SEL & Mindset

Defining (and Driving) Collaboration

By: Jordan Lippman. In today's world, both employers and educational institutions place a high value on soft skills that are transferable across professional, academic, and social situations. One of the most frequently cited skills is collaboration.

Personalized Learning

SmartTech Roundup

iNACOL is not only the online learning association. Susan Patrick has made the organization the leading advocate for competency-based learning. Susan and unusually competent sidekick Chris Sturgis launched CompetencyWorks yesterday. Check it out and contribute. Here's our summary. (Tom is an iNACOL director.)

Personalized Learning

Conclusions from the Ohio Digital Learning Summit

The Ohio Digital Learning Summit in Columbus was sponsored by KnowledgeWorks Foundation, Fordham Institute, and Nord Family Foundation. Karen Cator, Bryan Hassel, and Susan Patrick spoke about the shift to online and blended learning. Tom closed the session with six observations.

Personalized Learning

NSBA Virtual Schools Report & The Questions Of “True Costs”

Overall, it’s nothing new; a rehash of reports from years past. Much of this information has been presented, discussed and debated in state capitols across the country. The report does, however, draw mostly negative conclusions about online schools, which is not a surprise given the policy views of NSBA and aggressive lobbying by its state chapters against charter schools, multi-district online schools, and parent choice.

Personalized Learning

Digital Learning: The Future of Schooling?

Local, state and national experts are gathering this week in Columbus, Ohio to examine digital learning at a national summit entitled, Digital Learning: The Future of Schooling? The event is co-hosted by KnowledgeWorks, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, and the Nord Family Foundation.

Personalized Learning

Searching For What Students Need to Learn

Our students are using technology more and more every day. This is the reality, especially as digital tools become part of everyday life. In order to be effective digital learners, one of the universal competences every student needs to master and all teachers need to model is the ability to perform an effective search. Search skills are essential for making anyone an independent and effective learner in today’s society.