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Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation
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NEPC Review: Beyond Race: What Really Drives Wisconsin’s Achievement Gap (Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, March 2026) [Reprint].
Jaekyung Lee's review of the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty's report, Beyond Race: What Really Drives Wisconsin’s Achievement Gap, reprinted here with the kind permission of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), University of Colorado Boulder (http://nepc.colorado.edu). The review was made possible in part by funding from Great Lakes Center for Educational Research and Practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jaekyung Lee https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
NEPC Review: Who’s on Board? School Boards and Political Representation in an Age of Conflict (Fordham Institute, October 2025) [Reprint].
Carrie Sampson's and Jeanne M. Powers's report of Fordham Institute's report, Who’s on Board? School Boards and Political Representation in an Age of Conflict, reprinted here with the kind permission of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), University of Colorado Boulder (http://nepc.colorado.edu). The review was made possible in part by funding from Great Lakes Center for Educational Research and Practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Carrie Sampson, Jeanne M. Powers https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
NEPC Review: Estimating the Long-Run Impact of a Universal ESA Program in Mississippi (EdChoice, December 2025) [Reprint].
David S., Knight's review of the EdChoice report, Estimating the Long-Run Impact of a Universal ESA Program in Mississippi, reprinted here with the kind permission of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), University of Colorado Boulder (http://nepc.colorado.edu). The review was made possible in part by funding from Great Lakes Center for Educational Research and Practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 David S. Knight https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
NEPC Review: A New Direction for Students in an AI World: Prosper, Prepare, Protect (Brookings Institution, January 2026). [Reprint].
William R. Penuel's review of the Brookings Institution report, A New Direction for Students in an AI World: Prosper, Prepare, Protect, reprinted here with the kind permission of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), University of Colorado Boulder (http://nepc.colorado.edu). The review was made possible in part by funding from Great Lakes Center for Educational Research and Practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 William R. Penuel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
NEPC Review: Redrawing the Lines: How Purposeful School System Redistricting Can Increase Funding Fairness and Decrease Segregation (New America, September 2025). [Reprint].
Christopher Cleveland and Joshua Almes review the New America report, Redrawing the Lines: How Purposeful School System Redistricting Can Increase Funding Fairness and Decrease Segregation, reprinted here with the kind permission of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), University of Colorado Boulder (http://nepc.colorado.edu). This review was made possible in part by funding from Great Lakes Center for Educational Research and Practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Christopher Cleveland, Joshua Almes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
NEPC Review: Measuring Artificial Intelligence in Education (Bellwether, October 2025) [Reprint].
Bradley Robinson's Review of the Bellwether report, Measuring Artificial Intelligence in Education, reprinted here with the kind permission of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), University of Colorado Boulder (http://nepc.colorado.edu). The review was made possible in part by funding from Great Lakes Center for Educational Research and Practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Bradley Robinson https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
NEPC Review: A State-Level Perspective on School Spending and Educational Outcomes (Brookings Institution, Sept 2025). [Reprint].
Mark Weber's review of the Brookings Institution report, A State-Level Perspective on School Spending and Educational Outcomes, reprinted here with the kind permission of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), University of Colorado Boulder (http://nepc.colorado.edu). The review was made possible in part by funding from Great Lakes Center for Educational Research and Practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mark Weber https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
NEPC Review: ESA’s in Arizona: Q3 2025 Report (Common Sense Institute Arizona, October 2025). [Reprint].
David R. Garcia's review of the Common Sense Institute Arizona report, ESA’s in Arizona: Q3 2025 Report, reprinted here with the kind permission of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), University of Colorado Boulder (http://nepc.colorado.edu). The review was made possible in part by funding from Great Lakes Center for Educational Research and Practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 David R. Garcia https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
NEPC Review: Wisconsin’s Most Cost-Effective K-12 Program (School Choice Wisconsin, August 2025). [Reprint].
Bruce Baker's review of the School Choice Wisconsin report, Wisconsin’s Most Cost-Effective K-12 Program, reprinted here with the kind permission of the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), University of Colorado Boulder (http://nepc.colorado.edu). The review was made possible in part by funding from Great Lakes Center for Educational Research and Practice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Bruce D. Baker https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of We Are Who We’re Waiting For: Transformative Change in Early Childhood Education, by Kisa Marx
Kisa Marx's We Are Who We're Waiting For is a revolutionary text that defies easy categorization. Part memoir, part pedagogical manifesto, part unapologetic love letter to Black children, this work weaves together personal narrative, critical theory, and practical wisdom into what can only be described as an instrumental autobiographical text for educators. Marx has created something rare in educational literature: a book that not only espouses transformative practices but models them in its very structure and voice.
Copyright (c) 2026 Gregory V. Larnell https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Debating Childhood and Preschool: A Field Guide to Raising Children, Navigating Pre-K, and Lifting Early Education, by Bruce Fuller, with Rebecca Cheung & Shanylin Jin
Copyright (c) 2026 Melissa Sherfinski https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of The Eclipse of Reason: Reclaiming Western Education for Today, by Wilfred Carr
In this insightful review, Bob Stake asks readers to consider the following question: "If Education is the question, is Reasoning the answer?"
Copyright (c) 2026 Robert E. Stake https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Undeclared: A Philosophy of Formative Higher Education, by Chris Higgins
This book offers a sustained philosophical critique of contemporary higher education and articulates a compelling alternative grounded in formative learning. Drawing on philosophy of education, moral philosophy, and cultural criticism, Chris Higgins interrogates the corporatization, instrumentalization, and credentialism that dominate modern universities. Structured as three extended essays and reflective interludes, Higgins reconceptualizes higher education as a space for the formation of persons rather than the production of market-ready credentials. He develops the notion of “formative higher education” as an existential and ethical project, emphasizing integrity, aesthetic education, and humane vocation. Combining philosophical argument with literary, historical, and institutional analysis, this book resists technocratic solutions and instead reclaims education as a lived, meaning-making practice. Overall, the work makes a significant contribution to debates on the aims of higher education and the future of liberal learning.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ratan Sarkar, Mayurdip Kashyap https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Brothers in Grief: The Hidden Toll of Gun Violence on Black Boys and Their Schools, by Nora Gross
Brothers in Grief by Nora Gross is a poignant, deeply moving ethnographic account of the untimely and violent deaths of Black boys that have occured in a short time span at the elite, charter school, Boys' Prep in Philadelphia. Gross's book sheds light on societal violence, especially in Philadelphia, structural barriers to grief in educational institutions, and racialized masculinity leading to stoicism and repression of emotional expression among Black males.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jullett Frazer-Sadaar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Sanctuary School: Innovating to Empower Immigrant Youth, by Chandler Patton Miranda
This review highlights the book’s significance for contemporary discussions of immigrant justice, school climate, belonging, and equity-centered school design, with particular attention to sanctuary as both a policy orientation and a set of educational practices for immigrant-impacted students. This timely and consequential volume will be of interest to scholars, teacher educators, and school leaders concerned with educational equity and immigrant-origin youth.
Copyright (c) 2026 Anne Holdren https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Teaching from an Ethical Center: Practical Wisdom for Daily Instruction, by Cara Furman
In this highly readable book about teaching and ethics, Cara Furman weaves philosophical ideas together with examples of teaching practices so that philosophy illuminates the teaching practices, giving them both a new depth. Rather than an abstract treatise about philosophical concepts, Teaching from an Ethical Center is a practical book for teacher educators, teachers, and philosophers of education to explore and articulate their own teaching goals.
Copyright (c) 2026 Katherine Schultz https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Inclusive Education, Social Justice, and Multilingualism, by Sviatlana Karpava (Ed.)
Copyright (c) 2026 Sazzad Hossain https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kids’ Learning—and How to Help Them Thrive Again, by J. C. Horvath
Copyright (c) 2026 Manouchehr Madani Civi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Epistemological Beliefs and Critical Thinking in Mathematics, by Benjamin Rott
A major issue in mathematics education is students’ tendency to focus on obtaining correct answers without understanding the reasoning process. Benjamin Rott explores this issue in his book, Epistemological Belief and Critical Thinking in Mathematics. The book emphasizes the importance of deep understanding, reflection, and the use of assessment methods that can effectively capture students’ cognitive processes during mathematics learning. For Rott, the development of critical thinking in mathematics depends more on the quality of argumentation and reasoning processes than on final answers or the beliefs themselves.
Copyright (c) 2026 Geza Pesesa, Duano Sapta Nusantara https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Reading and Writing for Pleasure: A Framework for Practice, by Teresa Cremin et al.
In this volume, Cremin et al. explore why enjoyment matters in helping students become readers and writers and encourage teachers to move beyond a skills-only focus and create classroom environments where students genuinely want to read and write. Drawing on classroom connections and reflection, they consider how making space for choice, engagement, and meaningful experiences can shape how students see themselves as readers and writers. The emphasis is that pleasure is not an extra, but an important part of supporting lifelong literacy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Heather Hayen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Reading Assessment Done Right: Tools and Techniques for Data-Driven Instruction, by Stephanie Stollar & Kate Winn
In Reading Assessment Done Right, Stollar and Winn seek to reposition reading assessment as a tool for instructional decision-making rather than compliance. The authors argue for the use of assessments that generate actionable data and provide a structured framework for interpreting results and adjusting instruction. This review examines the clarity and practicality of that framework, particularly the use of the Collaborative Improvement Cycle and the emphasis on distinguishing between useful and non-useful data. While the book offers strong guidance for interpreting assessment results, this review highlights the challenges of implementing these recommendations within real classroom and district constraints and the gap between well-designed assessment systems and their practical use.
Copyright (c) 2026 Amber Woodard https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Undeclared—a volume consisting of three major essays linked by shorter interludes—addresses a single question: What would it mean for higher education to take human formation seriously?
Copyright (c) 2026 Leonard Waks https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of The New College Classroom, by Cathy N. Davidson & Christina Katopodis
In The New College Classroom, authors Davidson and Katopodis translate cutting-edge research in learning science and pedagogy into ready-to-use strategies that instructors in any discipline may incorporate into their courses to create an environment that is truly conducive to learning. These empirically driven, classroom-tested techniques of active learning―from the participatory syllabus and ungrading to grab-and-go activities for every day of the term―have achieved impressive results at community colleges and research universities, on campus, online, and in hybrid settings. Davidson and Katopodis explain how and why their approach is more effective than conventional methods of instruction and provide detailed case studies of educators successfully applying active-learning techniques in their courses every day, ensuring that their students are better prepared for the world after college.
Copyright (c) 2026 Brianne McGee https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of The Safetyfication of Education: Neoliberalism, Psychopolitics and the End of Critical Education, by Marta Estellés
English and Spanish versions of Diego Palacios's review of The Safetyfication of Education, an open access book in which author Marta Estellés examines the dominance of safety discourses in education and its connection with neoliberalism.
Copyright (c) 2026 Diego Palacios Díaz https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of An Abundance of Caution: American Schools, the Virus, and a Story of Bad Decisions, by David Zweig
This review offers a thoughtful and incisive examination of David Zweig's post-pandemic critique of mitigation efforts within American schools during the COVID crisis.
Copyright (c) 2026 T. Jameson Brewer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Beyond Belief: How Evidence Shows What Really Works, by Helen Pearson
Using evidence to make the case for using evidence, Pearson's latest book takes examples from a wide range of disciplines to demonstrate the importance of considering evidence in decision making.
Copyright (c) 2026 Daniel H. Robinson https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Miracle Children: Race, Education, and a True Story of False Promises, by Katie Benner & Erica L. Green
Copyright (c) 2026 Howard Wainer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of The Balancing Act: An Evidence-Based Approach to Teaching Phonics, Reading, and Writing, by Dominic Wyse & Charlotte Hacking
Copyright (c) 2026 Sangita Sapkota https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Feminist Pedagogy for Teaching Online, by Jacquelyne Thoni Howard et al.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mariam Alothman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That's a Good Thing), by Salman Khan
Copyright (c) 2026 Rick Garlikov https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of The Big Lie about Race in America's Schools, by Royel M. Johnson & Shaun R. Harper (Eds.)
Copyright (c) 2026 Elsie Szecsy https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of The Kid Across the Hall: The Fight for Opportunity in Our Schools, by Reid Saaris
Copyright (c) 2026 Candace Carrier https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Inteligência Artificial e Educação Superior: Caminhos Estratégicos para um Futuro Etico e Inovador [Artificial Intelligence and Higher Education: Strategic Paths for an Ethical and Innovative Future], by Iara de Xavier and Max Damas
Copyright (c) 2026 Harlen Cardoso Divino https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Teaching Machines: The History of Personalized Learning, by Audrey Watters
Copyright (c) 2026 Ayesha Siddiqua https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Empowering Teachers for Equitable and Sustainable Education: Action Research, Teacher Agency, and Online Community, by Maria Teresa Tatto & Lindsey Brown
A transparent account of a fully online M.Ed. in Global Education (at Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, Arizona State University) program, including philosophy, curriculum, assessment, and outcomes.
Copyright (c) 2026 Clare Brooks https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Fostering Teachers’ Mental Health: Evidence from Theory, Research, and Practice by Dr. Valeria Cavioni
Copyright (c) 2026 Carrie M. Webster https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Preventing Challenging Behaviors in Your Classroom: Classroom Management and Positive Behavior Support, by Matt Tincani
This book provides educators with guidance on how to effectively implement Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) into their classrooms.
Review of Effective Alternative Assessment Practices in Higher Education, by Antione D. Tomlin and Christine M. Nowik
Copyright (c) 2026 Kathryn Webster https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Reseña de libro Los Nudos de la Universidad: El Estado y los Actores Universitarios (1821–2021), por Marcos Garfías
This is a Spanish-language review of the book Los Nudos de la Universidad: El Estado y los Actores Universitarios (1821–2021) [The Knots of the University: The State and University Actors (1821–2021)], by the historian Marcos Garfías, published in 2024 by the Ministry of Culture of Peru. <pre id="tw-target-text" class="tw-data-text tw-text-large tw-ta" dir="ltr" tabindex="-1" role="text" data-placeholder="Translation" data-ved="2ahUKEwj7_Pb-jYeTAxVNIUQIHdoFA74Q3ewLegQIDBAW" aria-label="Translated text: Bibliographical review of the book The Knots of the University: The State and University Actors (1821–2021), by the historian Marcos Garfías, published in 2024 under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture of Peru.">
Copyright (c) 2026 C. Fidel Revilla Arizaca https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Accelerating the Literacy Performance of Bilingual Students: Evidence-Based Instruction in Grades K-6, by Georgia E. García
Copyright (c) 2026 Evan McCormick https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Crisis as Catalyst: Equity-Oriented School Leadership during Difficult Times, by Patricia M. Virella
The review discusses Crisis as Catalyst: Equity-Oriented School Leadership During Difficult Times, a significant text due to post-COVID-19 impact, increasing natural disasters, and violence, all of which create the need for crisis protocols to be implemented in U. S. schools.
Copyright (c) 2026 Kayla Leake https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Learning Inclusion in a Digital Age: Belonging and Finding a Voice with the Disadvantaged, by Stephen Dobson et al.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ratan Sarkar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Critical AI in K–12 Classrooms: A Practical Guide for Cultivating Justice and Joy, by Stephanie Smith Budhai and Marie K. Heath
This book offers teachers a grounded, hopeful way to approach artificial intelligence in education. The authors situate AI as a social and ethical system rather than a neutral tool, guiding readers to understand who benefits from technology and who might be left out. Drawing on culturally sustaining, abolitionist, and fugitive pedagogies, they invite teachers to balance reflection and action, adopting AI thoughtfully or refusing it when necessary. This review explores how Budhai and Heath turn complex ideas about algorithmic bias and digital justice into accessible classroom conversations. The authors write with genuine respect for teacher judgment and a deep regard for student identity. Their message encourages discernment as an act of professional courage. More than a guide to new technology, the book reads like an invitation to teach with empathy, awareness, and joy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jeanne Charles https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Generative AI and Education: Practices and Theories, by Mariano Pimentel and Felipe Carvalho
This is a critical Portuguese-language review of the e-book Generative AI and Education: Practices and Theories, authored by Pimentel and Carvalho, who present artificial intelligence as an interlocutor and co-author in the learning process. They argue that AI should enhance teacher mediation and student authorship, without replacing them. They introduce the notion of hybrid authorship and relate the pedagogy of the prompt to the Freirean legacy, highlighting the importance of its ethical use, based on the reconfiguration of didactic situations and critical reflection.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mirian Maia do Amaral https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Looking beyond Words: Visual Research Methods in Education, by Kwok Kuen Tsang
Review of Teaching Storytelling in Classrooms and Communities: Amplifying Student Voices and Inspiring Social Change, by Maru Gonzalez, Michael Kokozos, and Christy Byrd
Copyright (c) 2026 Carrie Hoffman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Resenha do Fotografia como Fonte de Pesquisa: da História da Educação à História de Trabalho-educação, por Maria Ciavatta et al.
In this book, Maria Ciavatta and co-authors develop the methodology of photography as a research source in the study of the history of education and work-education. The thread weaving through the chapters is the dialogue with theses and dissertations that have worked with photographs, from different theoretical frameworks, and the concepts of historical materialism.
Copyright (c) 2026 Darien Bragança https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Unearthing Joy: A Guide to Culturally and Historically Responsive Teaching and Learning, by Gholdy Muhammad
Unearthing Joy is Dr. Gholdy Muhammad's latest book about culturally responsive teaching, rooted in joy. Following her 2020 book, Cultivating Genius, this volume brings joy to the forefront of the curriculum and the classroom through art, music, creativity, and culture - elements missing from much of today's pedagogy. From ideas to solid lesson plans and curriculum changes, Muhammad offers feasible pathways to implement these critical changes. Educators of all ages will benefit from an immersive reading of this book, and the lessons resonate deep within educators and students alike, calling for a new kind of pedagogy.
Copyright (c) 2026 Allie Bellows https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Be the Architect of Your Inclusive Classroom: Building Communities for Learning, by Celia Oyler, Erika H. Hooper & Britt Hamre
In a world full of diversity, the classroom can be a place where all the students feel safe with their learning struggles. To build an inclusive classroom, teachers must reflect on their own practices and how they are informed by racial position, ethical perspective, linguistic identities, socio-economic status, current/previous traumas, cultural situation, social media influences, and other factors. This book encourages readers to think deeply about this process and ways to help make their own classroom inclusive for all.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mussarath Mehedi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of The Complexities of Equity: Navigating Shades of Gray in Schools and Organizations, by Latish C. Reed
The Complexities of Equity: Navigating Shades of Gray in Schools and Organizations is a beneficial volume for both educators and education professionals as they self-reflect and move from intention to action in their journey towards justice in an equity-based workplace.
Copyright (c) 2026 Md Mamunur Rashid Zaber https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Reframing Learning as World- Making: Dialogic Practices and the Politics of Digitalization, by Ernst Schraube
In the digital age, shifting technological and communicative landscapes have raised urgent questions about the nature and purpose of learning. In Digitalization and Learning as a Worlding Practice: Why Dialogue Matters, Ernst Schraube reconceptualizes learning as a dialogic and world-making process, moving beyond traditional models of knowledge acquisition. Drawing from Critical Psychology and the Social Psychology of Technology, Schraube develops a subject- and world-centered psychological framework that foregrounds the relational, affective, and political dimensions of digital learning. Central to this framework is the concept of tentacular learning, a collective, entangled form of meaning-making rooted in dialogue, which is situated alongside processes of attention (Ingold, 2018), resonance (Rosa, 2019), and affinitive self-organization (Holzkamp, 1993). The book also interrogates the politics of digitalization, analyzing how technological systems both open possibilities and impose constraints within what Schraube terms “worlding practices.” This review critically engages with Schraube’s contributions through theoretical, empirical, and practical lenses, highlighting how his work challenges dominant instrumentalist narratives and offers a compelling reimagining of learning in digitally mediated contexts. The review also situates Schraube’s work within broader sociotechnical debates, including the shaping of digital subjectivity, public knowledge, and affective relations in platform societies.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sumeyye Arpaci https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of An Education: How I Changed My Mind about Schools and Almost Everything Else, by Diane Ravitch
Copyright (c) 2026 Michael W. Apple https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Copyright (c) 2026 John Thompson https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Copyright (c) 2026 Sophia L. Ángeles https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Hidden in Blackness: Being Black and Being an Immigrant in US Schools and Colleges, by Crystal A. George Mwangi and Adaurennaya C. Onyewuenyi
This volume underpins knowledge of the experiences, perspectives, and development of Black immigrant students, and how complexities of race, ethnicity, nativity, and nationality are understood across the P-20 education landscape. The authors propose a new framework, The Diasporic Illumination (BDI) framework, to support students facing the racial realities of the U.S. school system. The volume also includes resources to researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, as well as guidance to support Black immigrants' awareness of their experiences, challenges, and successes in the U.S. schools.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jean Edouard https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Vaccine Wars: The Two-Hundred-Year Fight for School Vaccinations, by Kim Tolley
Copyright (c) 2026 Sevan G. Terzian https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of From Foster Care to College: Navigating Educational Challenges and Creating Possibilities, by Royel M. Johnson
Copyright (c) 2026 Courtney O'Connor https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Measuring to Improve: Practical Measurement to Support Continuous Improvement in Education, by P. G. LeMahieu & P. Cobb
Copyright (c) 2026 Audrey Amrein-Beardsley https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Review of Off The Mark: How Grades, Ratings, and Rankings Undermine Learning (but Don't Have To), by Jack Schneider & Ethan L. Hutt
This review analyzes Off the Mark by Jack Schneider and Ethan L. Hutt, a timely critique of the educational assessment system and its impact on student learning. Written in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the book challenges the entrenched reliance on grades, ratings, and rankings, arguing that these practices undermine intrinsic motivation and holistic development. Drawing from global examples and historical context, Schneider and Hutt explore how assessment systems have evolved into bureaucratic tools that prioritize quantifiable outcomes over meaningful learning. The review highlights the authors’ proposed alternatives, including portfolio assessments, narrative evaluations, and competency-based models, that aim to restore joy and authenticity to the learning process. By connecting the book’s themes to broader educational discourse and complementary works, such as Grading for Equity (Feldman, 2023), this review highlights the urgent need to rethink how student achievement is measured and valued.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lacie VanDam https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Pushmi-Pullyu: A Joint Autobiography [Acquired Wisdom Series]
Author Hugh Lofting introduced the mythical creature the pushmi-pullyu in his 1920 children’s book The Story of Dr. Dolittle. The pushmi-pullyu, a gentle and shy creature, had no tail, but a head at each end of its body, one with the horns of a gazelle, and the other with the horn of a unicorn. The two heads faced in different directions, so that you couldn’t sneak up on it. When one head slept, the other was awake. And for the pushmi-pullyu to move, both heads had to agree on the desired direction. We use the pushmi-pullyu as a metaphor for our academic lives together. Occasionally, our careers faced in different directions, and we had to agree on how to move forward. In what follows, you’ll read our accounts of our individual academic lives, and also how we navigated moving once our heads were joined together in a single body, as in the case of the pushmi-pullyu. We’re grateful for the invitation to contribute to the corpus of Acquired Wisdom. But we lack a template for how to write a joint intellectual autobiography—The editor suggested we invent it. To that end, we begin with separate accounts of our development as scholars. After all, we had each lived thirty-some years before we became a couple. The unique contours of our individual lives framed what we brought to the relationship, including the scholarship we produced, alone and together, thereafter. We attend especially to our joint intellectual interactions and real-world experiences in universities, disciplines, and fields. Some of these were marked by hardship and struggle; others by provocative exploration, learning, growth, and just plain fun.
Copyright (c) 2026 Anna Neumann, Aaron Pallas https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0