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Judge Dismisses Concussion Lawsuit Against Illinois High School Association

An Illinois judge has dismissed the nation's first class-action lawsuit against a state high school association over its handling of concussions, ruling that it had made strides in that regard since the filing of the lawsuit.




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Controversial Economics Class Dropped From Tucson High Schools

School board members in Tucson, Ariz., acted after learning that a controversial economics textbook that hadn't been properly vetted.




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Enrollment in Missouri public schools declines by 3.2%




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News24 Business | Johan Fourie | Could AI topple South Africa’s science funding? Yes, and that is a good thing

At present we reward quantity, not quality. The door could be opening for that to change, argues Johan Fourie.




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News24 Business | Hannes Viljoen | Money is personal - just don't let that cost you

It's unrealistic to expect anyone to invest totally dispassionately. But there are ways to transform risk, writes Hannes Viljoen.




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News24 Business | GCIS defends R7 million spend on 'social reality' TV show amid opposition criticism

Despite criticism of electioneering, the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) has defended its R7 million social-reality television show.




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News24 Business | Khaya Sithole | SAA deal: a lesson in failure to launch

SAA now remains firmly in state hands - a state that it insists it can no longer provide the type of capital support it desperately needs. Who should feel vindicated? asks Khaya Sithole.




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Someone to whom special grace was shown

Like many in Angola, Tchipangu did not have the financial means for an education. But this changed when a company decided to invest in her.




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When Teaching Media Literacy, Which News Sources Are Credible? Even Teachers Don't Agree

Like other Americans, liberal and conservative teachers perceive news sources' credibility differently. How does that affect their teaching of media literacy?




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Teachers Share Resources for Teaching Online During Coronavirus School Closures

To help ease the transition to remote instruction, educators have launched virtual professional learning communities to share resources, ask questions, and give advice.




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How Should Schools Respond to ICE Raids? Some Advice

Nationally, at least five million children have at least one parent who is undocumented. Supporting those children should be a priority if the threat of a raid is not imminent, advocates said.




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Endorsements Still Touchy for Teachers' Unions in Presidential Election Season

Both the AFT and the NEA vowed to engage their members more deeply this year in deciding who to back for the White House. How well have they done?




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How to Teach Students to Work Smarter, Sooner

Working smarter is just as important as working harder. Here's how to help students develop a strategic mindset earlier in life.




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2024-25 Teaching and Learning Technologies Faculty Advisory Committee members named

Teaching and Learning with Technology (TLT), part of Penn State University Libraries, has announced the Teaching and Learning Technologies Faculty Advisory Committee for the 2024-25 academic year. The committee is pivotal in guiding TLT on integrating technology within teaching and learning at Penn State.




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A 'beautiful experience' in software engineering program and internship

As a graduate student in software engineering, Chandan Shivalingaiah said he values the wealth of opportunities he has at Penn State, including research, an internship and teaching underserved high school students. 




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Software engineering student overcomes odds to code for Amazon in internship

Daniel Kumankumah, a Penn State Great Valley software engineering student, was thrilled to land a competitive summer internship with Amazon. When he faced obstacles, he sought help from his team and succeeded in solving coding problems while gaining valuable experience, he said.




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Students Build Tiny Houses to Bring Geometry Lessons to Life

At Battle High School in Columbia, Mo., students in geometry class have swapped their compasses and protractors for hammers and hard hats. And they're doing it for a good cause.




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News24 Business | EXPLAINER | What to do when someone can no longer manage their finances

An illness, accident or aging can take away a person’s ability to manage their own affairs.




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News24 Business | EXPLAINER | Why multi-managed funds are a bit like soccer or rugby teams

Gold remains at record highs, but there are various ways to get exposure to the metal that are less cumbersome and more investor-friendly than holding physical gold.




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News24 Business | GEPF two-pot frustrations: After two months, some withdrawals still not processed

Delays in the payment of withdrawals from the two-pot retirement system have led members of the Government Employees Pension Fund to voice their concerns on social media.




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Penn College IT professor presents at national conference

Sandra Gorka, professor of computer information technology at Pennsylvania College of Technology, recently addressed a national conference for IT educators.




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Penn State mathematician Paul Baum named Atherton Professor

Paul Frank Baum, Evan Pugh University Professor of Mathematics at Penn State, has been honored by Penn State with the title of Atherton Professor. The University created the Atherton Professorship to recognize the continuing high level of scholarly or creative activity Evan Pugh Professors may pursue after their retirement.




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Johnson Lecture in Scientific Communication to be held Nov. 21

Alaina G. Levine, president of Quantum Success Solutions LLC, professional speaker, STEM career coach, and author, will give the fall 2024 A. Dixon and Betty F. Johnson Lecture in Scientific Communication at 7 p.m. on Nov. 21 in 100 Thomas Building on the Penn State University Park campus. The free public lecture is open to the Penn State community.




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Lu Bai named Verne M. Willaman Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Lu "Lucy" Bai, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and of physics has been selected as the Verne M. Willaman Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.




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Virtual speaker explores insomnia from childhood to young adulthood on Oct. 18

Poor sleep is linked to cardiometabolic disease, depression and anxiety, among other concerns. Sleep disturbances can begin in childhood, but insomnia symptoms in children aren’t always taken seriously — and how childhood symptoms develop into a persisting disorder remains elusive. Learn more from Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, professor at the College of Medicine, in the next Virtual Speaker Series from the Penn State Alumni Association from noon to 1 p.m. ET on Oct. 18. 




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Climate Consortium awards projects to drive climate solutions across key sectors

The Penn State Climate Consortium has awarded funding to four research projects that look to put promising climate solutions into action through interdisciplinary partnerships. 




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Hazleton engineering professor's solar solution cuts costs for energy provider

Penn State Hazleton Associate Professor Joseph Ranalli developed a method to identify mislabeled equipment in solar plants by analyzing cloud motion, significantly reducing labor and costs for a large energy provider and enriching the educational experience for his engineering students by demonstrating real-world applications of data analysis. His collaboration with Principal Research Engineer Will Hobbs from Southern Co. has resulted in the publication of two articles and open-source software. 




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Research team gets grant to study precision chemical thinning of apple blossoms

One of the most traditionally time-consuming, labor-intensive processes of apple production is blossom thinning, which involves manually pruning flowers so that remaining blooms can reclaim the plant’s resources to grow better fruit. More recently, the process has shifted to broad chemical spraying, which can have harmful environmental impacts. To assist producers and mitigate environmental harm, the USDA has awarded a three-year, $601,125 grant to a team of Penn State researchers for the development of a robotic precision spraying system.




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Thompson, Pennsylvania in the Balance among those receiving Ag Council awards

U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, was honored with the 2024 Leadership Award presented by the Penn State Ag Council at its fall meeting in State College. Also recognized were members of the Pennsylvania in the Balance initiative and undergraduate student Jessica Herr.




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Distinguished professor in plant nutrition retires after long, impactful career

Jonathan Lynch, distinguished professor of plant nutrition, retired this fall after an innovative and impactful 33-year career in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, focused on conducting research to alleviate world hunger and enhance crop production by subsistence farmers in developing countries.




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Joyce Robinson named interim director of the Palmer Museum of Art

Joyce Henri Robinson has been named interim director of the Palmer Museum of Art, effective Dec. 1. She has been a curator at the Palmer since 1997 and has served as assistant director since 2018. Erin M. Coe, director since 2017, is stepping down to become the executive director of the Rockwell Museum (a Smithsonian Affiliate) in Corning, New York. A national search will be launched for a new permanent director.




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Gustafson to discuss biodiversity protection, land values on Oct. 30

Matthew Gustafson, Robert and Judith Klein Professor of Finance in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State, will give the talk, “The Biodiversity Protection Discount,” at noon on Wednesday, Oct. 30, in 157 Hosler Building on the University Park campus. Lecture is free and open to the public.




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News24 Business | Tencent, Guillemot family said to consider buyout of Ubisoft

Tencent Holdings and Ubisoft Entertainment SA's founding Guillemot family are considering options, including a potential buyout of the French video game developer, after it lost more than half its market value this year, according to people familiar with the matter.




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Greater Allegheny Inducts first-generation students into honor society

Summary: Penn State Greater Allegheny recently celebrated the induction of its first cohort into the Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) honor society, recognizing the academic achievements of first-generation college students.




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Why Are Students With Disabilities So Invisible in STEM Education?

In the United States, we lament the lack of diversity in STEM fields and in teacher education, but many of our actions as educators continue to "weed out" students from nondominant communities and those who are differently abled.




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Marny Xiong, School Board Chair and Social Justice Champion, Dies at 31 of COVID-19

The daughter of Hmong refugees was an outspoken advocate for minority communities. She was elected to the St. Paul, Minn., school board in 2017.




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Kleppinger, Sokolov elected Board of Trustees chair, vice chair 

The Penn State Board of Trustees voted to elect David Kleppinger as chair and Rick Sokolov as vice-chair during its regular meeting on Nov. 8 on the University Park campus. 




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Penn State to unveil a new Employee Resource Group for caregivers

Penn State is launching a new Employee Resource Group (ERG) for employees who serve as caregivers for other individuals in their lives, including family members such as elders or children of any age who are unwell, or have special needs or disabilities. The new ERG, called Penn State Cares and is open to employees at all campuses, seeks to create a workplace where caregivers can support each other, use and expand existing university resources, and enable employees, who are caregivers, to thrive and grow.




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The joy of seeing people blossom

After several years of discipleship with an OMer in a little village in Albania, a young believer blossoms in his walk with God.




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Ending isolation

OM Albania is reaching out to children with special needs, visiting their families' homes and helping the different family members in holistic ways.




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How to Handle IEPs During the Coronavirus Crisis? Some Expert Advice

Very carefully, experts say, while understanding that federal laws governing special education were not written with online education in mind.




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Betsy DeVos Sees 'No Reason' to Waive Core Elements of Special Education Law

Congress should not grant flexibility from the federal special education law's key components due to the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has told federal lawmakers.




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Just in Time: a Resource Hub on Remote Learning for Special Education Students

Nearly 30 disability rights and education advocacy organizations have launched a new resource hub and online network designed to help special educators during the coronavirus crisis.




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Why Are Students With Disabilities So Invisible in STEM Education?

In the United States, we lament the lack of diversity in STEM fields and in teacher education, but many of our actions as educators continue to "weed out" students from nondominant communities and those who are differently abled.




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Jazz orchestra highlights Penn State Abington free concert season

Jack Saint Clair will bring his 17-piece jazz orchestra to Penn State Abington for a free concert at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 in Sutherland Auditorium.




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How to Make Lessons Cohesive When Teaching Both Remote and In-Person Classes

When some students are online and others in school buildings, how can teachers make sure everyone is learning what they need to learn?




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How to Balance In-Person and Remote Instruction

Full-time remote instruction? In-person instruction? Or a hybrid model? Deciding among those three options can be an excruciating decision for school officials. But the choice many schools appear to be leaning toward is a hybrid model, at least for now.




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Penn State Harrisburg women’s soccer wins 2024 United East Championship

Penn State Harrisburg's women's soccer team won the 2024 United East Championship in a double-overtime draw that ended with a 4-3 penalty kick victory over St. Mary's College of Maryland on Nov. 9.




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Re-engineered, blue light-activated immune cells penetrate and kill solid tumors

A team led by researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine re-engineered immune cells with a light-activated switch that modulates protein function and cellular behavior. When exposed to blue light, the cells change shape, infiltrating solid tumors grown in the lab and killing them.




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The Medical Minute: 10 health tips for parents during cold and flu season

As the cold weather approaches, it’s important to protect your family from the flu, COVID-19 and RSV. A Penn State Health pediatrician shares some simple tips to help keep everyone healthy.