Difference Making
Life Prep Should Include Problem-Based Learning, Failure & Leadership
There are three things educators and parents can do to prepare students academically and personally for their future -- Make learning an active experience, put students in charge and let them fail.
EdTech
What You Need to Know When Developing Micro-Credentials
With over 300 submissions from teachers during the implementation this fall, the Friday Institute has learned many lessons that provide insight for those considering or developing micro-credentials.
Personalized Learning
Meeting the 10 Expectations Students Have of School
By: Chris Jackson. Have we considered the expectations students have of school? Chris Jackson writes that the real paradigm shift may be in asking the question to students: What do you expect from school? We can take students' expectations and interests into classrooms--and outside of them. By doing so, we will increase student motivation.
Leadership
5 Keys to Forging Strong Parent Engagement
When Maurice (“Mo”) Green became superintendent of NC’s Guilford County Schools, one of the first things he did was to embark on a listening tour. He heard the same message over and over again: Focus more on parent engagement.
Personalized Learning
Innovative High School Breaks New Ground with Career Education
By: Seth Livingston. Available statewide and tuition-free, Idaho College and Career Readiness Academy provides students exposure to technical and specialty trade skills. They are blazing the path to better career education for virtual high schools, here is the story of one student's’ experience.
EdTech
Virtual Reality is Coming to a Classroom Near You
This will be the year when virtual reality begins to change teaching and learning. Forecasters are estimating that the combined augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) industries could be as big as $150 billion in 2020 with 25 million VR users by 2018.
Leadership
Of Note: Black Swans & Big Sky
It's been an interesting week. Promising capabilities were introduced while big storms hit the east coast and the stock market. Following are four thoughts on learning in an uncertain world filled with Black Swans, learning opportunities and changing markets.
EdTech
Reclaiming the Classroom: How America Can Move Past Standardized Tests
In a book written by an educator for educators, Trenton Goble describes how America’s teachers lost control of education and how they can get it back.
EdTech
Why Less Could be More in EdTech
By: Robert Dillon. After a recent visit to FETC, Robert shares why he thinks the future of EdTech could mean less technology and require better partnerships between schools, researchers, and developers.
Personalized Learning
Soon Devices Will Matter Less, In the Meantime Prioritize
There's no doubt that we have more devices in schools these days, but the bad news is there are often many different types, on different operating systems, with no real "plan" on how to effectively use them in classrooms. In this post, Scott Ellis of The Learning Accelerator shares five observations about the journey of innovation and what EdLeaders can do when they discover an EdTech mess.