Posts by Tom Vander Ark
Personalized Learning
Freemium U
Scott Hines is the president of World Education University (WEU). He's also mayor of the city of Rancho Mirage, CA. While this may turn out to be University Mirage, you should pay attention to this business model.
EdTech
Kickboard: Big Data for Teachers
Kickboard is a New Orleans edtech startup that helps teachers collect and use data. Like the ASCD Whole Child Initiative, Kickboard is interested in a broad set of metrics that paint a picture of youth development and power an early warning system.
Ed Policy
Time to Modernize Education, Some States Leading the Way
“High-quality digital learning has the power to customize learning for each student’s unique needs, ensuring an education that is challenging, engaging, and relevant,” said Jeb Bush, former Florida governor and chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd).
Innov8
Carnegie Supports New High Schools that Recuperate & Accelerate
Carnegie Corporation launched a $15 million grant program for next generation high schools and a report that details the rationale: Opportunity by Design: New High School Models for Student Success.
Personalized Learning
Mesa Showcases Tech, Supports Innovation Teams
Mesa Public Schools is hosting a Tech Expo to boost exposure of their staff (and area educators) to innovations in learning. The district will make grants to 10-20 Innovation Teams next month.
Leadership
10 Things New Grantmakers Should Know & Do
I recently met with a family foundation. I shared ten bits of advice for new grantmakers summarized here.
Leadership
Detroit: Pulling Out of the Death Spiral
“The Motor City’s traditional district remains the worst-performing big-city school operator in both the Midwest and the nation,” reported RiShawn Biddle. “With 69 percent of its fourth-graders and 57 percent of eighth-graders being functionally illiterate in 2011, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Detroit has become infamous for perpetuating educational neglect and malpractice.” Biddle notes, “the district’s financial mismanagement has been even more spectacular.”
EdTech
Ellevation: Taking on the ELL Challenge
As a partner at NewSchools Venture Fund Jordan Meranus didn’t see anything entrepreneurial in the English Language Learning (ELL) space to invest in despite the persistent achievement gap experienced by ELLs. With co-founder Teddy Rice he started a company to build new tools to drive better outcomes for English Language Learners.
Personalized Learning
Students Talk about Blended Learning at #ASCD13
Mickey Revenaugh, Connections Education, hosted a student panel at #ASCD13 titled Why I Hate High School, but the conversation was really about "LovingHighSchoolNow. The five students now enjoying the benefits of #BlendedLearning represented Nexus Academy in Columbus, VOISE Academy, and Chicago Virtual.
Leadership
#ASCD13: Whole Child, Whole Teacher
The teaching and learning association, ASCD, gathered in Chicago this week--nearly 11,000 strong but the conference seemed swallowed by the giant McCormick Convention Center. It's not the crazy crush of SXSWedu or the ASU Summit.