How Philanthropy Can Improve & Accelerate the Shift to Digital Learning
There are a dozen opportunities for foundations to focus, improve and accelerate the shift to digital learning including planning support for school, district, network, and states; supporting pilots programs and new schools; and sponsoring research, advocacy, and learning opportunities.
ISTE Reflections: Balance Moving Forward
Perhaps the best idea I had for ISTE this year was to arrive in San Diego a day early. It was there, outside of the conference, that I was reminded of a powerful truth in education. Meandering through the meticulously manicured sidewalk shrubbery, the majestically purple Jacaranda trees, and the polite, bayside strollers, I allowed the gentle and cool breeze to nudge me forward ever so slowly under a sunny, cloudless sky. But my steps quickly came to a halt with the sight of an old-school magician whose skin bore witness to the subtle effects of a deceptively hot sun.
Create a Kiosk Atmosphere at Your School
A kiosk computer is a terminal that provides interactive access to an institution’s resources and allows for basic (or open) web browsing.
Investing in Innovation: Capital Flows to Education
The drought is over and capital is flowing to innovators in K-12, postsecondary, and consumer learning. That’s the conclusion of a report from GSV Advisors including industry veterans Deborah Quazzo and Michael Moe. They examine the “near spontaneous explosion of entrepreneurial activity in education.”
Solving the Plumbing Problem: SLC & Open Questions
Yesterday on MindShift Frank Catalano provided an update on the Shared Learning Collaborative and described the problems they are trying to solve. He provides a great overview of the data warehouse, the content library and the plumbing that will connect them. We outline some of the remaining questions that we're working on and would love to discuss with you.
In the News: Existence & Immigration
Return on Science. The giant Hadron Collider in Switzerland just paid a big dividend. Scientists are pretty sure they finally found evidence for the Higgs particle (or so-called God particle) which explains why we’re all here. NPR said the announcement “had profound implications for understanding our universe and explains the basic…
5 Steps to Getting the Most Out of Online Education
For a countless number of people all over, online classes are one way to get ahead while still maintaining some flexibility in daily life. But, in order to get the most out of those online classes and make sure the experience is as rich as possible, you need to be able to know just what kind of mistakes to avoid.
What I Believe Right Now
Some opinion writers are critics. I’m an advocate. I’m less interested in stale reform debates and more interested in the potential of innovation. Like other sectors (energy, health care) new technology allows us to reframe gnarly old problems.
35 Sources for Curated Educational Videos
Like explorers approaching an unfamiliar landscape, teachers who are ready to take the plunge into flipped classrooms and blended learning often approach the opportunity with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Just dipping a toe into the virtual waters of online content can be overwhelming, and there’s a risk that even the most fearless educator can become paralyzed by the bottomless depths of content and endless pools of resources.
Higher Ed Leaders & Laggards
The Chamber released a state-by-state report card on public post secondary education. The report suggests that public colleges must do a better job of measuring their efficiency and quality. The report points to seven reasons that completion rates, cost efficiency and improved outcomes matter: