Web search results study

In July 2019, for the first time, the majority of all browsed-based Google searches resulted in zero clicks away from the results page; google's functionality keeps users within the Google ecosystem rather than reffing them outside. 94% of all search engine searches happen on a Google property.
Fishkin, R. (2019, August 13). Less than half of Google searches now result in a click. SparkToro.
https://sparktoro.com/blog/less-than-half-of-google-searches-now-result-in-a-click/

Factors impacting Student Achievement Research

Students in high-poverty school districts learn as much during the school year as their peers in more affluent districts, according to a nationwide study of 3000 students. Researchers found that achievement gaps may be fueled more by nonacademic barriers -- hunger, unstable housing, violence in the home -- that some students face outside of school.
Downey, D.. Workman, J., & von Hippel, P. (2019). Socioeconomic, ethnic, racial, and gender gaps in children's social/behavioral skills: do they grow faster in school or out? Sociological Science, 6, 446-466.
https://www.sociologicalscience.com/articles-v6-17-446/

Teen Suicide Study

Researchers reported that the rate of US adolescents and young adults ages 10 to 24 who died from suicide rose by 56% between 2007 and 2017, the highest increase of any age group. The study also showed that the rate of youth homicide mortality increased by 18% from 2014 to 2017, following a 23% decline from 2007 to 2014. Suicide has become the second-most common cause of death among teenagers and young adults, overtaking homicide and outpaced only by accidents.

Curtin, S. (2019). Death rates due to suicide and homicide among persons aged 10-24.  Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db352-h.pdf

 

Teacher Tech Training Need Study

Thirty-nine percent of teachers need greater training to effectively use education technology, but administrators assert that tight budgets and competing priorities are preventing them from making such investments, according to a recent survey. The research also found that teachers want to use more technology in the classroom and expect the use of cloud-based lesson delivery, virtual reality and other tech to increase over the next five years. Administrators identify connectivity and hardware issues as other major reasons for why more technology is not getting adopted in schools and districts, and communications with teachers is also barrier. When it comes to educators in the classroom, 77 percent of teachers who use different ed tech tools are not involved in the budgetary decision-making process.
The state of technology. (2019). Alpharetta, GA: Promethean.
https://www.prometheanworld.com/state-of-technology-report/?utm_source=Wire&utm_medium=Press%20Release&utm_campaign=NA%202019%20State%20of%20Technology%20Report

Inquiry-Based Learning Study

A massive experiment involving 17,000 students in four countries finds gains for inquiry-, or problem-based teaching over traditional approaches. Introducing math and science through inquiry and problem-based instruction can pay off throughout elementary school. However, while both boys and girls improved in inquiry-based classes, the researchers found that boys improved faster, widening the gender achievement gap.

Bando, R., Näslund-Hadley, E., & Gertler, P. (2019). Effect of Inquiry and Problem Based Pedagogy on Learning: Evidence from 10 Field Experiments in Four Countries (No. w26280). National Bureau of Economic Research.

https://www.nber.org/papers/w26280

Views on classroom tech study

A survey from the University of Waterloo found that 68% of faculty don't like students using phones during class and 32% disapprove of laptops, saying that noneducational use of technology distracts from their teaching. Students, however, felt it was their choice to use such technology in class, with some saying they expected professors to be entertaining enough to earn their attention.

Neiterman, E., Zaza, C. (2019).A mixed blessing? Students' and instructors' perspectives about off-task technology use in the academic classroom. Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of the Teaching and Learning, 10(1). 

https://ojs.lib.uwo.ca/index.php/cjsotl_rcacea/article/view/8002

Fan Fiction Study

Students who resist creative-writing prompts in English class might enjoy writing in someone else's fictional world, a genre known as fan fiction. Researchers say the positive feedback and mentoring often present in online fan fiction communities encourage novice writers of all ages to polish their skills, while engaging in an activity that feels like play rather than work.
Beck, J. (2019, Oct. 1). What fan fiction teaches that the classroom doesn't. Atlantic.
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2019/10/how-fanfiction-improves-writing/599197/

Reading Instruction Studies

Much research has been conducted on the science of reading instruction. This article details several studies, including those showing the benefits of explicit phonics instruction, particularly for students who struggle to read. A few findings follow.

• Children learn to understand speech through exposure to language and dialogue.
• Learning phonological skills such as rhyming, alliteration, alphabet letters, knowing numbers, sequencing, remembering information facilitate learning to read.  
• To read, they learn to connect oral and written language, depending on the orthographic and spelling rules. 
• The best phonics programs are systematic. Sight works are also effective (e.g., were, one, friend). 
• Reading with PK predicts elementary school level reading skill. 
• Reading print differs from reading digitally. 

Schwartz, S., & Sparks, S. (2019, October 2). How do kids learn to read? What the science says. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/how-do-kids-learn-to-read.html