Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Purpose of Cookies:
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Types of Cookies:
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
What They Do:
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
What's Inside an Authentication Cookie?
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
What They Track:
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
1. Google Chrome
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
2. Mozilla Firefox
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
3. Safari
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
4. Microsoft Edge
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
5. On Mobile (iOS/Android)
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Be Aware:
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
Twice-Exceptional Students Achieving and Matriculating in STEM (TEAMS) is a research project at the University of Hawaii designed by Hye Jin Park, Ed.D. It is designed to increase the number of underrepresented students with high academic ability in gifted and talented education programs, as well as the enrollment of these students in postsecondary STEM programs in 24 schools across Oahu, Hawai’i Island, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Iowa, and New York. Award #S206A140012
STEM Starters+ is a research study designed by Ann Robinson, Ph.D., and Kristy Kidd at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; it is evaluated by Jill Adelson, Ph.D., of the University of Louisville. This project is designed to increase identification of underrepresented populations, STEM experiences for first- through fifth-grade gifted students, and teacher knowledge of gifted education and STEM disciplines. The research will be completed in schools from the El Dorado, Little Rock, and Pulaski County School Districts. Award #S206A140006
Experiences Cultivating Exceptional Learning (EXCEL) is a research initiative designed by Beverly Shaklee, Ed. D., and Anne Horak, Ph.D., of George Mason University, and Shelagh Gallagher, Ph.D.. The goal of the project is to improve English/Language Arts achievement through the use of Problem-Based Learning in 7th and 8th grade students. Award #S206A140022
Total School Cluster Grouping (TSCG) is a project created by Marcia Gentry, Ph.D., Jennifer Richardson, Ph.D., Yukiko Maeda, Ph.D., and Kristina Ayers Paul, Ph.D., of Purdue University, and Scott J. Peters, Ph.D., of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The purpose is to improve achievement in and increase identification of low-income and culturally and linguistically diverse families as gifted. Participant schools are sites with at least 40% population eligibility for Federal Free and Reduced Meals Program in Arizona, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Carolina. Award #S206A140011
Collaborative Planning Utilizing a Technical Assistance Collaborative to Upscale the Identification Processes and Programming for Gifted At Risk Learners is the research study designed by Karen L. Westberg, Ph.D., and Karen B. Rogers, Ph.D., of the University of St. Thomas. The project goals are to develop, apply, and assess a model of collaboration that implements various identification strategies for at-risk students, provides effective differentiation in core subjects, and supports the professional growth of teachers and administrators. There are 15 total participant schools consisting of elementary, middle, and high schools. Award #S206A140005
Project Talentum Academe is created by Julie Swanson, Ed.D., of the College of Charleston. This project is designed to apply talent development curricula and strategies to ultimately increase teacher awareness of gifted education teaching strategies, improve student achievement, and increase the number of students nominated and placed in gifted programs. The six schools participating in this study are from the Charleston County School District. Award # S206A140029
Project CHANGE has been created by Sandra K. Kaplan, Ed.D., and Jessica Manzone, Ed.D., of the University of Southern California with the goals of redefining California’s description and identification of gifted behaviors, extending the identification procedures to include preschool through second grade students, and providing professional development and support in gifted education strategies for early childhood educators. The 64 participant schools will come from four California schools districts. Award # S206A140036
Project Bright IDEA 3 (Interest Development Early Abilities) is Angel L. Harris, Ph.D., of Duke University’s large scale implementation of Bright IDEA 1 and Bright IDEA 2. Bright IDEA 3 is designed to increase the number of students of underrepresented populations identified as gifted, advance academic achievement for these students by modeling skills and behaviors, and support teaching of gifted curriculum to all students. The participants in this study will come from 32 schools in Wake County Public School District in North Carolina. Award # S206A140032
Promoting PLACE (Place, Literacy, Achievement, Community and Engagement) in Rural Schools has been designed by Carolyn Callahan, Ph.D., of the University of Virginia and Amy Azano, Ph.D., of Virginia Tech. The purposes of this study are to adapt identification procedures, non-cognitive interventions and curriculum elements to identify rural students, develop a “place-based language arts curriculum for rural learners” based on the CLEAR curriculum, and provide both of these elements to high-poverty rural gifted students. Six cohorts of students will be identified from 14 rural school districts in Virginia for participation. Award # S206A140034