory practices in education and beyond.
  2. The term 'human intelligence' has been co-opted by the AI industry to alleviate concerns about job displacement, but in reality, it devalues certain types of work and people, especially those involving care and emotional labor.
  3. The comparison between artificial and human intelligence creates a double bind for students and workers, expecting them to conform to data-driven systems while also being 'more human', which can lead to confusion and anxiety.

Mental Models: tools supporting problem solvers for better decision making

Poczwardowski Notes • 39 implied HN points • 07 Nov 23
🚌 Education Decision-making Problem Solving Learning
  1. Using mental models can enhance decision-making by offering different perspectives and minimizing blind spots.
  2. Engaging with tools and frameworks like mental models can lead to improved problem-solving strategies.
  3. Learning from mistakes is valuable, but utilizing structured models like mental models can equip problem solvers with additional support.

Chutes, ladders, and Markov chains

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained • 72 implied HN points • 04 Dec 24
🚌 Education Mathematics Statistics Game Theory Probability Teaching
  1. The game of Chutes and Ladders is a fun example of a Markov chain. It shows how the next move depends only on where you are now, not on how you got there.
  2. There are different types of game boards, some allow for winning while others can trap players forever. Ultimately winnable boards guarantee that a player can reach the end if they keep playing.
  3. On average, players need about 39 spins to win the game, and surprisingly, most random boards created will still offer a winning chance.

GRANTED: Why "quiet quitting" is trending and repeating yourself is a good habit

Granted • 99 implied HN points • 28 Aug 22
🚌 Education Psychology Communication Self-Improvement
  1. Personality is not fixed - who you become is about what you choose to do with your traits.
  2. Quiet quitting is a response to poor work environments; meaningful work, respect, and fair pay can inspire people to excel.
  3. Repeating yourself is crucial for good communication; leaders are more likely criticized for undercommunicating than overcommunicating.

Revisited and updated: How I reduced my marking time from 4 hours a week to 15 minutes

Eclecticism: Reflections on literature, writing and life • 3 implied HN points • 21 Dec 25
🚌 Education Assessment Feedback EdTech Teaching Creative Writing Online Learning
  1. You can massively cut marking time by building praise and criticism comment banks and using spreadsheet formulas to randomize and concatenate feedback for quick copy‑paste delivery.
  2. Automatically generated comments can sound genuine and be useful, but they sometimes mismatch the student’s work and will require occasional clarification or manual edits.
  3. Spreadsheets are handy for tracking assignments and progress—functions like =randbetween() can generate scores quickly, though you may need to overwrite or adjust numbers and consider broader signs of progress like bravery.

Ethical Dilemma: Questions school officials should ask about 'safe rooms'

School Shooting Data Analysis and Reports • 19 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🚌 Education School Security Ethical dilemmas Legal considerations
  1. Creating 'safe rooms' in schools for emergencies like shootings raises ethical questions about timing and decision-making during a crisis.
  2. The design and logistics of getting students into these 'safe rooms' quickly and effectively present significant challenges and potential risks.
  3. Legal considerations come into play with school 'safe rooms,' including issues related to OSHA confined space regulations and ADA accessibility standards.

Getting Our Priorities Straight: Humanities and the Art of Living

Humanities in Revolt • 159 implied HN points • 15 Apr 22
🚌 Education Humanities Philosophy Life Skills
  1. Sometimes we prioritize things like our possessions or earning potential over the true joys of life and being present in the moment.
  2. It's important to understand the distinction between the means and ends of life, and to focus on what truly brings value and fulfillment to our existence.
  3. Living a good life requires skill and effort, akin to mastering an art. Recognizing and pursuing the true ends of life is crucial for finding meaning and purpose.

Education: How Can It Cost So Much?

Fake Noûs • 294 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
🚌 Education Cost Research
  1. College education has become extremely costly over the last 50 years, with average tuition soaring to high levels.
  2. A significant portion of the high cost of college goes to faculty salaries, research, administrative work, and not necessarily to benefit students directly.
  3. Academia's administrative procedures can be overly redundant, biased, and counterproductive, leading to high costs without much added value.

Announcing Mailbox Mondays

Kids Who Love Math • 167 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🚌 Education Math
  1. Sebastian Gutierrez is starting Mailbox Mondays where he will answer reader questions in a post every Monday.
  2. Readers can send in questions via email, and Sebastian will share the answers anonymously in the post.
  3. Responses to the original question will also be sent via email to the reader.

Heroic Appearances

Painful Signs, Or, Joel's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 26 Oct 23
🚌 Education Literature Mythology Language Research
  1. The ethnicity and appearance of ancient heroes, like Helen, may not align with modern concepts of race and beauty. Ancient depictions and concepts of color and appearance were likely different.
  2. Descriptions of heroes in ancient Greek literature, such as Helen, were often open to interpretation and projection by the audience, allowing for individualized ideals of beauty.
  3. Homeric poetry intentionally left physical descriptions of figures like Helen vague, encouraging audience engagement and diverse interpretations rather than prescribing fixed appearances.

Discussion with Steve Stewart-Williams on evolutionary psychology

Optimally Irrational • 63 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🚌 Education Psychology Evolution Behavior Research Cognition
  1. Evolutionary psychology studies behavior based on human evolution. It looks for reasons why we think and act the way we do by using ideas from evolutionary biology.
  2. While some critics argue that evolutionary psychology can lead to over-simplified stories about behavior, it still provides useful insights into human nature and basic drives.
  3. Understanding how evolution shapes our thoughts and actions can help us improve mental health and make better decisions in life and relationships.

How To Monetise Your Attention

Day One • 439 implied HN points • 10 Aug 20
🚌 Education Attention Content Skill Building Learning Personal Growth
  1. Consuming educational, informational, and entertaining content on the internet is crucial for growth and success.
  2. Focus on seeking out educational content to increase knowledge and improve skills, as it can help you monetize your attention and achieve success.
  3. Take proactive steps like learning new skills, building a business, or enhancing existing skills to ensure you come out stronger and more successful in challenging times.

The Story of the Mathematics of Machine Learning Book

The Palindrome • 5 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25
🚌 Education Mathematics Machine Learning Writing Online Learning Publishing
  1. Writing online about math and machine learning turned a hobby into a 700-page book, showing that sharing knowledge can lead to unexpected successes.
  2. Creating clear, engaging content on social media helped grow an audience rapidly, proving that quality work can attract attention even in crowded spaces.
  3. Finding a publisher transformed a challenging project into a successful book release, underlining the importance of collaboration and support from the community.

Further Reading

Material World • 164 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
🚌 Education Books Science History Research Reading
  1. There is a wide range of reading materials available to delve deeper into the topics discussed in the book.
  2. Various books and resources are recommended for exploring different aspects of material science, such as sand, salt, iron, copper, oil, and lithium.
  3. Authors and specific books are highlighted as excellent starting points for those interested in learning more about specific material-related subjects.

On Michael Mann's "On Wars"

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 153 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🚌 Education Review Analysis War Peace Human behavior
  1. Wars are negative-sum activities where mistakes are made by one or both parties involved.
  2. The book 'On Wars' by Michael Mann explores the history and nature of war, aiming to understand the underlying causes of conflicts and achieve peace.
  3. Chris Blattman's 'Why We Fight' provides a useful sociology of war by identifying key types of mistakes that lead to wars, offering insights to guide toward peace.

Laws that Red Teamers Should Know

Locks and Leaks • 19 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🚌 Education Laws Red-Teaming Security Ethics
  1. Red teamers should be familiar with laws related to activities like burglary, trespassing, burglary tools, hacking, theft, wiretapping, and impersonation.
  2. Understanding the difference between something being illegal and prosecutable is crucial. Aligning goals with the protection of the public and prevention of harm is key for authorized assessments.
  3. Having knowledge of relevant laws can enhance a red teamer's career and ensure that steps are taken to avoid violating rules, laws, regulations, or ethical considerations while uncovering security vulnerabilities.

The Courage to Disagree in Academia

Journal of Free Black Thought • 53 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🚌 Education Academic Freedom Critical Thinking Intellectual humility
  1. Colleges should help students learn how to disagree and think critically. When students ask tough questions about what they're taught, it shows they're engaged and curious.
  2. It's important for schools to protect teachers' rights to express different opinions. This allows them to challenge the usual ideas and helps students hear various viewpoints.
  3. We should encourage open discussions on controversial topics. It helps students understand different perspectives and prepares them to think more broadly about important issues.

Bad communication is always your fault

Sunday Letters • 199 implied HN points • 03 Apr 22
🚌 Education Communication Leadership Teamwork Problem Solving Personal Development
  1. Effective communication is a shared responsibility. If someone doesn't understand you, it's worth examining how you can express your thoughts more clearly.
  2. People generally want to understand each other. If communication fails, it's important to explore what might be blocking the other person from grasping your message.
  3. Assuming good intent can help improve communication. If you treat every miscommunication as your responsibility, it can lead to better conversations.

BRIEFLY NOTED: For 2024-03-01 Fr

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 146 implied HN points • 01 Mar 24
🚌 Education Economics Global Warming History Neofascism
  1. Warren Buffett expanded his investment philosophy following advice from Munger, which led to adding wonderful businesses purchased at fair prices
  2. Stock pundits have faced criticism for underperformance and being influenced by popular views, impacting small and mid-capitalisation stocks
  3. Berkshire Hathaway Energy's financial stability in the face of climate change contrasts with utilities like PG&E and Hawaiian Electric facing bankruptcy

How To Create A Free Blog With Medium In 6 Easy Steps

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 99 implied HN points • 03 Dec 22
🚌 Education Writing Blogging Content creation Publishing Digital Literacy
  1. To start a blog on Medium, first create a strong profile. Include your name, a short bio, and links to your other social media or newsletter.
  2. When you start writing, pay attention to formatting using Medium’s tools. Use titles, subtitles, and images to make your posts visually appealing.
  3. Finally, add relevant tags to your posts before publishing. This helps your articles get noticed and reach a wider audience.

Experience

Castalia • 119 implied HN points • 18 Oct 22
🚌 Education Student experience Academic Freedom Online Learning Public Debate
  1. Universities are facing a lot of criticism for rising costs, student debt, and the perceived failure to promote free speech. Many people feel they are not fulfilling their promised roles in society.
  2. Students today often see university as a comfortable space, more like home rather than a place for deep intellectual growth. This affects how they engage with their education.
  3. There's a suggestion that education could be more accessible and diverse by utilizing online platforms and offering adult learning opportunities. This way, teaching can move beyond traditional classrooms and connect with people who are eager to learn.

Wherefore pegging

featherlessbipeds • 39 implied HN points • 08 Oct 23
🚌 Education History Economy Politics Trade International relations
  1. Bretton Woods replaced the gold standard for three main reasons - poor performance, shifting economic demands, and growing political pressure for intervention.
  2. Bretton Woods selected pegged exchange rates and control of domestic monetary policy, giving up the free flow of capital.
  3. The system experienced challenges, such as the dollar shortage in Europe, and eventually faced issues like exceeding U.S. gold supplies, leading to its vulnerability and eventual unraveling.

The big puzzles of economic development

Research Notes • 39 implied HN points • 12 Oct 23
🚌 Education Economic Development
  1. The Industrial Revolution around 1800 caused a significant increase in global output and per capita income.
  2. Inequality across countries is a complex issue with historical causes and recent trends.
  3. China's rapid growth compared to India, the decline in global poverty, and the implications for policy are key economic development puzzles.

The Foundry. A University Alternative.

A Journey of Learning • 39 implied HN points • 25 Feb 23
🚌 Education STEM Education
  1. Proposing a radical alternative to traditional universities focused on self-directed learning and building things.
  2. Highlighting the drawbacks of current higher education systems, especially in engineering and science fields.
  3. Describing a vision for 'The Foundry' as an interdisciplinary, self-motivated, and hands-on learning environment.