Which Education Next articles were most popular in 2013?

Our top article of 2013 was a randomized experiment designed to measure the effect of taking students on a field trip to an art museum. The study concluded, as the authors wrote in an op-ed in the New York Times, that “art makes you smart.”

What other topics were popular?

Five of the top 20 articles for 2013 looked at some aspect of technology in education: an article on flipped classrooms, a study of the effectiveness of online learning for college students, a profile of a charter school that utilizes blended learning to individualize instruction, an article “checking the facts” of a study that evaluated K12 virtual schools, a look at educational apps aimed at preschoolers.

Another five articles of the top 20 articles focused on teachers or teacher training: a critique of ed schools, a look at the role played by substitute teachers, an article describing new organizations aimed at giving teachers a greater voice in the profession, a study of the academic qualifications of today’s teachers, an article on the cost of teacher benefits, and an article on changes at Teach for America.

Five more articles looked at some aspect of charter schooling:  a look at how graduates of No Excuses charter schools are doing in college, an inside look at high-scoring BASIS charter schools, a look at the softer side of KIPP schools, an article about a blended learning charter school in L.A., and a study looking at how competition with charter schools affects district schools.

Without further ado, here are the top 20 articles:

1.		The Educational Value of Field Trips Taking students to an art museum improves critical thinking skills, and more By Jay P. Greene, Brian Kisida and Daniel H. Bowen
2.		‘No Excuses’ Kids Go to College Will high-flying charters see their low-income students graduate? By Robert Pondiscio
3.		21st-Century Teacher Education Ed schools don’t give teachers the tools they need By Kate Walsh
4.		Despite Common Core, States Still Lack Common Standards Students proficient on state tests but not national By Paul E. Peterson and Peter Kaplan
5.		The Transformational Potential of Flipped Classrooms Different strokes for different folks By Michael B. Horn
6.		High Scores at BASIS Charter Schools Arizona students outperform Shanghai By June Kronholz
7.		No Substitute for a Teacher Adults’ absences shortchange students By June Kronholz
8.		Online Learning in Higher Education Randomized trial compares hybrid learning to traditional course By William G. Bowen, Thomas I. Nygren, Kelly A. Lack and Matthew M. Chingos
9.		Taking Back Teaching Educators organize to influence policy and their profession By Richard Lee Colvin
10.		Gains in Teacher Quality Academic capabilities of the U.S. teaching force are on the rise By Dan Goldhaber and Joe Walch
11.		The Softer Side of ‘No Excuses’ A view of KIPP schools in action By Alexandra Boyd, Caleb Rose and Robert Maranto
12.		The Promise of Personalized Learning Blending the human touch with technological firepower By Susan Headden
13.		The 2013 Education Next Survey What Americans are thinking about Common Core and other education policies By Michael Henderson and Paul E. Peterson
14.		The Rising Cost of Teachers’ Health Care Private-sector employers pay much less By Robert M. Costrell and Jeffery Dean
15.		Competition with Charters Motivates Districts New political circumstances, growing popularity By Marc J. Holley, Anna J. Egalite, and Martin F. Lueken
16.		Questioning the Quality of Virtual Schools NEPC report on K12 uses flawed measures of school performance By Matthew M. Chingos
17.		Still Teaching for America Common vision creates forward momentum By June Kronholz
18.		Combating the ‘Culture of Can’t’ School leaders have more power than they think By Frederick Hess and Whitney Downs
19.		Toddlers and Tablets Emerging apps take cues from learning science By Alex Hernandez
20.		Graduations on the Rise The 2000s saw boost in U.S. students completing high school By Richard J. Murnane and Stephen Hoffman

Congratulations to all of our authors!

—Education Next