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 This blog is no longer being updated.
Science
Opinion
All About STEM High Schools
Tom shares three dozen STEM schools that are engaging students in design challenges and high-quality project-based learning, highlighting what makes these schools special and innovative.
Student Well-Being & Movement
Opinion
George Saunders On Learning to Write--and Writing to Learn
George Saunders is arguably one of the most critically acclaimed contemporary American authors. In this post, I highlight some key insights he shared in a recent interview about how he teaches (and approaches his own) writing.
Teaching
Opinion
Collaboration: Key to Successful Teams and Projects
By Tom Vander Ark and Emily Liebtag. Collaboration is key to successful teams and projects. It is sometimes thought of as a "soft skill" but in high-performance organizations, collaboration is the result of the intentional design of culture, structure, and tools, and the cultivation of individual mindsets and skill sets.
School & District Management
Opinion
Leading A Student-Centered Agenda: 10 Lessons from Mark Benigni
Tom Vander Ark recently chatted with Supt. Of Meriden Public Schools, Mark Benigni about Meriden's shift to student-centered learning, more voice and choice through personalized learning and the creation of a highly collaborative leadership climate. Benigni also notes the 10 lessons that made him an EdWeek Leader to Learn From.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
ASU Online: Extending Access to HigherEd
ASU Online is a program of EdPlus, a university R&D division committed to extending access and improve the quality of education. Tom shares what ASU Online is doing to make that happen.
Teaching
Opinion
The Science of Deliberate Practice: What it Means for Education
There is growing evidence that individuals can achieve high levels of performance through extended training. Based on the growing body of evidence about purposeful practice, Gene Kern's new book explores the implications for K-12 education.
Education
Opinion
The Keys to High Quality PBL: Public Products and Presentations of Work
Public products and presentations of student learning are key to truly high quality PBL. One way to engage students in publicly presenting their projects, products and learning is through exhibition nights.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
Getting Ready for the Jobs of the Future
What skills will students need for the jobs of the future? How will the automation economy impact the employment landscape? Tom and Emily dive into the future of work and how schools can best support students and help them become career ready.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
Skills of the Future: How to Thrive in the Complex New World
Tom discusses Pavel Luksha's new report on what graduates should know and be able to do. The report reviews global trends, changes in work and the implications for education.
School & District Management
Opinion
League of Innovative Schools: A Network Creating the Future of Learning
Ninety-three of the most forward-leaning school districts in the country make up the League of Innovative Schools, the flagship network of district superintendents at Digital Promise. In this post, I look at what they're doing and why it works.
Classroom Technology
Opinion
Not Much New in EdTech in 2017; 3 Things Could Change That in 2018
Despite more global investment in EdTech, not much happened in 2017. Here's a look at where the innovation is happening and two issues that could use more attention from public private partnerships--a barrier and an opportunity
Education
Opinion
Canadian in Paris: The Life and Work of an International Educator
In this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, Tom sits down with Daniel to learn more about his life as an international educator, the American School of Paris, Daniel's goals and challenges in international education, and what he thinks all American educators should know about international education.
Teaching
Opinion
High Quality PBL Framework on the Horizon
By: Bob Lenz. I want to offer a peek into some of the thinking you can expect from the final framework, starting with one of the six criteria: project management.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
Minerva: The Intentional University
As a venture-based Silicon Valley startup, Minerva has developed slowly over the last seven years. As a new form of higher education, progress from concept to enrollment was lightning fast. Learn more about what sets them apart here.