Education
Great minds lead to great solutions. Our education section features solutions and innovations directed at strengthening educational systems around the world.
Taking longer breaks while learning may help boost your memory
As many of us probably know, cramming a huge amount of information the day before an exam can be a fruitless undertaking, with most of the knowledge we have painstakingly gained disappearing from our heads soon after. That’s why studying with longer intervals can be very helpful in retaining Read More...
Largest private US employer commits to covering employees' tuition fees
There’s never been a better time to be a student with a part-time job at Walmart. Walmart, the largest private employer in the US, has pledged to help its associates obtain post-secondary education without the stress of student loan debt through its Live Better U education program. If you are Read More...
This book made of recycled plastic features letters to future generations
At this point, we can all agree that our take-make-use-dispose model of consumption has been nothing but harmful for the planet and that it’s about time we part ways with one of the biggest contributors to this problem — single-use plastics. A creative agency in Vietnam, called Ki Saigon, Read More...
This playwright rewrites Black voices and perspectives into popular culture
Marcia Johnson, a Jamaica-born actor, and playwright, was disappointed when she watched an episode of The Crown where not even one line of dialogue was given to a Black character—even though it was set in Kenya. As an outlet for her frustration about the erasure of African voices and Read More...
"Catch-up" centers overcome cultural barriers to educate women
Janet Ekura is an education facilitator at a “catch-up” center in the village of Atan in Isiolo County, Kenya. The catch-up centers are part of an Education for Life initiative designed to empower underprivileged children, and especially girls, in the region. Underaged girls are often Read More...
This start-up has pedestrians generating clean energy in Sierra Leone
If you are reading this article, then chances are that you are in a country with abundant access to electricity. For most people living in Sierra Leone, the opposite is true. In fact, the West African country has one of the lowest access rates for electricity across the globe. Just six percent of Read More...
InkWell offers workshops for aspiring writers dealing with mental health
Canadian writer Kathy Friedman had been writing creatively ever since she could remember, and she also had a long history of mental health issues. She never thought to put the two together until she attended an event called “Art in Madness” in 2013, which explored the connection between Read More...
Book Dash strives to make books more accessible to South African kids
In a world full of screens, parents may wonder how they can cultivate a healthy love of reading in their children. The answer is to make sure that there are plenty of books at home for your kids to flip through. According to a 20-year study from the University of Nevada, Reno, the level of Read More...
UC Santa Barbara professors win MacArthur endowment for racial justice project
Following a mass shooting at UC Santa Barbara in 2014, the campus began looking for new ways to rebuild community and trust. Professor Jeffrey Stewart decided to use his experience with the history of jazz to create a safe space for community growth. Partnering with Professor Victor Rios, the pair Read More...
Michelin showers stars on several plant-based restaurants this year
In January of this year, a Michelin star was awarded to a fully vegan restaurant for the first time in fine-dining history. The restaurant, called ONA, is run by Claire Vallee, who opened her doors in 2016. We wrote about Vallee’s impressive rise to the top despite being denied bank loans due to Read More...