Was election day in South Texas 2020 an omen for Democrats in 2022 and beyond? A prediction and a prescription getting a lot of attention. Coming up, a warning for democrats hoping to pick up swing states, and what it could mean for Texas. Also the Biden Administration’s plans for a border reopening. Angela Kocherga has more from El Paso. And the image of the firefighter: iconic, and often male. An effort to give teenage girls hands on experience that could lead to careers fighting wildfires. Plus Texas bracing for the effects of hurricane Pamela. We’ll have the latest on that front and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Girls
Higher Ed: Confronting Gender-Based Academic Bias
The author of a summer op-ed in the New York Times (no, not that op-ed!) believes girls would benefit from more drilling on math to “break the cycle of dislike-avoidance-further dislike” and help them build confidence in their math skills (which research has shown are pretty similar to boys’ math skills). In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss the op-ed’s call for gender-based additional academic practice and how to undo lingering biases about gender and academic performance.
We hope the days are long gone in which girls were considered less skilled at math and the sciences, and boys were considered under-achievers in reading and language arts. The data don’t bear those differences out, but lingerings biases may still lead some students to be treated as if they are true – or to act as if they are true. In this episode, Ed discusses social science research that shows any effort that amplifies the bias – even by calling it out – can actually reinforce it. He also believes students should always be encouraged to improve their understanding and performance, regardless of their gender or the academic subject.
Listen on for our discussion as well as for the solution to last episode’s puzzler about the mysterious stamp switch.
This episode was recorded on Aug. 9, 2018.
Texas Standard: August 2, 2018
Credit card hacking, vote hacking and energy grid hacking… What’s actually being done to protect U-S cyber security? We’ll take a look. And the years-long effort to re-write the code that guides how the state’s capital city grows could be completely thrown out. Has it really gone so horribly wrong? Also the country’s first trillion dollar company won’t be a Texas oil giant but a tech company with a big footprint in the state. We’ll explain. Plus, how will generations to come remember Hurricane Harvey? A project designed to preserve digital stories of the storm. And a new effort to understand a mysterious and devastating phenomenon in the waters of the Texas Gulf Coast. We’ll tell you about that and more on todays Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: January 3, 2018
North Korea wants to re-open communication with South Korea, and protests in Iran raise tensions. We’ll explore how the U-S might balance these dual crises. Also, the flu is going around. Doctors say wash your hands, stay home when you’re sick and, yes, get the flu shot – even though it might not protect you. Plus, if you’ve been on the roads at all this holiday season you might have this question: why do Texans speed so much? We’ll try to answer it. And a question for you: hows that New Year’s Resolution going? Feel like you’re about to burn through your self-control already? Some advice from Texas researchers about to keep your motivation battery running. Those stories and a whole lot more on todays Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 11, 2017
Fifteen-hundred school superintendents from across Texas lobby the lieutenant governor to put more money into education. We’ll explore the Senate’s willingness to do that. Also, imagine having to drive more than a hundred miles to see a doctor. That’s the reality for some Texans living in rural parts of the state. A look at what’s forcing hospitals to close up shop. And fuel thefts are nothing new, but one Texas company is helping store owners protect the goods at the pump. Also, we know everything’s bigger and better in Texas, and it turns out that’s true for supercomputers. Plus, we check in with The Texas Tribune for a look at the week that was in state politics today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 8, 2017
Obamacare, but for how much longer? How does what’s been called repeal and replace stand to affect Texans? Answers and more questions today. Also as many servicemen and women once stationed in Afghanistan return to Texas, new boots on the ground over there: Chinese boots. We’ll explore. And give me your tired, your very poor, your huddled masses yearning to be able to afford a grocery trip. What new numbers tell us about why Texas has become a beacon for California migrants. And the latest weather forecast. Same as it ever was? Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: February 28, 2017
A sudden reversal from the department of justice: Texas didn’t intended to discriminate with Voter ID. Why the 180 and why does it matter? We’ll explore. Also: as immigration detention centers in Texas fill with new arrivals, a lawsuit against a private company running many of those centers: the allegation? Forced labor. The case could involve tens of thousands of current and former detainees. Also, a new technique to eradicate invasive species being tested for the first time on mammals: the effect, daughterless offspring. What could go wrong? We’re just getting started, it’s Texas Standard time: