Education & Society

Florida State experts discuss disaster in Japan

Florida State University’s internationally recognized faculty researchers are sharing their expertise with national and international media on a variety of topics related to the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. In outlets ranging from CNN to The New York Times, these experts are discussing the potential dangers at Japan’s nuclear facilities, the physical processes that underlie […]

Instructional design researcher hides learning tools in video games

It’s a frustrating problem for many of today’s parents: Little Jacob or Isabella is utterly indifferent to schoolwork during the day but then happily spends all evening engrossed in the latest video game. The solution isn’t to banish the games, says one Florida State University researcher. A far better approach, advises Valerie J. Shute, is […]

FSU to help keep seniors safe on Florida’s roads

As the number of older Floridians grows, aging road users — unlike previous generations — are expected to drive more and for a longer period of time. Keeping them safe and mobile is the goal of a grant awarded by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Safety Office to the Pepper Institute on Aging and […]

Researchers helping K-12 teachers bring science down to earth

When it comes to teaching space and Earth sciences, there’s a world of information out there, and two Florida State University researchers are helping K-12 teachers to bring it into the classroom. The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) has awarded a $37,500 grant to professors Paul Ruscher and Alejandro Gallard for a two-year project […]

Grant to help train teachers of students with visual impairments

With support from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), a Florida State University education researcher is developing a program to increase the number of teachers possessing the highly specialized skills needed to work with students who are visually impaired. Amy R. McKenzie, an assistant professor in FSU’s School of Teacher Education, has been awarded a […]

Florida State to help military wage war on suicide

American soldiers are taking their own lives in the largest numbers since the military began keeping records, and the Department of Defense has enlisted the help of The Florida State University in waging the war against suicide. A $17 million federal grant has been awarded to FSU and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center to […]

Quadagno receives national honors for work in aging, health, social policy

Sociology Professor Jill Quadagno, one of Florida State University’s most eminent scholars, has been elected a member of the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies. Quadagno, who holds the Mildred and Claude Pepper Eminent Scholar Chair in Social Gerontology, is one of 65 new members and five foreign associates of the organization. […]

Researchers team up with teachers on web-based system for math, science instruction

A doctor records his patients’ symptoms on a tiny laptop computer, receiving instant, expert feedback for his diagnosis. A police officer gets a suspect’s rap sheet in minutes, thanks to the cruiser-installed computer connecting her to critical public safety data. Even the cashier at the fast-food joint uses a high-tech system to process your order […]

Mazza named dean of College of Social Work

Florida State University Provost and Executive Vice President Lawrence G. Abele has announced the appointment of Nicholas Mazza as dean of the College of Social Work effective immediately. Mazza, the Patricia V. Vance Professor of Social Work, has served as interim dean since C. Aaron McNeece retired in 2008. Under his leadership, the College of […]

Florida State researchers work to boost low-performing high schools

High schools across the nation have long struggled to improve student achievement and reduce dropout rates. While reforms enacted over the past three decades have proven successful in some schools, transferring those reforms to others has been challenging, and many students continue to fall behind. Education policy experts at The Florida State University will collaborate […]

Florida State professor hits the road to update image of school libraries

T-shirts? Check. Logo? Check. Theme song? Check. Touring schedule? Check. Another rock band launching a summer tour? Not quite. Replace the image of a glitzy musician in a luxury bus with a librarian tooling along in a gray Honda Odyssey minivan, and you’ll be closer to reality. Nancy Everhart, an associate professor in The Florida […]

Florida State awarded $26 million to help children better understand what they read

More than a dozen Florida State University reading experts have been awarded a total of $26 million to help solve one of education’s most pressing, impenetrable problems: why some students may be able to decipher words on a page, yet still struggle to comprehend them. The money, awarded to the Florida Center for Reading Research […]