Kathleen Lynch, an assistant professor at the University of Connecticut and coauthor of the meta-analysis, said the existing research shows not only that summer learning is an effective means of bolstering academic growth, but also a worthy recipient of finite COVID recovery dollars.

Any evidence supporting the link between creativity and mental illness is extremely tenuous, says Prof James C Kaufman at the University of Connecticut. “Historiometric” analyses, for example, have plumbed the biographies of notable artists. While these studies seem to suggest that mental illness is more prevalent in creative personalities, any post-hoc diagnoses, based purely on a text, have to be treated with great caution. “They are not super objective,” says Kaufman. “Very few creativity researchers believe there is a strong connection.” And the idea that mental anguish may inspire great art certainly shouldn’t be grounds for avoiding treatment for a serious conditions, he says.

Michael Coyne, professor of educational psychology and chair of the Neag School’s Department of Educational Psychology, has served as a principal investigator since the original launch of the literacy research project in 2012

Casey D. Cobbs, the Raymond Neag Professor of Educational Policy at the University of Connecticut, and Gene V Glass, a statistician and researcher in educational psychology and social sciences, partner in the new book, Public and Private Education in America: Examining the Facts. This book is part of the ABC-CLIO’s Contemporary Debates reference series.

Connecticut saw a record high number of antisemitic incidents last year. The Holocaust remembrance movement says “never forget,” but surveys find the problem is deeper — many young people lack basic knowledge of the Holocaust. On the next Cutline, we hear personal stories – then and now. We look at links between antisemitism and extremism, visit a Connecticut classroom teaching the Holocaust, and explore the story of Sobibor, a secret Nazi death camp that was a site of bravery and resistance.

Town Manager Rick Ledwith and Interim Superintendent of Schools Andy Morrow announced Tuesday that effective immediately Roszena Haskins has been promoted to a new position, and as executive director of Equity Advancement will manage the commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion for both the school district and the town as a whole.

Working with researchers Prof. Morgaen Donaldson and Associate Prof. Eric Loken from the Neag School of Education, UConn has found so far that the applicant pools in 2021 and 2022 were significantly more diverse than prior years in terms of students’ racial and ethnic backgrounds, family incomes, and other factors.

“Our results show that schools, district leaders, and community groups should consider increasing their investments in summer programs as an evidence-based strategy to aid in pandemic-related educational recovery, particularly for children whose learning has been placed most at risk,” said study co-author Kathleen Lynch, an assistant professor of learning sciences at the University of Connecticut.

Congratulations to Anamaria Arteaga, the July 2022 Holmes Scholar of the Month. Arteaga is a Ph.D. student at the University of Connecticut’s Neag School of Education. As the service-learning course instructor for the Human Rights and Action Learning Community, she currently works as a graduate assistant for Community Outreach. Arteaga is also a board-certified behavior analyst (BCBA) with a background in applied behavior analysis (ABA) who has worked with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and other related disabilities.

Mansfield Middle School Principal Candace Morell has been named the school system’s director of teaching and learning. Morell has served as a public educator for more than 25 years. She is a graduate of the UConn Neag School of Education with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, Master of Science degree in Education, and a Sixth Year Diploma in Educational Leadership.