Ed Leaders Meet for the ASU SkySong Ed Innovation Summit
Education leaders meet in Scottsdale, AZ April 16-18, 2012 for the Education Innovation Summit 12, hosted by Arizona State University (ASU) SkySong, to discuss major trends in personalized and adaptive learning, new models for delivering education, and traditional degrees in the context of those new models.
Q&A: CK-12 Says OER & Tech Can Unlock Cheaper, Better Learning
Neeru Khosla, the Co-founder and Chair behind the growing open educational resources (OER) nonprofit CK-12 Foundation, joins us today to share her motivation, aspirations and goals in bringing higher quality educational materials to more educators and students across the globe – for free. Khosla attended Stanford University’s education and…
Generation Z: The Biggest Cheaters Since Homer
Ancient Greek records point to two men who were the last people to recite the Illiad and Odyssey from memory before that upstart, techno-cheat Homer came along and WROTE IT ALL DOWN. Newly translated documents indicate that either Statusquoates or Progressblockus own that somewhat dubious distinction.
College Completion Q&A Sam Smith
Sam Smith is a director of Western Governors University, an online and competency-based program. He said, "We’ve found that a close working relationship with an academic advisor is the most important factor to completion. That’s a much more active role than the 1970s approach of creating a student center and hoping that students that need help seek it out. Weekly check-ins with an advisor ensures that students stay on track.
Digital Learning: The Future of Schooling?
The Nord Family Foundation, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute and KnowledgeWorks invites the education and learning community to join in a timely, nonpartisan discussion about digital learning and where it may lead education in Ohio - and the nation - in the years ahead. The event will take place May 17, 2012 from 1:00pmET to 4:30pmET at the Governors Ballroom in the Sheraton at Capitol Square and on a live webcast at www.edexcellence.net.
Big Data Partnership: Promise & Problems
The Department of Education announced a data partnership with SRI called Evidence Framework for Innovation and Excellence in Education. The first paper is Enhancing Teaching and Learning Through Educational Data Mining and Learning Analytics: An Issue Brief. The data partnership should advocate more nimble forms of evidence gathering, recognize the important role of state policy, and take on the issue of comparability.
“Self-Learning” is the New “Schooling”
By: Dr. Idit Harel Caperton. The idea of “student-centered learning” coupled with “networked learning” has tossed the idea that all learning should only happen through schooling. No longer do classroom walls or school schedules dictate when high-quality learning occurs. Through certain uses of networked technology programs and tools, the lines between educator and learner have become more blurred—allowing individuals to serve in both roles at different times of the day.
Less Grading, More Teaching, Deeper Learning
Less grading, more teaching. More feedback, less waiting. Fewer worksheets, more writing. Less multiple choice, deeper learning. These are the reasons I’m spending a good portion of 2012 working on online assessment. Better assessment tools means better state tests and richer teaching and learning.
Youth Development & College Completion
I’ve been thinking about the relationship between the broad youth development principals that underlie successful youth organizations (and families) and the specific opportunities to significantly boost college completion rates. I’m quite optimistic that edupreneurs will develop tools and institutions that gradually boost the percentage of Americans holding a post-secondary credential. I’m a little less optimistic about the percentage of American youth that will grow up within a strong web of support.
Finally, Math Apps Show R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
There are no really good math apps out there. I’ve been convinced of this for some time based on nearly a decade of trying everything from online courses to video-game-like drills to the more recent iPad apps and flash cards. Available offerings tend to be inauthentic, in that they encourage rote procedures over real problem solving.