Smart Cities

This book and series was created from a two year investigation project launched to discover the civic formula required to dramatically boost learning outcomes and employability. For more visit our Smart Cities book page.

Ed Policy

Smart Cities: Providence Picking Up The Pace

Tom Vander Ark

May 10, 2014

After successful pilot projects, the Highlander Institute has been pulled deeper into partnerships with Providence Schools to expand blended learning and competency based opportunities across the district.

Leadership

Smart Cities: Milwaukee, Schools that Can

Tom Vander Ark

May 9, 2014

Education in Milwaukee is on the rise. Watch Kern, listen to Fuller, support Andrietsch, add a dose of innovation and things will get better fast.

Personalized Learning

Creating Innovative Ecosystems

Guest Author

May 6, 2014

By: Alex Hernandez. When it comes to education innovation, all cities are not created equal.

Leadership

Smart Cities: Chicago Develops in “Leaps” and Bounds

Tom Vander Ark

Apr 30, 2014

Tech innovation is empowering teachers and students in Chicago, IL, rivaling New York and second to the Bay Area for EdTech start ups and funders. Here is the latest update for the #SmartCities series.

Ed Policy

The Urban School System of the Future

Guest Author

Apr 30, 2014

By: Andy Smarick. If we want to truly revitalize our cities, we have to dramatically improve K12 urban schooling. If we’re to dramatically improve K12 urban schooling, we have to end the traditional district’s tenure as the dominant, default delivery system of public education.

Ed Policy

Policymaking and Innovation Mindsets

Guest Author

Apr 25, 2014

By: Joanne Weiss. A policy environment that treats compliance as the "floor" below which we must not fall, but that sets its sights on enabling innovation to lift the "ceiling" for every student - that's the "holy grail" of education policy.

Ed Policy

U.S. Lags Behind in Social Progress

Tom Vander Ark

Apr 24, 2014

The report concludes that “the top three countries in the world in terms of social progress are New Zealand, Switzerland, and Iceland.”

Personalized Learning

Smart Cities: Detroit

Tom Vander Ark

Apr 21, 2014

Despite the odds, educational opportunity is on the rise. Armen Hratchian, Excellent Schools Detroit, notes that a group of 30 teachers and school leaders from across Michigan’s Education Achievement Authority (EAA), Cornerstone Charter Schools, Detroit Edison Public School Academy (DEPSA), Detroit Public Schools (DPS), and WAY Academies meet monthly, tour each others’ schools, and learn together.

Ed Policy

Smart Cities: Phoenix

Tom Vander Ark

Apr 14, 2014

Openness to new ideas, smart impact investors, new school models, strong university presence, and a few high capacity districts suggests that Phoenix may be on the rise

Ed Policy

Smart Cities: New Orleans

Tom Vander Ark

Apr 8, 2014

Events like Mini Maker Faire prove that the future of school in New Orleans is a community effort - an effort by an entire city to invest in creativity, entrepreneurship, job creation in entire new industries, and the future of an entire city

	Beginning	Piloting	Implementing
From Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery	BeginningFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Beginning	PilotingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Piloting	ImplementingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Implementing
From One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning	BeginningFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Implementing
From Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry	BeginningFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Beginning	PilotingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Piloting	ImplementingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Implementing
From Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning	BeginningFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Implementing
From Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities	BeginningFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Beginning	PilotingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Piloting	ImplementingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Implementing
From Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment	BeginningFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Beginning	PilotingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Piloting	ImplementingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Implementing
From Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets	BeginningFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Beginning	PilotingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Piloting	ImplementingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Implementing

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Smart Cities