This view of a spelling bee as a competitive entertainment event was part of the success of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” the award-winning musical presented this past fall by the Connecticut Repertory Theatre. As the characters moved through the backstory of their lives in flashbacks during the spelling bee, the theme of competition was ever-present in the setting – a school gymnasium, with its floor lined as a basketball court. University faculty say that competition in the classroom and on the playing field can provide many lessons to students, although it may have a downside for some.

A lot has been written about the destructive outcomes of sexism on women but not much on how it affects men. In his new book, James M. O’Neil, UConn professor of educational psychology and family studies, seeks to raise awareness about the perils of sexism for men and boys.

Chosen through a competitive selection process and authorized by the U.S. Congress-revitalized Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act, the National Center for Research on Gifted Education (NCRGE) at UConn was established with a $2 million grant from the federal Department of Education’s Institute of Educational Sciences to be used over the next two years.

Erik Hines, assistant professor of educational
 psychology in the Neag School of Education, a specialist in school counseling and college and career readiness, offers insight on the proposal for free community college tuition under President Obama’s new proposal.

Here are news and notes from our alumni, faculty, staff, and students. We are proud of all the amazing accomplishments by our Neag family. If you have an accolade to share, we want to hear from you! Please send any news items (and story ideas) to neag-communications@uconn.edu.

Connecticut is 12,500 miles from South Africa. But shooting hoops with fifth-graders at the Clark Elementary & Middle School gym in Hartford recently, Sikhulu Zondo was suddenly aware that playing with the American students had erased the age and cultural barriers between them. Neag School’s Husky Sport provided inspiration for South African educators during a cultural exchange program.

Set smart goals, divvy up the work, and then attack it. It’s an oversimplified, but accurate, description of how new Neag School of Education Associate Dean for Research Sandra M. Chafouleas is working to support Neag faculty.

Here are news and notes from our alumni, faculty, staff, and students. We are proud of all the amazing accomplishments by our Neag family. If you have an accolade to share, we want to hear from you! Please send any news items (and story ideas) to shawn.kornegay@uconn.edu

Students in lower income school districts have a significantly harder time analyzing and understanding information on the Internet than their peers, according to a new UConn study that indicates a troubling online reading achievement gap may exist in the nation’s schools.

Ten years working as a teacher in Los Angeles, London and New York City led to Kathryn Fuller experiencing many realizations, including the limited role “smarts” or intelligence can play in classroom learning. Using money from her family’s railroad business, Fuller recently presented $150,000 to the Neag School to establish the Fuller Scholarship for Social Justice in Education.