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When asked to embody the learning environment in a sketch, our minds usually pick a scene in which a child is sitting in a classroom, reading or writing in an open book. Our minds normally link learning with physical classrooms; however, the pandemic has changed several concepts in different domains. In learning, while online learning has become a norm, virtual classrooms have replaced real ones in the space and the role they play.

Language and communication are inseparable; daily oral language changes to keep up with the evolving words and expressions, to make communication easier. Likewise, the American Sign Language (ASL), which is used by deaf and hard-of-hearing people and uses visual-gestural modality, has also changed over years to maximize the efficiency of its processing. Researchers in a new study from Boston University published in the journal Cognition suggest this is an evolution to make it easier for people to recognize signs.

Adults usually use a simplified form of affective speech while talking to children to make words more melodic and easier to pronounce. This form of speech is called motherese; the language spoken globally by mothers to their newborns and toddlers in which a horse becomes horsie, a dog becomes doggie, etc. Although this way of communication may be favored by some babies, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) do not typically respond well to it. A new study published in January 2022 in the journal Nature Human Behavior indicates the reason behind this issue.

A huge body of research has linked staying indoors for a long time with poor physical and mental health; on the other end are the benefits of spending time outdoors, in or near green spaces. A massive review of data from about 300 studies that evaluated evidence regarding how contact with nature affects children’s health positively, has shown that the existence of greenspaces near homes and schools is strongly associated with improved physical activity and mental health outcomes in kids. The review, which was conducted by Washington State University and University of Washington scientists, highlighted that these benefits of exposure to nature could be even more pronounced for marginalized groups, as they do not get the same exposure to these greenspaces regularly.

While we might think sleep is a time of complete rest, different biological processes happen during this period. The body repairs cells and restores energy; the brain conducts heavy work to store information and memories; nerve cells communicate and reorganize, which supports healthy brain function. While deep sleep seems to have no competitor in important biological processes, dozing off has a critical role in boosting creativity.

The seasons are changing with every passing year; winters have become colder, summer has been bringing unbearable heat waves, while the in-between has been almost lost. What lies behind that is climate change, which has been shaping our lives differently.

Memory, sharp memory has always been a wish for many of us while studying, working, and conducting tasks that require recalling information previously acquired to succeed and act properly in a present situation. However, in other hard times, we wish to forget and stay oblivious while unwelcome memories keep sneaking into our minds.

As it turns out, Finding Nemo and other works featuring talking fish are not completely fiction. A new study from Cornell University has found that fish can communicate with sound; such thing that we have been considering only fictitious. Researchers of the new study, which was recently published in the Journal Ichthyology & Herpetology, say that fish have been communicating with sound for at least 155 million years.

While your child is challenging his/her enemy in a videogame and focusing on how to defeat them and win, with increased attention, you may find this to be just fun and entertainment for the child. However, could you ever imagine that video games could play a role in improving reading skills?

Watching recorded lectures and learning videos during the COVID-19 pandemic has become ubiquitous and effective way of learning after face-to-face lectures and lessons became restricted at many times.