The human brain is a miraculous organ, capable of processing huge amounts of information in just seconds. But it is better at absorbing some kinds of information than it is others.

Consider, for example, the following: when you read a passage of text, your brain scans the text for meaning, decoding a sea of syntax, syllables, phonemes, syllogisms, euphemisms, metaphors and all manner of rules and techniques to uncover the units of information that are most important.

When shock waves from political events hit schools, children and parents can be left feeling adrift. In the wake of impassioning events such as the US election and our recent UK referendum on leaving the European Union, societies can feel fractured and bruised, and respond in less than productive ways. Hate crimes have soared in the UK in the aftermath of a campaign that unleashed uninhibited language and racism alongside grievances, and this is beginning to be seen in the US too.

Before 1975, the history of special education in this country was one where students with disabilities were not guaranteed access to free, appropriate public education in the United States. In many cases, students with physical, mental, and learning disabilities were suspended and expelled from public school districts that didn’t have the training or desire to educate them.

The common core might seem intimidating—all new standards, shifts in ideas and expectations—but it really isn't so bad. I’ll admit that I like a lot of the new changes and initiatives. And once you see it explained in clear and concise way, like in this Teachers Guide to the Common Core Standards put out by the USC Rossier School of Education, you’ll see that it’s actually pretty logical. But one area that teachers might need a little more help on is the three kinds of writing.

Teachers probably all agree that students need to be taught to think critically. The increasing use of technology in classrooms makes it difficult to be sure that students are actually thinking for themselves, rather than using Google to find answers and to simply copy/paste information. Whether or not all answers can be found on the internet is a moot point.

Schools and colleges are increasingly investing in educational technologies to improve institutional efficiency, enhance learning and better prepare learners for the demands of the 21st Century, with substantial growth in technology-supported learning over the past two decades and a myriad of new technologies released every year.