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Domain: necn.com

Stories and comments across the archive that link to necn.com.

Stories · 3

  1. DNA Test To Determine Kids' Sports Futures

    Science · Biotech · · posted by timothy · from the ok-let's-watch-gattaca-again dept. · 240 comments
    bs0d3 writes "Parents are being sold on the idea of buying DNA tests for their kids, to find out which sports they will be better at. The company called Atlas is based in Boulder, Colorado; and is selling DNA tests for $160. They are looking for what's called the ACTN-three gene, the gene behind what is called 'fast-twitch explosive muscles.' Children that don't have ACTN-three will be better suited for endurance sports like long distance running or swimming. Children that have a lot of it will be better suited for sports like football, rugby, wrestling, or hockey. Kids that have some ACTN-three will not be the fastest and not the slowest, they don't burn out the quickest and they don't last the longest. They are categorized as capable of playing just about any type of sport they like."

  2. Maine School District Gives iPad To Every Kindergartner

    Apple · Education · · posted by Soulskill · from the america's-angry-birds-scores-will-lead-the-world dept. · 478 comments
    An anonymous reader writes "'An Auburn, ME school district spent more than $200,000 to outfit every one of its 250 kindergartners with [iPads], along with sturdy cases to protect them. School officials say they are the first public school district in the country to give every kindergartner an iPad. Mrs. McCarthy says the tools give her 19 students more immediate feedback and individual attention than she ever could.' Will this improve low test scores, or be another case where spending more money does not produce a better educational outcome?"

  3. Missouri Hedges On 'Teachers Can't Friend Students' Law

    Yro · Censorship · · posted by timothy · from the hemming-and-hawing-and-free-association dept. · 102 comments
    bs0d3 writes with an excerpt from an AP story, as carried by NECN.com: "Missouri senators took a step Wednesday toward repealing a contentious new law limiting online conversations between teachers and students, but stirred opposition from the governor by still attempting to mandate that schools adopt their own policies about online chats and text messages. The action by the Senate Education Committee comes a couple of weeks after a Missouri judge blocked the new law on teacher-Internet communications from taking effect because of concerns it infringes on free-speech rights."