InfoTrak

The pandemic lockdowns greatly affected schools and students, causing learning losses that may take years to overcome. Karyn Lewis is the Director of the Center for School and Student Progress at NWEA, a nonprofit research firm that creates academic assessments for students pre-K to grade 12. She says losses in math were the most severe, but reading was also badly affected. She offers advice for parents who are concerned about their child's learning.

Those online product reviews--can they be trusted? Brett Hollenbeck, PhD, Assistant Professor at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management, says there are an astounding number of fake reviews on websites...so buyer beware!

A victim of domestic violence, who survived and later thrived with her own successful business, says survivors of domestic abuse should not let the experience define them. Pennie Crockett, author of "Dangerous Love: From Battered to Boss Lady," shares her inspiring story and offers advice to those struggling to escape abusive situations.

An alarming number of American teens tried vaping last year. Ana Maria Rule, PhD, MHS, Assistant Scientist in Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, shares the results of a disturbing study that examined what users are breathing in when they vape.

Then, how effective is a self-guided approach to weight loss? Recent research from Mindy H. Lee, graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, says it can make a difference. She explains why diet flexibility is key to making weight loss and maintenance sustainable in the long run.

More than 40,000 organ or tissue transplants were performed last year in the US. But behind every organ donation--usually because of an unexpected accident or tragedy--there is a family reeling over sudden grief and loss. After the sudden loss of her teenage daughter, Tara Storch co-founded Taylor's Gift Foundation to support other donor families.

More than 50% of American households have a dog, cat, or both. Home hygiene specialist Erin Matthews outlined ways to control indoor allergens and pollutants from pets and other common sources.

Many people struggle to retain even a fraction of the knowledge we consume throughout our day, and wind up frustrated when we can’t recall the information we need when we need it. Mr. Forte explained a simple method using existing smartphone technology to not only consume information, but to manage and streamline it. Tiago Forte, productivity consultant, and author of “Building A Second Brain: A Proven Method to Organize Your Digital Life and Unlock Your Creative Potential,” explains a simple method using existing smartphone technology to not only consume information, but to manage and streamline it.

What are teenagers actually doing on their smartphones? One researcher says contrary to what many adults think, teens are not simply addicted to their screens--they're actually navigating a networked world. Emily Weinstein, PhD, Principal Investigator at Project Zero in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, author of “Behind Their Screens: What Teens Are Facing (And Adults Are Missing),” discusses about the social stresses that have been drastically amplified in social media, then are further exacerbated because parents often don’t understand.

Plastic pollution is a major global issue, but innovative new ideas may offer ways to reduce the plastic that ends up in landfills. Biomedical engineer Parisa Kamgar, P.E., inventor and environmental activist, explains a newly emerging eco-friendly packaging strategy for consumer products.