Leadership Blog

Vander Ark on Innovation

This blog was written by Tom Vander Ark (@tvanderark), an education advocate, adviser, and author of Getting Smart: How Personal Digital Learning is Changing the World. Tom is Founder and Executive Editor of Getting Smart and a partner in Learn Capital. This blog is no longer being updated.

School & District Management Opinion Network Effects in Education
Networks of aligned people are powerful, always have been, but now that they're all connected they operate a lot more like a live organism than a hierarchy.
Tom Vander Ark, June 8, 2017
9 min read
Personalized Learning Opinion 10 Questions Worth Asking to Help Every Student Succeed
Three trends and 10 questions for parents, teachers, and reporters discussed at the Education Writers Association meeting.
Tom Vander Ark, June 6, 2017
5 min read
Student Well-Being & Movement Opinion Measuring What Matters
This post reviews several whole-student outcome frameworks, particularly those that attempt to describe and measure productive dispositions and habits.
Tom Vander Ark, May 31, 2017
6 min read
School & District Management Opinion Transforming Border Learning Experiences: New Tech Network in El Paso
The EPISD schools have been shifting from test-prep to active learning--with a combination of personalized, project-based, and social emotional learning with a strong commitment to dual language. One example of this shift is Oso New Tech, part of Bowie High School, a project-based learning academy focused on student literacy.
Tom Vander Ark, May 30, 2017
3 min read
School & District Management Opinion AltSchool: Designing the Future of Learning
For the past four years, AltSchool has been building a technology-enabled network to empower and connect families, students and teachers. Learn more about what else this innovative school is working toward.
Tom Vander Ark, May 22, 2017
4 min read
School & District Management Opinion Structures Drive Behavior: Right is Magic, Wrong is Deadly
Most of us work and learn in networks, and the first role of a leader is getting the system's conditions, connections and culture right. Here are 10 lessons on effective network structures and examples of each in education.
Tom Vander Ark, May 17, 2017
5 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion 10 Strategies for Strengthening Academic and Social Support
The College Readiness Initiative launched through College Spark Washington has shown promising and informative results, and evaluation of the program suggests these 10 lessons for improving college readiness.
Tom Vander Ark, May 15, 2017
5 min read
Education Opinion On the Brink of Massive Change: Is This The Future You Want?
Our world is going to look and operate drastically different over the next two decades. Here are four primary reasons teachers, parents and students should pay attention to artificial intelligence--it's time to #AskAboutAI.
Tom Vander Ark, May 10, 2017
6 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion How to Promote College Readiness: A Washington State Case Study
Since 2005, College Spark Washington has awarded more than $50 million to college readiness and degree completion programs. Learn more about how this innovative program is exponentially improving students' college, career and life readiness.
Tom Vander Ark, May 8, 2017
3 min read
School & District Management Opinion How Networks Make The World Better
Curtis Ogden, Senior Associate at the Interaction Institute for Social Change, discusses how networks are part of the education solution in our latest episode of the podcast.
Tom Vander Ark, May 3, 2017
3 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Opinion Grad Requirements: From Know Science, To Do Science, To Automate Science
Today's science classroom focus has shifted from 'knowing' to 'doing' and is supported by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Here are how leading schools are using NGSS and what experts think is next.
Tom Vander Ark, May 1, 2017
9 min read
School & District Management Opinion Why I'm Post Policy and Pro-Innovation
The last quarter century of U.S. education was a bet on policy that didn't quite work as well as we'd hoped. Here are six reasons to support innovations in learning for the future.
Tom Vander Ark, April 26, 2017
4 min read
Education Opinion Teachers ARE Innovators
Hoping to bring more innovation to your district? My advice is to start where you are and empower the teachers, students and families around you to think creatively and move forward with innovation
Tom Vander Ark, April 24, 2017
3 min read
School & District Management Opinion It's Time to Update Your Graduate Profile - Here's How
Ken Kay, CEO of EdLeader21, shares more about the Profile of a Graduate campaign, created to help districts envision the essential competencies for a successful graduate in their community.
Tom Vander Ark, April 20, 2017
1 min read