Do Audiobooks Count as Reading?
Contributing author: Dr. Douglas Reeves

While surveys indicate that more than 40% of U.S. adults think that listening to a book should not be regarded as genuine reading, Brian Bannon, Chief Librarian of the New York Public Library, disagrees in a November 23, 2025, article.  He notes that while print circulation in the library has remained flat over the past five years, audiobook demand is up 65%.

Hope for Cynics
Contributing author: Dr. Douglas Reeves

In this inspiring book (Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness, 2025) by Stanford’s Jamil Zaki, there is a treasure trove of research that will help all of us who support educators and school leaders who are dealing with despair in the dark winter months and pervasive threats to our schools, students, and professional careers. Professor Zaki marshals research and keen observation to make these essential arguments.

A Balanced and Skeptical View of AI in Schools
Contributing author: Dr. Douglas Reeves

In this thoughtful and evidence-rich article (February 12, 2026), the authors cite several randomized control trials (RCT) that provide mixed evidence on the use of AI in schools. My recent book, Education and the Ethics of AI, offers practical ways to avoid cheating – the principal concern of teachers – and use AI in an ethical and constructive way.  This new article notes that when students become dependent on AI, their performance actually decreases, especially when they practice with AI but are later tested without AI assistance. Moreover, while AI can assist with simple tasks, such as learning multiplication tables, it does not enhance students’ reasoning or creative thinking.

The Power of Effective Relationships

It is no surprise that effective relationships are a key to leadership performance and organizational success.  This synthesis of evidence, published January 18, 2025, in the Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, provides the broadest and deepest analysis yet of why leaders must focus on relationships in order to accomplish organizational goals.  The article is a systematic review of the empirical peer-reviewed articles on the impact of positive relational energy.  The studies included a variety of ethnic groups from more than a dozen nations.  

Four Practical Guidelines for Effective Implementation of the Science of Reading

In this November 13, 2025, article, the authors note that before we turn the clock back to 2001 and wind up with the testing regime of No Child Left Behind 2.0, it’s time to take a look at how we are using the assessment data that we already have. Schools are drowning in data, but most of that data is a score that combines several different tests without giving teachers meaningful feedback on how to specifically use data to improve instruction for each student. This means not only getting a score but also individual item scores – something testing companies almost always fail to provide.