Posts by Guest Author
Shift Your Classroom: Small Strategic Steps
For most of my teaching career, I’ve been a pretty traditional teacher (even now I slip back into that mode sometimes). However, as I went through the motions of trying to “teach” my students, something didn’t feel right. My students seemed to learn things only for the exam, were focused on the mark, not the learning that was supposed to be taking place. When the unit or semester was over, they dumped all their notes and assignments. Frustrating.
Q&A: ‘OK, Computer’ With Tom Vander Ark
The interview that follows addresses issues in the debate over refashioning the U.S. public school system through the adoption of new technologies. As with other American institutions widely perceived as failing or just getting by, the debate around K-12 public education has been increasingly shaped by considerations of technological innovation and the role of entrepreneurship and private-sector involvement.
Former WV Governor Pushes for ‘Blended Learning’
Bob Wise, Alliance for Excellent Education and co-chair of Digital Learning Now, was in Olympia Washington last week advocating for blended learning and the 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning.
What Online Students Want
Online learning. It's a popular buzzword in both higher education and K-12 institutions. Each year, more formal and informal learning opportunities germinate online. Globally, many public institutions believe that "online education is critical to their long term strategy" and the number of online learners is steadily increasing (Allen & Seaman, 2008, p.3).
The Learning Mindset: Winning in the Civilian Sector
The 1% and 99% are making headlines. But I'm more worried about the 20%, the 50% and the 75%. The 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan vets age 18-24 who are unemployed, the 50% who are underemployed, and 75% who don't graduate from the programs of study that they start after they get out.
Q&A: The Educational World Is Flat
Tom Vander Ark is an educational innovator who thinks like an engineer. He is currently the CEO of Open Educational Solutions, a partner in Learn Capital, and director of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning. Previously he served as President of the X PRIZE Foundation and was the Executive Director of Education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He is a prolific writer and speaker, and in 2006 Newsweek readers voted Tom the most influential baby boomer in education.
4 Characteristics of Education Programs That Actually Work
“Education” is a huge conversation, but almost all of the conversation is about the education problem. There is not a serious or mature conversation about solutions. Meanwhile lots of resources and, as important, attention, are going into an ever-changing, wide variety of programs which, it is hoped, will be part of some solution. How do we know when we’re looking at any given program, whether it can have game-changing impact on K-12 schools, or has no chance? I call the former, programs that “Actually Work.” Here I identify and describe four characteristics of any program that Actually Works: Scope,Results, Robustness, and Scalability. Failure at any one of these is failure to Work.
Teacher-Led Blended Learning, Students Win
There are three moments that addict me to teaching. When students have “light up,” “light bulb,” and “lead” moments. Creating an environment that fosters the space for these is becoming easier as the tools at our fingertips continue to improve. I see technology as a cornerstone of education that can help bring to life content for students.
Pros & Cons: Is Elementary Too Early for 1:1 Technology?
The merits of 1:1 technology in education are so impressive that one question might be raised: How young is too young for students to benefit from 1:1 classroom technology? Specifically, are elementary students too young to have one computing device per child available to them at all times?
Digital Learning Addresses Challenges in K-12
Two years ago Bob Wise and the Alliance issued an important Online Learning Imperative. They recently updated it and the EdWeek Digital Education Team reviewed it.