The conflict to which UVA cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham refers is the one over how to teach kids to read – specifically, the never-ending argument that pits phonics against whole language, erupting in new skirmishes every few years, including right now. Here is a new look at what we know about how to teach kids to read, this by Willingham, a psychology professor at UVA who focuses his research on the application of cognitive psychology to K-12 schools and higher education.
“What we've seen in the build-up to the 2018 midterms is largely a repeat of what we saw in the elections in Virginia last year: a clash between progressive and regressive politics, reflected not only in the policies and rhetoric of the two major parties, but also in the people they chose to represent them,” said Nicole Hemmer, an assistant professor in presidential studies at UVA’s Miller Center.
“I’d rather be the Democrats than the Republicans, certainly,” said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, a political handicapping website at UVA’s Center for Politics. He’s been watching 72 competitive House seats, 68 of which are or have been most recently held by Republicans. “But I don’t feel like – going seat by seat – that the Democrats have it locked up,” Kondik said.
Reuben Rainey, a UVA professor emeritus of landscape architecture, points to Le Corbusier. “Sure, he had a flat roof [on many buildings]—but he also had a view of the pastoral landscapes,” Rainey said. “The landscape as a healing element is very, very important to the Modernists themselves, the whole idea of bringing the outdoors indoors.”
Terry Rephann, a regional economist at UVA’s Weldon Cooper for Public Service, said both candidates are giving “extreme” descriptions of wages. He said data shows wages are not “going through the roof,” as Brat says, or “stagnant,” as Spanberger contends. “What it shows is a modest increase in hourly earnings,” Rephann said.
(Commentary by Rajesh Balkrishnan, professor of public health sciences) Pain medication such as oxycodone often helps cancer patients deal with intense pain after treatment, but it also can lead to abuse. The availability of life-prolonging treatments such as hormonal therapies and other targeted chemotherapy has led to a sharp decline in breast cancer deaths in the United States. But despite these advances, there’s a troubling discrepancy in America.
The brain’s lymphatic vessels offer a new way to treat multiple sclerosis, according to new findings. Investigators from the UVA School of Medicine used animal models of multiple sclerosis in order to demonstrate the value of blocking these brain vessels can contribute to the amelioration of symptoms in mice.
A man made his dreams of flying into space come true when he became a NASA astronaut and visited the International Space Station for 168 days. U.S. Navy Capt. Scott Tingle told people at the UVA School of Medicine Monday afternoon that he served as a flight engineer on an expedition from Dec. 2017 until June 2018. He said his journey into space was something he always dreamed about.
UVA says it’s leading in higher education when it comes to sustainability. The school's efforts to go green have resulted in nearly $1 million saved in utilities per year.
A NASA astronaut who spent half a year in space while working on the International Space Station was at UVA’s School of Medicine on Monday sharing his experiences with students. U.S. Navy Captain Scott Tingle served as a flight engineer on the International Space Station and has been traveling the country encouraging students to follow in his footsteps.
While much of the region is now protected from intense development, many of the threats facing the greater Shenandoah Valley remain. A University of Virginia think tank projects the valley’s population to surge by nearly another one-fifth by 2020, surpassing 630,000 people.
Rollbacks of air pollution rules for power plants could have the harshest health impacts on people in Ohio and Pennsylvania who supported Trump in the 2016 presidential election, reports a new study. UVA researchers calculated the potential downside in 20 states if the Trump administration dismantles the Clean Air Act’s transport and mercury air toxics rules.
Space is cool. Most of the people in Capt. Scott Tingle’s lecture at the University of Virginia on Monday already knew that, but Tingle tried to help medical students appreciate that research in space was more accessible and more needed than ever before.
Jim Ryan, UVA’s newly inaugurated president, is working to bridge the communication gap among members of the UVA community. On Monday, he listened to students and faculty members discuss what kinds of changes they want to see at the University.
The University of Virginia Cavaliers secured a bowl appearance after defeating the North Carolina Tar Heels Saturday. The team is also currently number one in the ACC Coastal division. Fans believe they have a chance to win the title. The last time UVA won the ACC was in 1995.
In Virginia, a group of recent high school graduates and college students feel that the age limit for the purchasing of handguns at 21 is unconstitutional and are working to file a lawsuit to argue their case. UVA student Tanner Hirschfeld is the lead plaintiff in the legal action against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
"I think Republicans are aware of the symbolic importance of this seat, and we’ve seen Congressional Leadership Fund, the big outside GOP group connected to the speaker, spend here to protect Bryan Steil against Randy Bryce," said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics. "But this is not a seat that national Democrats are counting on to win the majority. Ultimately, the district is just fairly right of center, so even as an open seat you’d rather be the Republican here than the Democrat."
Republicans and Democrats are trying to win the support of as wide an array of voters as possible, and their campaign messaging reflects that, said Geoffrey Skelley, an associate editor of Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball at UVA’s Center for Politics. “O’Rourke is trying to have a broad as appeal as possible and not strongly pointing out Democratic Party identification in a traditionally Republican state, or at least fairly Republican in recent times, is smart,” Skelley said.
(Subscription required) UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce, where about a third of the school’s roughly 350 graduates go into investment banking, has asked banks this year to hold off on interviewing second-year students until after spring break. “You’re just trying to set some boundaries,” said Tom Fitch, head of McIntire’s career services office, “without stifling students’ opportunities.”
Turkish scientist Dr. Ali Mazhar Adlı, who conducts studies at the University of Virginia, has made two significant discoveries on the treatments of pancreatic and ovarian cancers. Adlı said he had been focusing on how cancer can be destroyed and how alternate drugs against the disease can be developed.