(University of Minnesota) A new study released today, the largest of its kind, offers important new evidence affirming the strong connection between what school leaders do and student achievement -- and sheds new light on what effective leadership involves.

(American College of Physicians) A new, free interactive website to help medical practices compare, select, and implement electronic health records was launched today by AmericanEHR Partners. Founded by the American College of Physicians and its partner, Cientis Technologies, AmericanEHR Partners brings together professional societies and health care professionals. The resulting collaboration provides credible information, tools, and expertise to support the optimal use of health information technology, and to improve the delivery of health care.

(Inderscience Publishers) Most educational websites in the US are using Flash applications that fail to adequately secure these pages. This is a growing problem for the Internet as vulnerable sites can be hijacked for malicious and criminal activity, according to a paper published in the International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics this month.

(University of Gothenburg) While the shock absorbers are always girls, both boys and girls can be the teacher's helper. A thesis from the University of Gothenburg shows that gender patterns are being both cemented and challenged in preschool and early primary education.

(DOE/Argonne National Laboratory) The US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory, together with the US Department of the Interior, are working together to help educate future tribal leaders on energy resource development and environmental evaluations by offering several hands-on learning opportunities such as Tribal Energy Internships and the Indian Education Renewable Energy Challenge.

(University of Missouri-Columbia) Few studies have examined the differences between spirituality and religion in adolescents. Now, a University of Missouri researcher is exploring these differences by determining how youth define and practice spirituality separate from religion. Defining spirituality can help reveal its impact on positive youth development, including self-esteem and pro-social behavior, and if it buffers against negative or risky behavior. Initial findings reveal that youth define spirituality in terms of positive behaviors, feelings and relationships.

(Nanyang Technological University) About 100 education policymakers and school administrators from 20 Asia-Pacific countries are in Singapore from today till Wednesday (June 21-23, 2010) to attend the East Asia Conference on Benchmarking Education Systems for Results.

(Wiley-Blackwell) A new study from the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management asserts that the National School Lunch program is a success for increasing educational achievement.

(University of Gothenburg) Young children are skilled negotiators when it comes to relationships and the content of play, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

(American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev) A Science magazine article reports that, for the first time, it is possible to relate the Minoan Santorini eruption with Egyptian Historical Chronology solely on the basis of radiocarbon dates. Thus, it appears that the eruption preceded the 18th Dynasty and occurred during the Hyksos Period. Moreover, conventional association of Egyptian history with archaeological phases at Tell el-Dab'a, the ancient capital of the Hyksos, located in the northeastern region of the Nile delta, do not fit in terms of radiocarbon dating.

(University of California - Los Angeles) Stay in school, stay insured: Four out of 10 women without a high school degree -- or 42 percent -- did not have health insurance in contrast to 11 percent of women with a college degree, according to a new study of women's health insurance from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

(Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine) The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine released Thursday, June 17, 2010, a set of principles that outlines the shortfalls of Medicare's financing of graduate medical education and proposes recommendations to address these concerns in view of the nation's current health care needs. The AAIM Principles for GME Reform address several issues, including the current physician shortage and expansion of Medicare-funded GME positions and the inadequacy of Medicare GME payments.

(University of Edinburgh) Secrets of the Universe are to be revealed as a new telescope equipped with the world's most powerful digital camera begins its observations of the night sky.

(Elsevier Health Sciences) The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, 2004, requires that all school districts have a Wellness Policy if they participate in federal school meal programs. As part of the Wellness Policy, schools are mandated to include nutrition education activities which promote student wellness. A study in the July/August issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior evaluates elementary teachers' overall acceptance and implementation of nutrition competencies in the classroom as part of their School Wellness Policy.

(Duke University) Around the country and throughout the world, politicians and education activists have sought to eliminate the "digital divide" by guaranteeing universal access to home computers, and in some cases to high-speed Internet service.However, according to a new study by scholars at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, these efforts would actually widen the achievement gap in math and reading scores.

(University of Gothenburg) Since higher education is booming in developing countries, so is e-learning. A new doctoral thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, shows how culture can shape quality in higher education in general and in e-learning in particular.

(Burness Communications) Independent research by local groups in emerging democracies helped uncover corruption or abysmal government performance in 13 countries in last few years, forcing public officials to improve education and health care services, according to a global report released today by Results for Development Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based group that promotes good governance around the world.