Posts by Tom Vander Ark
Personalized Learning
Summit Public Schools Continue to Innovate and Expand Impact
New schools, summer school, and a national partnership program are keeping Summit Public Schools humming in June and July. And, why in five years there will be 100 Summit managed and Summit partner schools in every corner of the country.
EdTech
Every Student Should Have A Digital Portfolio
Well-designed learner portfolios provide students an opportunity to chart their growth and tell their story. Here's eight tools that schools are using to promote deeper learning by encouraging students to build a collection of personal bests.
EdTech
Students Deserve Take Home Tech
Despite schools with classrooms full of technology, many students don't have computers or connectivity at home. We've known the answer to this question for nearly 20 years, it's take home technology.
Leadership
Design as Learning
After working with hundreds of impact organizations we've learned three important lessons: design as learning, process as advocacy, and innovation as value creation.
Difference Making
Your Kid Just Said He’s Not Going to College, Now What?
Your kid says he’s not going to college, what do you do? Start by asking Jr. how he thinks he’s going to make a living and if he’s got longer term aspirations. Listen before advising. If and when it makes sense, run these seven HigherEd options by Jr.
Leadership
Next Generation Schools at Scale: 49 New NGLC Grantees
NGLC announced that, through six regional programs, 49 school teams received grants as part of a $25 million K-12 initiative to create new and transformed secondary schools. This includes 29 new or redesigned K-12 schools that will open this fall.
EdTech
Nobody is Average, Every Student Deserves Personalized Learning
Todd Rose points out that no student is "average." School designs based on average destroy talent because advanced students aren't challenged and students with specific weaknesses don't have their strengths nurtured.
EdTech
Making Something of National Week of Making
Andrew Coy, Executive Director at Digital Harbor Foundation, kicked off Rec2Tech.org, an initiative to replicate his success at turning surplus property into a maker hub. The initiative offers a, “New vision for how communities can come together to provide real pathways from classroom to career for today's youth.”
Leadership
Smart Parents are Involved, Informed, Intentional, and Inspirational
From this year long investigation into parenting for powerful learning, particularly the stories contributed by 60 parents, we concluded that Smart Parents are involved, informed, intentional, and inspirational.
Personalized Learning
NAFTrack Certification Combines School and Work
NAFTrack Certification is what a high school diploma should be--credible evidence of college and career readiness. The standards behind this program were developed by both business and education.