future of learning
Udemy Raises $12 Million in Series B Funding
Udemy, the leading online education marketplace, today announced the completion of a $12 million Series B financing round led by Insight Venture Partners, with additional support from existing investors Lightbank, MHS Capital and Learn Capital, bringing Udemy’s total funding to $16 million.
Great Boards for Great Schools
Two decades of experience with performance contracting in the delivery of public education has wrought some hard earned lessons. We know what good authorizing looks like. We know how to open great new schools.
Four Strategies in Four Years that Will Transform a Community Forever
Annually, for more than 45 years, the city of Reynoldsburg, Ohio has celebrated the Tomato Festival-- a nod to its heritage as the birthplace of the commercial tomato. This middle-America town also boasts one other claim to fame: A so-called "traditional" LEA, namely Reynoldsburg City Schools (RCS), which is poised to be a breakout star among serious implementers of thoroughly re-engineered conceptions of learning and schooling.
5 Megatrends That Shaped 2012 Education
Five big trends that will shape education for the next decade became fully evident this year.
10 Things School Board Members Should Do in 2013
Set a high bar. Adopt the EPIC definition of college/career ready knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Insist on evidence of real college and career ready standards. Showcase examples of student work at board meetings.
The Pivot to Digital Learning: 40 Predictions Revisited
Two years ago I made 40 predictions. I said, "The education sector has not historically been very dynamic, but this year (2010) things changed. Despite the recession, we have seen more start-ups and more cool applications than ever before." In many areas we've seen accelerated progress in the last two years. In a few areas progress has been slower than I expected. Following is a review of how my one-, five-, and ten-year predictions are fairing.
Hackathons Spawn New Ed Tech Tools
Let’s face it; if you are serious about jumping into the edtech world and you are lucky enough to live around a tech hub, then it’s likely you’ve heard of hackathons. These events offer an opportunity to meet hungry programmers and enthusiasts of all sorts. One thing's for sure, whether you’re a Web guru, a backend ninja, or educator looking to bring a bright new idea to life, it’s best to show up knowing what to expect.
Google Presentation for Collaborative Learning
One of my professional goals is to help teachers use technology as an efficient and effective tool for student learning instead of using it as an add on to the end of a traditional unit of study. The Google Docs Presentation is well-suited for use as a starting point to help teachers begin to break the barriers of traditional methods of tech integration and design student driven learning experiences that require students to construct knowledge as they create, an idea supported by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
Will Common Core State Standards Accelerate or Slow Innovation?
Some friends are working on a paper on the topic of common standards and innovation. The primary question is how and whether the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) will accelerate or slow innovation.
Smart Cities: New York City is an EdTech Hotspot
New York City schools have been among the most innovative in the country as discussed last week. NYC is home to the most education industry leaders and the second most prolific tech startup and EdTech hotspot on the planet (after the Bay Area).