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 This blog is no longer being updated.

Teaching Opinion 18 Tips for Making Blended Learning More Student-Centered
Here are 18 tips from leading schools and providers boosting motivation, engagement, agency and collaboration by adding student-centered learning strategies to their blended learning plan.
Tom Vander Ark, February 22, 2017
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5 min read
Education Opinion LearnLaunch: Boosting Boston EdTech
Boston has been a top education city for centuries and recently emerged as the #4 EdTech hotbed largely thanks to LearnLaunch, perhaps the most successful education ecosystem catalyst to date.
Tom Vander Ark, February 20, 2017
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5 min read
School & District Management Opinion Design Thinking as Pedagogy - For Students and Educators
In this podcast, Sandy Speicher, partner and managing director of education at IDEO, chats with me on what design thinking is and why it's so important for teachers and education leaders right now.
Tom Vander Ark, February 15, 2017
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3 min read
Education Opinion How School Networks Work And Why That's Important
School networks are one of the most important innovations in the modern era of U.S. K-12 education. Here are several network types and examples, and the reason they matter more now than ever.
Tom Vander Ark, February 13, 2017
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7 min read
School & District Management Opinion How Schools Improve
A colleague recently emailed me about the lack of widely used improvement frameworks in schools, so here is a quick outline of responses around approaches to improvement and innovation.
Tom Vander Ark, February 8, 2017
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5 min read
School & District Management Opinion Creating Coherence: Central Office to Teacher Teams and Their Students
With the growing demands placed on today's educators, the Bank Street Education Center partners with school systems to provide guidance and services that strengthen teaching practices and increase student success.
Tom Vander Ark, February 6, 2017
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4 min read
Personalized Learning Opinion New Report for Parents and Communities Opens Ideas on What is Possible with Personalized Learning
More on a new report from iNACOL designed to help families and communities understand the potential of personalized learning through real-life examples in schools across the country.
Tom Vander Ark, February 1, 2017
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7 min read
Personalized Learning Opinion Rural Mississippi District Personalizes Learning for Teachers and Students
Dr. Philip Hickman, Superintendent of the Columbus Municipal School District in rural Mississippi, shares how Columbus is proof that personalized learning and innovative education can happen anywhere.
Tom Vander Ark, January 30, 2017
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4 min read
Education Opinion School Culture and Relationships Thrive with a 5:1 Positivity Ratio
Good leadership demands a balance of positive encouragement and constructive feedback that keeps everyone engaged and happy. Here, I look at how to achieve that balance.
Tom Vander Ark, January 23, 2017
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2 min read
Teaching Opinion Shared Leadership for Deeper Learning
David Rattray, president of Unite LA, chats with Tom about workforce readiness, the need for continued lifelong learning and how schools must adapt to prepare young people for a new economy and a changing world.
Tom Vander Ark, January 18, 2017
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1 min read
Education Opinion How to Create Experiences and Scale Environments That Change Lives
Learn more about creating successful school networks where groups of like-minded schools support each other through a common vision, powerful learning experiences for both students and teachers, and common tools and systems.
Tom Vander Ark, January 16, 2017
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8 min read
Classroom Technology Opinion Teach to One: Inventing the Future of Math Learning
In 2007, Joel Rose conceived an idea for an innovative, blended way to teach middle school math. Today, it has spread to over 40 schools reaching 13,000 students. Here's how.
Tom Vander Ark, January 11, 2017
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3 min read
Classroom Technology Opinion Tell Kids to Get Good at Stuff Smart Machines Can't Do (Yet)
AI won't obliterate jobs, but it will change the face of the job market. These lessons can help prepare young people for a technological future that we can't even imagine today.
Tom Vander Ark, January 9, 2017
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2 min read
Education Opinion Are You an Improver or an Innovator? Differentiating EdLeader Roles
Schools go through seasons. Some periods demand an innovation sprint while other periods require a sustained focus on improvement. The question is, does every EdLeader need to be a master of both innovation and improvement?
Tom Vander Ark, January 4, 2017
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4 min read
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