MasteryConnect Receives $1 Million to Expand Common Core Efforts
NewSchools Venture Fund announced today that MasteryConnect, an online assessment sharing community around Common Core Standards, received more than $1 million in seed funding to scale the organization and reach of its platform among teachers. NewSchools led the round of funding in support with Learn Capital, Imagine K12 and others.
Q&A: Nancy Hoffman On Vocational Education
In her book, Hoffman outlines the ways that vocational education and training (VET), which couples hands-on work experience and traditional learning to develop 21st century skills, can better prepare students for higher education and life. In the Q&A below, Hoffman discusses the outlook of VET programs around the world, the differences in the US and the challenges Americans face in producing comparable programs for students.
Infographic: The Collapse of Public Education in America
The public opinion of the United States educational system is that it's in crisis, failing to meet competitive scores around the globe. This general opinion dates back to the 1950's and is largely linked to budget cuts that directly affect K-12 education. Online Universities published the infographic "The Collapse of Public Education in America" recently that outlines the ways that budget cuts hurt children's education and deteriorate their success in the future.
Top 10 Headlines On Getting Smart
Check out the most popular headlines on Getting Smart this Novmeber, which include "SKYRIM: How far r uu??!!," "Top 10+ TED Videos on Education and Learning," "Fixing Education: Fareed Zakaria's CNN Special Report," "WSJ Picks Problems, Misses the Promise of Learning Online" and more.
Q&A: Mickey Shachar On Traditional vs. Distance Learning
This week, Getting Smart had the opportunity to interview Mickey Shachar who conducted the study Twenty Years of Research On the Academic Performance Differences Between Traditional and Distance Learning: Summative Meta-Analysis and Trend Examination, which looks at the academic success of students enrolled in distance learning vs. traditional learning.
How Will the Shift to Digital Learning Happen?
New schools can provide quality options and great examples of what's possible but they won't serve many students. Here's ten change strategies that build on trends and may accelerate the transition to personal digital learning.
A 2020 Vision for Riverside Unified School District
By: David Haglund The introduction of information technologies into virtually every aspect of our lives has led education leaders, parents, and students to think differently about where and how learning takes place. Traditional concepts of schools, classrooms, and learning are being challenged as technologies introduce new ideas and capabilities into the system and new school models are emerging (e.g., Riverside Virtual School www.rvslink.net). Beyond the school walls, the global business market is demanding a new set of skills from college graduates and has an increasingly growing pool of workers from which to draw the best qualified employees.
Brain Rules Schools: what school would look like if we listened to research
Here's a quick glimpse of a brain-based middle school day based on Brain Rules, the best selling book by molecular biologist John Medina. In a spirited romp through neuroscience, evolutionary genetics, and psychology, Medina lays out “12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School.”
NYTimes Misses the Mark
Gail Collins uses her column to question the validity of online public schools for everyone except middle class homeschoolers and tries to make her case using some flimsy arguments, and familiar critics.
Staff Picks: Enterprise, Charity, & Governance
This week, Caroline picked a Michael Horn book review, Tom picked a David Brooks column, Sarah picked a Fordham piece on school governance, and Karen talks about the politics of private giving in public schools,