BASIC Studios
Happy August, Mischief Makers!
As we head back to school and into these final months before the Survivor Summit, we need ALL of you to help us spread the word. BASIC created the Summit to promote survival, resilience, creativity, and community, and every share helps us reach the people who need that support!
Make sure you register here for the Summit!
This year, BASIC has decided to do a Halloween Basket Gift exchange. Details to come next month! Looking forward to it!
BASIC is growing! We had to say goodbye to our old Art Director, but Karla has stepped up and become the new Art Director! Karla, we’re looking forward to seeing you shine in your role and your department!
Finally, BASIC Studios is always looking for creative individuals to join our collective! As we expand, we are looking for passionate writers, artists, designers, editors, and creative contributors to build our community. If you know someone who would shine in a virtual creative space, please send them to our application page. As always, thank you for being part of our weird little community! We love every one of you.
Now, let's talk Back to School!
Explaining the Changes Inside the Department of Education, and What Do They Mean for Our Children? By: Kenzie
While going through school ourselves, we never really understand what is happening with regard to the quality of our learning. However, when we become older and start to raise children or step-children of our own, we start to notice the l changes happening at a federal level. We start to realize that our government has significant influence over what our children are learning and how they are learning. Over the past year, there have been numerous changes; however,the primary shift that the Department of Education is making is adopting the goal of “Return Education to the States.” This shift may be beneficial, as between 2019 and 2024, enrollment in K–12 public schools fell by approximately 3.8% across forty states; 44% of that decline came from three states alone: New York, California, and Illinois, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) report, The Condition of Education 2026.
If we are to actually see how the “Return to States” policy will affect our children, there may be an opportunity for schools to actually receive more direct funding while reducing federal involvement in students' education. There may also be a way for students to actually learn the practical skills they need to succeed in life, rather than focusing on material that may not effectively serve them. If we can restore funding to schools and implement effective learning policies, we can better prepare this new generation for what adult life has in store for them. I personally didn’t receive the education that I needed in order to apply for college, create a résumé, secure employment, or even understand how to be a responsible member of society.
Consider this: if you had learned how to manage finances and other essential life skills in school, where would you be today? How much more successful would your life have been if you had been given those skills?
With my oldest going into kindergarten next year, I worry about these issues. I struggled in school because I wasn’t adequately prepared. However, if we can return curriculum decisions to the states and ensure appropriate funding, we can better prepare our children for what life has in store for them. Yes, we still have to consider the numerous challenges that come with having children in school, but a curriculum that actually supports rather than hinders learning would eliminate at least one major concern. Additionally, with the rise of AI and technology, it is more important than ever to emphasize foundational learning, including the use of textbooks rather than relying exclusively on information from artificial intelligence or smartphones. We must come together and advocate for our children. They will be responsible for shaping the future when we are no longer able to do so. They deserve to be taught in the most effective way possible, rather than relying solely on information from the internet.
What is functional illiteracy? How does it impact society? How do we combat it? by: Tess
Introduction
An invisible barrier holds back tens of millions of adults from fully participating in modern life: functional illiteracy. Unlike total illiteracy, which is the complete inability to read or write, functional illiteracy refers to the condition in which an individual possesses basic reading and writing skills but cannot apply them effectively in everyday tasks. An adult experiencing functional illiteracy can typically recognize familiar words or read simple sentences. However, they struggle to comprehend complex texts, fill out job applications, evaluate news critically, interpret bus schedules, or follow written medical instructions.In the United States alone, the scope of this challenge is staggering. According to ProLiteracy, roughly 59 million adults—nearly 28% of the adult population—read at or below Level 1 on a five-level proficiency scale. This means nearly one in three adults struggle with foundational reading and information-processing tasks essential for navigating daily life in a modern economy.Understanding why functional illiteracy remains so pervasive, how it burdens communities, and what strategies can eradicate it are critical to building an equitable and prosperous society.
Root Causes of Adult Low Literacy
How does a society with free, universal public K–12 education end up with tens of millions of functionally illiterate adults? Data from adult education researchers highlight several interconnected systemic issues:
Poverty and Educational Disparities: Poverty and low literacy perpetuate each other in a self-reinforcing loop. Nearly 80% of individuals living in poverty read at basic or below basic levels. Schools in economically disadvantaged areas often lack equitable funding, experienced educators, and specialized reading resources. Furthermore, youth facing extreme financial hardship are frequently forced to drop out of school early to take on employment or caretaking duties.
Intergenerational Cycles: A parent’s literacy level is the single strongest predictor of a child’s future academic performance. Children growing up in homes without literate role models or educational materials often fall behind before they even step into a classroom, entering school at a structural disadvantage.
Undiagnosed Learning Disabilities: Millions of adults navigated the school system with unidentified learning differences, such as dyslexia. Without early screening, tailored instruction, or specialized interventions, these students were often labeled as uninterested or unproductive, leading to early dropout rates and years of unaddressed reading difficulty.
School Instability and Disruptions: Frequent family moves between school districts, neighborhood instability, and persistent absenteeism create significant learning gaps. Missing foundational phonics instruction early in elementary school often causes a child's reading development to stall permanently.
Language and Immigration Barriers: For non-native English speakers, acquiring literacy in a new language introduces additional hurdles. Immigrants often lack access to affordable English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, leaving them unable to transfer existing knowledge into written English proficiency.
The Broad Impact on Society
Functional illiteracy is not merely an isolated individual problem; its ramifications reverberate across the economy, healthcare system, and civic infrastructure.
Cycles of Poverty and Disparity
Economic Loss Lower wages Diminished GDP
Healthcare Risk Medication mismanagement Higher emergency room usage
Intergenerational Effects Children start school behind
Economic StagnationLiteracy directly dictates earning potential and economic mobility. Adults without a high school diploma earn up to three times less than those with higher levels of education. Low literacy costs the U.S. economy hundreds of billions of dollars annually in lost productivity, uncollected income taxes, and higher social safety net expenditures. Conversely, research indicates that bringing all adults up to basic reading proficiency could generate trillions of dollars in additional economic output.
Healthcare Crisis and High Costs Health literacy—the ability to process basic health information to make informed wellness decisions—is intrinsically tied to general literacy. Functionally illiterate adults struggle to read prescription labels, understand consent forms, or follow discharge instructions. This leads to high rates of medication errors, unnecessary emergency room visits, and mismanaged chronic conditions. Low literacy accounts for over $100 billion to $200 billion in excess annual healthcare expenses.
Criminal Justice and RecidivismThe link between low literacy and justice system involvement is well-documented. Approximately 75% of state prison inmates are functionally illiterate or did not complete high school. Lacking viable employment options due to poor literacy skills increases the likelihood of criminal activity. Remarkably, correctional education programs that teach reading and vocational skills can reduce recidivism rates by as much as 43%.
Multi-Pronged Strategies to Combat Functional IlliteracySolving functional illiteracy requires addressing both childhood prevention in K-12 education and adult intervention through community-based education programs.
Core Action Blueprint
K-12 System Equity Science of reading-based phonic sUniversal screening for learning disabilities
Expanding Adult Education Remove waiting lists and cost barriers Wraparound childcare and transit support
Destigmatizing Literacy Public awareness campaigns Employer-led workplace study
Transform K-12 Literacy Instruction Prevention is the first line of defense. Schools must ensure that every child masters reading before fourth grade—the pivotal moment when students transition from "learning to read" to "reading to learn."
Evidence-Based Curricula: Align reading instruction with structured literacy grounded in the Science of Reading, emphasizing phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension.
Early Screening for Disabilities: Mandate early screenings for dyslexia and auditory processing disorders so that children receive targeted interventions before falling years behind.
Equitable School Funding: Direct federal and state resources toward high-poverty schools to reduce class sizes, provide reading specialists, and supply learning materials.
Expand and Fund Adult Education ProgramsFor the 59 million adults currently struggling, adult education provides a vital second chance. Yet 51% of ProLiteracy member programs report placing prospective students on waiting lists due to severe funding and volunteer limitations.
Increase Public and Private Funding: Governments and philanthropic organizations must expand funding for community-based literacy programs, community colleges, and public libraries offering free adult classes.
Mitigate Barriers to Attendance: Over 80% of low-skilled adults are unaware of local programs, and many who know about them cannot attend due to work schedules, lack of childcare or transportation challenges. Programs should offer flexible evening and weekend classes, hybrid online learning options, and integrated family support services (such as on-site childcare).
Combat Stigma and Foster Employer Engagement Shame and embarrassment prevent millions of adults from admitting that they need help.
Public Awareness Campaigns: Normalizing adult literacy education reduces social stigma. Public campaigns should emphasize that low literacy is a systemic failure, not a personal flaw.
Workplace Literacy Initiatives: Businesses should invest in on-site literacy and skill-building programs. Teaching employees functional literacy in the workplace improves safety, boosts productivity, and creates paths for career advancement.
Conclusion Functional illiteracy is a complex issue, but it is entirely solvable. When a country invests in adult basic education, it reaps returns across every major societal measure: higher household incomes, lower healthcare expenditures, reduced criminal justice costs, and improved academic outcomes for future generations. Literacy is not a luxury—it is a fundamental human right and the cornerstone of a thriving democratic society. By dismantling the barriers of shame, expanding educational resources, and funding community initiatives, we can ensure that every adult gains the power to read, learn, and succeed.
The Benefits of STEAM by Sana
Hi, my name is Sana, and I’m an Art History student who loves physics, biology, engineering, and architecture. So, naturally, when I was planning my university thesis, I wanted to combine all these.
Unfortunately, far too many students think that these are completely separate intellectual realms. They believe we can’t or shouldn’t combine the Arts with the Sciences and vice versa. Or, they think there simply isn’t a way to use all streams of STEAM. But that’s just not the case. We’ve been indoctrinated to accept this belief. There is absolutely no reason why an Art History student can’t dabble in physics, and there is no reason why a Biology major can’t look into literature. In fact, doing so opens up a whole new world!
The interdisciplinary approach has been steadily gathering attention, from educators to parents to the students themselves. Though studies and pedagogical frameworks were first developed in the United States by Georgette Yakman in the early 2000s, the practice and theory quickly spread across the world. Recent studies from India noted that over 70% of students surveyed thought combining the arts and the sciences would “enhance deeper understanding, constructivist approach, professional efficiency and critical thinking.” In Thailand, another group felt they more deeply appreciated “the role of arts and design in enhancing scientific and technological advancements” when following the interdisciplinary approach. Over in Anatolia, a study was conducted on children diagnosed with learning disabilities. Here, too, it was concluded that integrating STEAM activities into the curriculum not only increased the academic success of participants, but also their motivation, curiosity, and the transfer of learning.
However, implementation was lacking in every case. These were, of course, isolated case studies, not fully-fledged frameworks. This practice does exist in areas of North America and Europe, though tuition costs a fortune in such institutions, and where very few students are admitted. The integration of STEAM shouldn’t be pursued purely so that scientists might acquire data. They shouldn’t be run as mere experiments to prove a theory worthy of putting into practice. STEAM education has such positive results across the board, so why isn’t it being integrated into the curriculum created for students from grade school and onward? Integrating the STEAM curriculum into my own education has only benefitted me. Discovering Sicilian cultural history was a fascinating journey that continues to this day, long after my studies ended. My eyes were opened to this colourful corner of the world through valuable cross-disciplinary research. My research focused on architectural history, but I learned some physics and engineering along the way. In Palermo, Sicily, they have what they call “wind towers,” which ancient Persian civilisations had also used prior (in what we know today as Iran). It amazed me to learn of this cultural exchange: Mother Nature’s powers were optimised through architecture, for functional and social uses. This technology itself migrated all the way from the Middle East to Southern Europe. I’ll spare you, readers, the historical and physics details; in brief, here is what I discovered.
You see, in the ninth century, the Aghlabid emirate invaded Sicily and brought with them a new religion, a new way of life, and new building techniques… well, new to the local Sicilians, anyway. The “wind towers” were incorporated into the established European way of life; that being, of course, the practice of hosting large dinner parties. Yet when temperatures rise to over forty degrees Celsius (or 104 degrees farenheight), you really don’t want to be crammed into a gown and long jackets in a ballroom, no matter how large the ballroom might be. So, those of the upper classwined and dined in a naturally cooled subterranean cavern. Thereby, we are presented with the obscure architectural marvel: a Sicorro Room.
In brief, yes, I could’ve just focused on art and architecture. Yes, a Physics major would’ve just explained the heat exchange and the cooling process created by the subterranean limestone, the water, and the wind-tower. But by combining these approaches and the associated data, one is exposed to a much fuller picture and understanding of a location’s history.
Perhaps if your curriculum, or that of the children in your life, doesn’t integrate STEAM altogether, could you think of ways to do so? Let us know in the comments!
Sources:
Forum Ancient Coins. Historia, 2026. https://www.forumancientcoins.com/historia/coins/j1/j191.htm?srsltid=AfmBOorMpKT2E3oaFWnySXLvjESK99JJ3yj9GvXjRLSBHCYFZfRFQ4UT Hakan Sari, Mustafa Çevik, Özge Çevik. The impact of STEAM (STEM + arts) activities on learning outcomes in students with specific learning disabilities. Support for Learning. Volume 39, Issue 1, 2024. https://nasenjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9604.12462 Jeanine M. Williamson and Anchalee Panigabutra-Roberts, An Analysis of STEAM Disciplinary Interrelationships Described in Abstracts of Higher Education Articles, Centre for Interdisciplinary Teaching & Learning, IMPACT. https://sites.bu.edu/impact/previous-issues/impact-winter-2021/an-analysis-of-steam-disciplinary-interrelationships/
Manisha Singh, Iqbal Azad, Mohammad Aamir Qayyoom, Tahmeena Khan, Social Sciences & Humanities Open, Volume 10, 2024, 101162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.101162
K. Santi, S.M. Sholeh, Irwandani, F. Alatas, H. Rahmayanti, I.Z. Ichsan, M.M. Rahman, STEAM in the environment and science education: Analysis and bibliometric mapping of the research literature (2013-2020)Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1976 (2021), Article 012097. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1796/1/012097/pdf?utm_source=sciencedirect_contenthosting&getft_integrator=scienced
Not AI, Just Autism by: Lore
Artificial Intelligence (AI) software has become an omnipresent part of modern technology, offering countless benefits to everyone. Unfortunately, this rapid integration has damaged the literary reputations of many neurodivergent individuals. The language style of AI-generated content closely mirrors that of "robotic" autistic individuals, leading to skepticism about the authenticity of their written works. This overlap has created a damaging association that threatens the literary reputations of neurodivergent individuals. The rise of AI detectors, which claim to distinguish human from machine-generated content, has further compounded these issues, leading to false accusations and widespread discrimination. It is my position that a combination of AI technology and widespread ignorance is damaging the credibility of neurodivergent individuals.Neurodiversity is a broad term referring to individuals whose neurological development and processes are atypical compared to societal standards. This includes conditions like autism, ADHD, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and more. The term was coined in the late 1990s by sociologist Judy Singer, who challenged the pathologizing view of mental differences and identified them as part of natural human diversity. She mentioned this in one of her publications, "The 'Neurologically Different' represent a new addition to the familiar political categories of class, gender, and race and will augment the insights of the social model of disability" (Singer, 2017). As society shifts toward inclusivity, it is important to recognize that neurodivergent individuals exhibit different speech patterns compared to those society deems as “neurotypical.” For example, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a study in 2000 found that 1 in 150 children were on the autism spectrum. By 2020, this number had risen to 1 in 36 children (CDC, 2024). Based on these statistics, it can be proposed that the ratio of neurodivergent individuals to neurotypical individuals will change significantly over the next five years.Language models, such as ChatGPT, are trained on massive datasets of human text and are then programmed by human workers to correct any bugs. "Training a large language model involves two main stages: pre-training and fine-tuning" (ARTiBA, 2024). During pre-training, the model learns the basics of language, like spelling and grammar. After pre-training, the model is fine-tuned for specific tasks, like analyzing sentiment. One study found that students on the autism spectrum had the highest participation rates in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields at colleges and universities (Wei et al., 2012). STEM fields involve coursework focused on critical thinking, problem-solving, and technical skills; attributes that are often more pronounced in individuals with autism. This suggests that there may be more neurodivergent individuals programming language models than neurotypical individuals, which could explain why the speech patterns being replicated are heavily influenced by those on the autism spectrum. Because these models are intentionally coded to mimic human interactions so closely, it stands to reason that AI language models will replicate the speech patterns of those who program them. This overlap has led to multiple instances of college students being unjustly accused of using AI to generate their homework. "Neurodivergent students, as well as those who write using simpler language and syntax, appear to be disproportionately affected by these systems" (Coldwell, 2024). These harmful assumptions not only disrespect the inherent struggles of being neurodivergent in a structured school setting but also diminish the speech patterns that neurodivergent individuals, like myself, must develop for others to understand them. The biggest struggle for these students is the rise of "AI detection tools" that claim they can identify how much of someone's writing is generated by artificial intelligence. While these tools are marketed as reliable, they are just as inaccurate as human intuition. They often misclassify human-written work as AI-generated and AI-generated work as human-written; especially if the individual has a "robotic," overly descriptive, or overly formal writing style. The truth is that AI detectors are not yet sophisticated enough to reliably distinguish between human and artificial intelligence. “According to the companies that make them, these AI have less than .001% false positive rate” (Pindell, n.d) Relying on AI to detect AI is also redundant because it’s utilizing a system designed by the same technology to identify its own creation. If the system is flawed or overly simplistic, it will misidentify AI-generated text as human-written or vice versa. They are also easily fooled, with research showing that many tools have high false-positive rates. Simple modifications like adding misspellings or altering formatting can confuse these detectors (Wood, 2024). These tools may seem helpful, but in reality they exacerbate biases against neurodivergent students, enabling instructors to falsely accuse neurodivergent students of cheating, even after spending hours on the assignment. This not only marginalizes neurodivergent individuals but also discourages them from engaging with official institutions and educational settings where they are dismissed and insulted.As we continue to transition into a technology-driven society, ethical dilemmas surrounding the use of artificial intelligence have become more prominent. One important question is whether we should trust these systems, which are designed to categorize and judge human behavior, despite their inability to truly understand it. Computer software, no matter how advanced, cannot fully grasp the complexities of human experience. This creates a world where judgments may be based on the output of a machine rather than the intricate, varied realities of individuals. In the article by Gonsalves et al. (2023), one of their interviewees, Dylan Losey, pointed out, “In practice, rushed applications of AI have resulted in systems with racial and gender biases. The bad of AI is a technology that does not treat all users the same.” If we allow artificial intelligence to dictate human authenticity and behavior, we risk creating a society that further dehumanizes those who already struggle to fit in. As highlighted in recent discussions, relying on AI to evaluate human worth introduces a perilous precedent. Drawing from the last 50 years of science fiction, we should actively resist the temptation to let technology define humanity’s value.The integration of AI into daily life has led to many unfair associations between neurodivergent speech patterns and AI-generated writing. As with any situation, it is essential to consider the context involved in creating and training a language model before judging those who happen to use similar patterns. All language models are trained on datasets of human writing, including the work of neurodivergent individuals whose writing differs from the so-called "norm." This results in the replication of those patterns, creating a false equivalency between neurodivergent communication and AI-generated text. Instead of rushing to judgment and assuming everyone is untrustworthy, it is important to remember that humans created AI language models, and therefore it will always reflect human characteristics.
References
ARTiBA. (2024, March 22). How do Large Language Models Work? How to Train Them?. Artificial Intelligence Board of America. https://www.artiba.org/blog/how-do-large-language-models-work-how-to-train-them
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 16). Data and Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/autism/data-research/index.html
Coldwell, W. (2024, December 15). “I received a first but it felt tainted and undeserved”: Inside the University Ai Cheating Crisis. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2024/dec/15/i-received-a-first-but-it-felt-tainted-and-undeserved-inside-the-university-ai-cheating-crisis
Curzon, P. (2024, April 5). Neurodiversity and what it takes to be a good programmer. Computer Science for Fun. https://cs4fn.blog/2024/04/05/neurodiversity-and-what-it-takes-to-be-a-good-programmer/
Gonsalves, F., Green, J., Parrish, A., Moxley, T., Seeber, C., & Williamson, A. (2023, November 6). AI—The good, the bad, and the scary. Virginia Tech Engineer. https://eng.vt.edu/magazine/stories/fall-2023/ai.html
Nadkarni, A. (2024, October 25). Neurodivergent students more likely to be flagged by AI detectors. AI Detector Pro. https://blog.aidetector.pro/neurodivergent-students-falsely-flagged-at-higher-rates/
Pindell, N. (n.d.). The Challenge of AI Checkers. Center for Transformative Teaching | Nebraska. https://teaching.unl.edu/ai-exchange/challenge-ai-checkers/
Singer, J. (2017). Neurodiversity: The birth of an idea.
Wei, X., Yu, J. W., Shattuck, P., McCracken, M., & Blackorby, J. (2012). Science, Technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) participation among college students with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43(7), 1539–1546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1700-z
What is neurodiversity. Neurodiversity Hub. (n.d.). https://www.neurodiversityhub.org/what-is-neurodiversity
Wood, C. (2024, September 10). AI detectors are easily fooled, researchers find. EdScoop. https://edscoop.com/ai-detectors-are-easily-fooled-researchers-find/
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