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 This blog is no longer being updated.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
Aspen Report Validates and Accelerates Shift to Connected Learning
After a year of research and outreach, today the Aspen Institute Task Force on Learning and Internet released a new report that describes a vision for an approach to teaching and learning that places the student at the center.
Education
Opinion
Innovation Ecosystems: The Role of Impact Investing
There are a lot of interesting things to say about the Baltimore venture ecosystem. The Baltimore/Washington area contains a shockingly high percentage of the most successful education businesses, including Laureate Education, American Public Education Inc., Blackboard, and 2U.
Classroom Technology
Opinion
Building a National Innovation Partnership
In order to affect positive change in education we must stand on the shoulders of giants. Education is multi-faceted, multi-layered, and often under-resourced; it can benefit from coordinated, strategic and engaged partnerships that span from the classroom to the White House.
Classroom Technology
Opinion
Celebrating Success: A Snapshot of Ed-Tech Procurement in Houston
Technology purchasing at scale can be difficult. The possible pitfalls are many, and cash-strapped education institutions are generally less equipped than most to navigate the intricacies of a major purchase of devices. As the trend toward blended learning gains momentum, getting technology purchases right becomes ever more important.
Education
Opinion
What Job Does a Good School Fulfill?
We tend to think of schools as places where young people gain the knowledge and skills that will carry them forward into college, life and successful careers. That's absolutely right, though truly great schools build their academic program around a strong focus on positive youth development. They recognize and prioritize in their practice that young people need the consistent support of caring adults
Education
Opinion
Guiding and Personalizing College and Career Readiness
As families and communities gather to watch students walk across the stage in cap and gown to receive a high school diploma, it is often a time of great celebration. Sadly, according to a new analysis from the NAEP governing board, fewer than 40% of of seniors are prepared for college. Further, many graduate without a clear plan for college or career-ready skills.
Education
Opinion
What's Next in Education? A New Education System
The Donnell-Kay Foundation is encouraged by many of the exciting opportunities growing for students across the nation. However, after decades of work to improve and expand educational opportunities for students in our state, we have come to the conclusion that change will continue to occur in pockets, and be largely incremental, if we are solely reliant on innovation occurring within the existing education system.
Education
Opinion
Leadership for Education Innovation
Educators have heard the good news this year that the United States has for the first time reached a high school graduation rate of 80%, with gains in large urban districts and among African American and Latino students as significant contributing factors.
Education
Opinion
How States Could Improve Online Options & Save Money
A new paper written by four Stanford Students, in coordination with Digital Learning Now and The Stanford Public Policy Program, outlines a framework for states to solicit and select providers of online and blended learning services. It builds on the innovative Louisiana Course Choice model and "presents a coherent payment mechanism for supplemental courses that incentivizes quality student outcomes and forms the basis for practical and adaptive state level policy."
Education
Opinion
Smart Cities / Humble Systems
It is tempting to believe that smart cities need "smart systems"—systems where technocrats attempt to implement the best practices of a given era; systems where government officials review the research, design strategies, and then push the bureaucracy to implement (often with mixed success).
Education
Opinion
What Would Real Community Engagement Look Like?
It was a late night in April, after a long, warm San Jose day leading a local district school as the principal; I was now at a student recruitment event at a local church. During that entire year I had led my district school as principal during the daytime hours (it would end the year as the fourth best elementary school for low income students in the entire state of California) and then in the evenings and late nights, I would meet with prospective families and students for the charter school that we were opening in a mere four months.
Education
Opinion
Cross Pollinating Education Ideas in Milwaukee
No single school sector can adequately address the education crisis in our country's large cities. We need meaningful collaboration and resource-sharing among all types of schools, leaders, and teachers who have in common an intense desire to improve and a fiery belief that all children are capable of achieving at a high-level.
Education
Opinion
For Houston ISD, The Talent Pipeline Flows Both Ways
In Houston, we're finishing one massive bond program and already deep into another - the largest in Texas history -- that are creating dazzling 21st century schools with a technological infrastructure that will allow us to personalize learning and prepare our students for higher education and careers as never before.
Education
Opinion
Innovation Leadership
America is a country that has flourished based on innovation. The worlds of medicine, private industry, and nonprofits are now embracing innovation as a key to solving age-old problems. Unfortunately, the policy makers in education are creating an environment where leaders in the areas of greatest need—our cities—are being left behind.