EdTech
Personalized Learning
What I'm hearing
Here’s a quick overview of where I think the Department of Education is headed and a couple of the themes you’ll hear about tomorrow. Goals/Focus 1.Best in the world in college completion 2. Top of TIMSS by end of decade 3. Big STEM push…
Personalized Learning
Developments
Developments: Provost Academy launched a virtual high school in CO; Provost is an early example of 2nd gen content developed as learning objects A couple start-ups working around the big guys and developing high school elective content More evidence that charters work as outlined by James Merriman…
Personalized Learning
The Final RttT Push (at least for Phase 1)
The mad scramble is on. Â Consultants and bureaucrats nationwide are putting the finishing touches on Race to the Top proposals this weekend. Â I’m sure a little last minute arm twisting is going on between state chiefs and district superintendents to get enough districts to opt-in to make state plans viable…
Personalized Learning
Augmented Reality will improve field trips
eSchool News posted a update on Augmented Reality. Here’s a couple snippets: This computer-enhanced view of the world is not just available to cyborgs in science-fiction movies. Increasingly, it can be found on cell phones, for free or on the cheap, through programs that provide “augmented reality.”…
Personalized Learning
5 charter authorizing strategies to max RttT
It’s time to rethink charter school authorization.  There are 5,000 charter schools in the US (about 5% of the total number of schools) and a push from the Department of Education for more.  Given that half of the charters aren’t any better than traditional public schools, there has been a push…
Personalized Learning
DOE is major venture investor (but not ED)
The WSJ reports that the Department of Energy has quietly become the biggest venture capital investor: The DOE hopes to lend or give out more than $40 billion to businesses working on “clean technology,” everything from electric cars and novel batteries to wind turbines and solar panels.
Personalized Learning
Homework: play a game
eSchool News ran a fairly extensive piece on serious games. Here’s a few excerpts: Moving Learning Games Forward: Obstacles, Opportunities, and Openness,” by Eric Klopfer, Scot Osterweil, and Katie Salen of the Education Arcade, an MIT research division that explores games that promote learning through play,…
EdTech
Racing to the top in Baton Rouge
Duncan’s Race to the Top is not simply a race to beat out other states for funding, or to pass “qualifying” language at the last minute, it is a competition to see who can work collaboratively and innovatively with real commitment to education reform. Â The challenge is so great…
Personalized Learning
10 biggest K-12 developments of 2010
Despite lagging state budgets, 2010 will be a year of great progress in American education. Here’s the 10 biggest developments of the year ahead: Race to the Top awards will be made in two phases to about 18 states and will set the standard for excellence in state policy. About…
Personalized Learning
The big switch to digital is on
Texas announced a massive English adoption of Pearson products–both print and digital. Â Pearson has been making a huge investment in curriculum development by making new Scott Foresman and Prentice Hall material available in both print and digital formats. Â It’s a big switch from the old days (like a year…