Career & Technical Ed
iNACOL
Personalized Learning
From Chronology to Competency
This competency-based stuff sounds logical—kids should learn what they’re supposed to learn and show what they know—but tradition runs pretty deep. Parents that want their kid to have the best shot at a good college believe grade point is everything and they want junior to have the ability to earn that A with a little extra credit. The shift to competency rather than chronology as the foundational element of our education system is a more complicated shift than the tradition to digital. Here’s ten blogs on the subject of competency-based learning from the last 8 weeks.
Personalized Learning
10 Elements of Competency-Based Learning
Students should meet learning expectations and show what they know. Competency-based systems are fundamentally different than traditional batch processing by birthday. Here's 10 elements of a blended and performance-based system.
EdTech
Pearson Powers Low Cost Higher Ed Solution
Pearson launched a higher education solution that will partner institutions to offer low cost self-paced programs. Propero is designed to increase access to higher education. Pearson announced the Ivy Tech will use Propero to expand degree completions. options.
Personalized Learning
Times Misses the Mark–Again
The New York Times is running a series attacking innovations in learning. Today's tirade blames K12, Inc. for public policy problems, portrays parent interest in choices as a sham, and relies on questionable sources. Here's five specific problems with today's attack piece.
EdTech
Review: iNACOL’s Online & Blended Learning Survey
At the 2011 Virtual School Symposium (VSS) in Indianapolis, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) released the report Online and Blended Learning: A survey of Policy and Practice of K-12 Schools Around the World, which showcases the ways that new technologies and learning models have accelerated across the globe.
EdTech
The Nation Hit Piece Had Little to do With What’s Good For Students
The Nation ran a long piece condemning anyone promoting innovation in education. The article didn't have much to do with what's good for students.
EdTech
Free, Mobile, Clouds and Other Innovation Topics
We can’t reform our way to the education our kids need for their future. The gap between what they need and what our Bismarckian schools can produce is widening. This is a problem of obsolesce not effort or intent (at least in most places). Telling one teacher to differentiate instruction…
EdTech
10 Cool Ideas at iNACOL’s Virtual School Symposium
The Getting Smart team enjoyed the iNACOL Virtual School Symposium (VSS) this last week in Indianapolis. Below, we’ve compiled a list of 10 ideas that caught our attention.
Leadership
Staff Picks: Danny Glover, Games for Learning, & the Virtual School Symposium
This was a busy week for the Getting Smart team! For this week's staff picks, Karen chose an article about Danny Glover at the 'Freedom Awards,' Caroline picked an article highlighting the ways games can transform schools, and Sarah picked the great iNACOL conference this week!
EdTech
Another Great Virtual School Symposium
More than 2,000 educators, school administrators and education policy leaders met in Indianapolis this week for the three-day 2011 Virtual School Symposium hosted by the International Associationg for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). The conference was full of forward-thinking speakers and ideas, the release of iNACOL’s new study and the announcement of the iNACOL awards.