Archive: 2013
EdTech 10: Popes, Particles & Personalized Learning
This week’s global headlines included the appointment of new Pope (with #newpope knocking #sxsw from the top spot in trending tweets) and the confirmation of the Higgs Boson “God particle” (a pretty cool return on the $9B investment in the Large Hadron Collider). Were you too busy with…
Infographic: The Future of Higher Education
This week, like so many lately, our team thought a lot about how to transform the higher ed learning experience. Like this infographic, we believe the landscape will change drastically in the next few years.
Are Students Ready To Learn? Ask Their Parents
The research is undeniable that parent involvement in student academic success matters. It is more predictive than socioeconomic status by a multiple of 2 – 10 times. The benefits of parent engagement are vast: it not only drives academic performance but improves student emotional well-being, induces better student classroom behavior, and improves school attendance.
Rocketship to Open 8 Blended Learning Schools in Nashville
Rocketship Education announces its plan to open and operate eight public charter schools in Nashville, starting in the fall of 2014, under its charter authorized by the Achievement School District (ASD). Rocketship has been approved by the ASD to open an additional eight schools in Memphis.
Fund Raising for Education Innovation
Last Wednesday, we led a #SXSWedu conversation about funding and fund raising in education. Yesterday we discussed the investing side of the equation. Below we tried to quickly answer 15 questions we received at the end of the session.
Hacking the Scouts
In the world of DIY, “hacking” is the idea of taking something and modifying it to fit your needs. With the spread of maker culture (think Maker Faire, makerspaces, or the proliferation of knitting clubs), many parents have found benefits beyond the ability to build Arduino-based gadgets. They’ve found a way to engage with their kids in “STEAM” – Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math – while at the same time building their kids’ confidence, resourcefulness, and ingenuity.
A Teacher’s Heart and Foundational Data
Please allow me to write honestly and drop it like it’s hot for a moment. To put it bluntly, I am afraid. You see, I have a recurring nightmare that often leaves me drenched in sweat with sky-rocketing blood pressure and my nerves shot. This dream, made unpleasant by a persistent sound of the mouse click, usually catapults me to an upright position in bed, only to stare into the darkness and whisper to myself, “Thank, goodness. It was just a dream.” Or was it?
Investing in Productivity: How to Pay For Blended Learning
We’re seeing more CapEx thinking in education (as I first pointed out in 2010). You may recall from Finance 101 that capital expenditures are funds invested to produce future benefit--positive cash flows (costs savings or net revenues) resulting in a return on investment higher than the cost of capital.
Investing in Education Innovation
Last Wednesday, we led a #SXSWedu conversation about funding and fund raising in education. The first of two blogs outlines the conversation we led on investing in innovation.
Book Review: The Leader’s Guide to 21st Century Education
Ken launched the Partnership for 21st Century Learning a decade ago to add the 4Cs--critical thinking and problem solving; communication, collaboration; and creativity and innovation--to the 3Rs. He was successful at gathering corporate support for the agenda but it was slow to be adopted by school districts preoccupied by state testing programs.