Archive: 2012
Leadership
Staff Picks: K-12, Music, Neil Armstrong
Tom Picks “5 Lessons K-12 Could Learn From Skillshare” Tom says, “The explosion of anywhere, anytime learning sites suggests that, even with common standards, K-12 could be more learner-driven and personalized.” Karen Picks “Grammy Winner Brings Hendervision to Federal Way” Karen says, “Tom and…
EdTech
SMARTtech Roundup: All About Personalization
Blended Schools & Tools More on i-Ready. MetaMetrics®, developer of The Lexile® Framework for Reading, has partnered with Curriculum Associates to include Lexile® measures in Curriculum Associates’ i-Ready™ Diagnostic assessment program. i-Ready Diagnostic accurately assesses K-8 students in reading and math, provides detailed, easy-to-use reports to help…
Personalized Learning
Ed-Fi: Data Standard Gains Traction, Releases Version 1.1
Lori Fey directs policy initiatives including the sponsorship of the Ed-Fi data standard for the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The Ed-Fi solution is a universal educational data standard and tool suite (unifying data model, data exchange framework, application framework, and sample dashboard source code) that aligns with Common Education Data Standards. The Ed-Fi tool suite is designed to integrate information from a broad range of existing education data sources. It facilitates data comparisons and interoperability, and allows vendors to develop reusable products across multiple states.
Personalized Learning
3 Reasons Why Schools Neglect Spatial Intelligence
In Why Don’t We Value Spatial Intelligence? I stressed that as a society we have neglected spatially talented students who are not as good with words and numbers but who are quite talented at manipulating figures and shapes in their minds. In this article, I offer a few reasons as to why schools tend to neglect spatial intelligence.
EdTech
One Giant Leap For Humanity, Now Education
The first time a kid said that his DREAM was to score in the top quintile on a standardized test, that was when we became the dystopian, near-future, cold world where dreams die that SyFy movies have been promising us since the 1950s.
EdTech
5 Apps to Lower Teacher Anxiety & Raise Student Voices
The art of teaching sure has changed since I nervously stepped into my first class of thirty-two, energetic students fourteen years ago. I remember feeling pressure from the prescribed sage-on-the-stage pedagogy. Fortunately, I soon discovered that not only was I far from an academic scholar, but I also wasn’t the most important factor. The students demanded they be a vital part of the classroom and curriculum creation. That was okay with me. Opening up the pressure valve a tad never hurt anyone.
EdTech
E.L. Haynes: A Force For Change
Jennie Niles started her career as a s cience teacher at the famous Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. She now leads the equally famous E. L. Haynes Public Charter School in Washington DC. The path in between could not have been better scripted: Yale for graduate school, a state department of education, a foundation, then New Leaders.
EdTech
Driving School Choice Through Cloud Computing
In recent years the words “school choice” have gained increasing buzz among educators and parents in cities across the United States. Many reformers believe that providing students and parents with options beyond their geographically assigned school will promote healthy competition among schools and give parents the opportunity to seek out a school that will best meet the needs of their children.
Personalized Learning
Hip Hop: An Alternative Method for Student Engagement
Apathy is the enemy of learning, and, regrettably, many teachers operate at a disadvantage because student motivation is low. Good educators are always looking for innovative ways to inspire students to achieve academic success. Some methods are more controversial than others, but if there is a positive impact in scores, these methods are worthy of consideration. The goal is to get students more invested in their learning experience. One strategy for doing that is to blend the mandated curriculum requirements with elements of popular culture.
EdTech
LearnZillion Announces 2,000 Free Common Core Lessons From Top Teachers
LearnZillion, a social enterprise, announced today the launch of its first of 2,000 online lessons going live this fall to help teachers, schools, and districts adopt the Common Core State Standards - all of which are free for students and teachers.