Leadership
Good Work: A Whack in the Head
A non-voluntary job change is hard. Returning to zero means creating a new identity around competency and calling, a set of possibilities, rather than a title on a business card. It requires an inventory that takes perspective that other people may need to help you assemble. It requires you to ask, “What do I enjoy doing? ‘What am I good at?’ and ‘Where have I found success and satisfaction?” Coming from a new place requires a break with the past. It always requires introspection deep enough to find a new center, a new calling, and a new purpose.
EdTech
Review: JFF’s Curricular Opportunities in the Digital Age
“Historically, most classrooms have been “curriculum centered” rather than “student centered.” David Rose, a Harvard developmental neuropsychologist, and Jenna Gravel, a doctoral student, open their recent paper Curricular Opportunities in the Digital Age. If you’ve been working with adpative technologies, you won’t find any new information here. If you teach in a traditional environment, this would be a good paper to discuss in a professional development session, but pair it with The Rise of Blended Learning.
Personalized Learning
Chip Kimball to Lead Prestigious Singapore School
Chip Kimball is one of the only district tech directors to become a superintendent. He made the transition in a community with a lot of tech savvy people—the Lake Washington school district, located in Redmond Washington, home of Microsoft. Chip has been there more than 15 years, serving as superintendent for the last five years. This summer Chip is taking on an interesting new challenge as head of the Singapore American School (SAS), what may be the largest and most prestigious international school in the world. SAS serves about 4,000 students P-12.
Uncategorized
Students Report On the Oakland Occupy Movement
Students from the Media Enterprise Alliance at KDOL-TV reported on the Occupy Movement at Frank Ogawa Plaza and other locations in Oakland, Calif. in late January 2012. These students demonstrated talented reporting, telling the story of the protest through a different lens than the mainstream media.
EdTech
LearnZillion Raise Will Support More Common Core Lessons
LearnZillion, the DC-based developer of a web-based platform that features videos of 3-5 minute math and literacy lessons taught by teachers from around the country, said on Thursday it has raised $2.4 million in its first round of funding.
Personalized Learning
Getting Ready for Online Assessment
Online assessment are at the heart of the promise of digital learning. Online assessments provide real time diagnostics that identify learning levels and gaps. Online assessment provides instant feedback in reading, writing, math and other subjects. Online assessment will power the future of customized learning—the best chance we have to dramatically boost achievement levels. It's time for states and districts to get ready for online assessment.
EdTech
FCC & ED Push Digital Textbooks
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Department of Education is hosting a meeting today with the goal of getting digital textbooks in every child’s hands in five years. Karen Cator, the Director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education, helped organize the meeting and provides energy and insight to the Departments focus on the shift to digital learning.
Personalized Learning
Can Six Year Olds Really Demonstrate Their Learning?
This week we finished up another one of our project based learning (PBL) or inquiry-based units in my first grade classroom. It had the grand title of rules, relationships and responsibilities.
Personalized Learning
Scaling Grades for Success
The no-zero policy is a hotly debated and emotionally charged topic on the national scene. Letters to the editors and blog comments from angry citizens flare up whenever districts or schools adopt the policy. One letter to the editor in my community stated, “I’m appalled that leaders don’t punish no kids for bad work. Kid’s got be held accountable.”
Personalized Learning
Welcome to the Education Renaissance
Today's disruptive changes in education -- from the proliferation of digital devices to the availability of open educational resources, online universities, and badge-based certification -- have the field abuzz like never before. Recently I had the opportunity to give a talk at WNET's Celebration of Teaching and Learning on creating the conditions for innovation in education.