Posts by Tom Vander Ark
Driving Innovation from the White House
The White House will host its own Demo Day (#WHDemoDay) on August 4. Innovators from around the country will join President Obama to “demo” their individual success stories and show why we need to give every American the opportunity to pursue their bold, game-changing ideas
Happify: The Science of Emotional Wellbeing in a Mobile App
Having a bad day? Join more than a million users of Happify and log in and cheer up. Happify's S.T.A.G.E. framework helps you build five key happiness skills: Savor, thank, aspire, give, empathize.
Implementation Challenges on the Path to Personalization
There are several technical challenges to delivering on the promise of personalized learning including defining a standard student record, boosting interoperability, and combining multiple formative sources. However, there are additionally daunting implementation barriers related to school models, leadership and parents.
How to Innovate: Combine New Tools & New Schools
The most important K-12 innovation of the last twenty years has been new school development. The most important development of the last five years has been new tools. So, how can we evaluate this progress? We compare recent technology development against school model development.
Naming the Theories in Use
While at #PS2015, a graduate student at BYU asked me, "What other theories are being applied in education?" That may be the best question of the year and one that every school and district leadership team should ask themselves.
Personalization: The New Frame
With the end of NCLB, a new frame is emerging that includes personalization, a competency focus, and work readiness. This new frame is evident in EdTech startups, new school grant programs, school district strategies, and emerging educator preparation programs.
Education as a Public Good
The emerging vision for learning as a service is requiring more learner and parent decisions than ever. So, with all of the individual choices, how do we protect and advance the public good? The answer to this important question has eight implications for state and local policymakers.
Technical Challenges on the Path to Personalization
We believe a comprehensive learner profile, data backpack, and student portfolio are key to personalization. However, there are five challenges to overcome to unlock the power of personalized learning that includes student records, interoperability, and developing growth rates.
Robots Storm ISTE: 6 Implications
The new thing at ISTE this year was a much expanded display of robots and maker tech. More than 18,000 educators visited with more than 500 EdTech vendors in Philadelphia this week at #ISTE2015.
Success Takes Agency, Identity, and Competency
Young adult success requires agency, an integrated identity, and competencies. Drawing on research from many fields, theory and practice to identify building blocks for life success, The University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research developed a framework for youth development.