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 This blog is no longer being updated.
Education
Opinion
New Schools Flourish in Phoenix
We've been visiting cities all over the country and it's clear that any city making progress in education is doing so with an active intermediation layer, such as the city of Phoenix.
Education
Opinion
K-12 Milestones: What Should Students Know and Be Able to Do and When?
A school board director asked us what the major milestones in K-12 are on a recent school visit, so here is a list created from several sources detailing what K12 students should know, be able to do and when.
Classroom Technology
Opinion
Key to Blended Learning: Data-Informed Small Groups
A recent school tour of three Bay Area schools with some blended learning experts helped provide answers to some of the common questions we hear about how to implement blended learning.
Education
Opinion
Denver Public Schools Partners with KIPP Colorado for Student Success
As witnessed on a recent trip to Denver, the state's educational options are improving and getting much more interesting. Here are a few examples from schools we toured while there.
Education
Opinion
Visiting Schools: Transformative Professional Learning
Visiting schools in-person can give educators and edleaders a chance to experience the culture and context of innovative education in a way that words just can't convey.
Education
Opinion
Supporting English Language Learners with Next-Gen Tools
A new Getting Smart publication addresses the importance of supporting English Language Learners through next-gen and technological tools that can support language acquisition.
Education
Opinion
Fulfilling an Urban Promise in Oakland
Twenty years ago, Oakland students in the impoverished neighborhoods of West Oakland attended schools in deplorable conditions. A recent school tour revealed a much different scene thanks to the efforts of several edleaders.
Education
Opinion
Building Better Teams for Project-Based Work
Young people are headed for a project-based world in their future careers, so it's imperative we set them up for success now through intentional project-based learning experiences in school.
Personalized Learning
Opinion
What's Next? Personalized, Project-Based Learning
Here are ten U.S. K-12 next generation school networks with blended environments that combine personalized learning strategies and tools with challenging and integrated projects for students.
Education
Opinion
The Role of Performance Monitoring in Competency-Based Education
Guest author Jason Ellingson addresses concerns educators may have about performance monitoring and publicly displaying student progress when it comes to competency-based education.
Education
Opinion
Earth Owner's Manual: 17 Things Young Adults Should be Studying
In order to solve many challenges our world is facing now and in the future, here are 17 goals that young people should grapple with as core learning experiences in secondary and tertiary education.
Personalized Learning
Opinion
Three Paradoxes Confronting the Global Educator
While it may be that learners' best hope in a globalized world is to become a creative, collaborative, entrepreneurial and engaged lifelong learner, here are three paradoxes globalization itself presents.
Teaching
Opinion
Motivating and Monitoring Performance: 6 Recommendations
We began this blog series asking the question "to leaderboard or not?" By looking at different types of performance monitoring, we've drawn the following six conclusions.
Education
Opinion
Chavez Schools: Where Grads Leave Ready to Make a Difference
On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., we had a chance to visit Chavez Schools, where students are encouraged to develop a sense of agency and learn the skills of advocacy.