Posts by Tom Vander Ark
KnowledgeWorks Forecast 4.0: Partners in Code
Exponential change is the theme of the fourth KnowledgeWorks forecast subtitled Education in the Era of Partners in Code. The report outlines five drivers of change: Optimized selves, labor relations 2.0, alternate economies, smart transactional models and shifting landscapes.
8 Ways Machine Learning Will Improve Education
Learning will remain highly relational for most of us, but those relationships will increasingly be informed by data. Students parents and advisors will make more decisions about learning pathways but those decisions will be nudged and guided by informed recommendations.
Innovations Creating a #SmartPlanet
At two recent regional EdTech conferences (#NYSCATE15 & #GAETC15) I’ve had the good fortune to discuss world changing innovations with hundreds of forward-leading tech-savvy teachers. What I asked them what innovations would boost global learning, here’s a few of the responses.
(Finally) The Year of Mobile
For five years, people have been saying “This is the year of mobile.” This time they’re right; with nearly ubiquitous US coverage and phone penetration, it changes our assumptions about how people communicate, learn, shop, and play.
60 Day Whirlwind Reveals New Schools & Tools
The future of education is being built, bit by bit, all over this country. New tools and new schools are being developed at a dizzying pace. Here’s a few things we’ve seen in the last 60 days.
Powerful, Personalized Professional Development
To move from a vision for transformative professional development to reality hinges upon the ability to deliver quality PD at scale. An approach like the one described by Alvin Crawford in 5 Steps to Transformative Professional Development delineates a path forward.
How New Schools, Tools and Policies Will Bring an End to the Big Test
We are beginning to see the end of the current era of standards-based reform and for people that care about equity, we are wondering what’s next? So what is next? There have been eight important developments since NCLB was enacted. The most important sign of things to come is the trend towards personalized, blended, and competency-based education systems
Med Students Use Art to Observe, Data to Spot Trends
Innovations in medical education are improving the affect and effect of doctors in training. Med schools are exploring uses of big data to improve diagnosis and trend spotting while others are incorporating interdisciplinary studies to improve observation and communication skills.
Exponential Technology: Everything is Closer Than it Appears
Exponential technologies have created eight opportunities for operators, Edupreneurs, and investors. Taking full advantage of these eight opportunities requires an improved learning infrastructure, a combination of industry standards, new state policies, and a few new tools.
Smart Cities Need Great Schools, The Best Antidote to Poverty
Here are seven standout elements for creating environments, that are important when creating great schools, the best long term antidote to the cycle of poverty.