Michigan

State tells Bobb to implement ‘draconian’ plan to close half of Detroit schools, raise class sizes

On 02/21/2011, in budgets, K-12 related, Michigan, by Daniel Christian

State tells Bobb to implement ‘draconian’ plan to close half of Detroit schools, raise class sizes — from mlive.com by Darrell Dawsey

Robert Bobb has been given the go-ahead to implement a plan that even he says will essentially destroy the Detroit Public School system.

Under the plan to balance the district’s books, DPS would close half of its schools, consolidate its operations and grow it class sizes in its high schools to 60 students.

Even Bobb, who’s called the plan “draconian,” concedes it won’t work.

From DSC:
How do we help here? What do we do? This is not right.

The Fisch Flip in Michigan: Dale Eizenga on flipping traditional lecture and homework routines

On 02/16/2011, in chemistry, faith, flipping -- inverted learning, Michigan, pedagogy, strategy, teaching & learning, by Daniel Christian

The Fisch Flip in Michigan: Dale Eizenga on flipping traditional lecture and homework routines — from singaporeeducationdirectory.com

Excerpt:

Today I had the opportunity to spend time visiting with teachers and students at Holland Christian Schools in Holland, Michigan. One highlight of my day was the following five minutes of sharing by Holland Christian Schools’ chemistry teacher Dale Eizenga. Dale explained how access to a variety of technology resources has enabled him to flip the traditional in-class lecture and at-home assignment model of learning. Using software and websites, Dale records many lessons for students and makes those screencast videos available online and via the school’s podcast channel.

Several things are notable here. First, Dale didn’t read about Jonathan Bergmann and Aaron Sams, or Karl Fisch, online or in print. He stumbled upon this instructional model when his school provided all teachers and students with a robust digital learning environment. That not only includes access to laptops (for everyone in grades 6-12) but also an online learning management system (Moodle,) robust digital curriculum resources, school-supported options for sharing videos online, AND certified educators supporting technology integration. There are a lot of ingredients to this situation, and that’s critical to understand.

Secondly, Dale addresses in the video how some students struggle with this SHIFT to a “lecture at home on video” model. Dale still shares some lectures in class with students. He mixes it up. Dale explains this model forces students to “own their learning” in ways they may not have needed to in a traditional lecture-in-class setting. Dale relates this as “more of a college model,” where students are responsible for THEIR OWN learning. Dale explains his instructional role as one where he surrounds students with learning resources, and then assists students as they access / utilize those resources. When students aren’t “getting it,” he’s able to talk with them to find out if they’ve watched the podcast video which applies to the current topic or skill, and find out what students need specifically to master new content.

From DSC:
The folks at Holland Christian are doing an awesome job! Keep up the great work over there!

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Here in Michigan…we will pay for this, one way or another. How can we best help out?!

On 01/15/2011, in Australia, budgets, economics, education reform, Europe, global / globalization, India, K-12 related, Michigan, online learning, open courseware and systems, relationships, UK, United States, by Daniel Christian

Half of Detroit’s schools may close — from good.is

Financial mismanagement and declining enrollment are ringing a death knell for Detroit’s schools. According to Detroit Public School Emergency Manager Robert Bobb, to close a $327 million budget deficit, he’ll need to shut half of the city’s campuses over the next two years.

Under the plan, the 142 current schools in the district would be reduced to 72 by the 2012-13 school year. What will happen to the students attending those schools? Bobb plans to shift them over to the remaining campuses, raising class sizes to 62 students per teacher.

From DSC:
Seriously…this is crazy and completely unfair! Those of us who have more resources need to step in and help out. But how can we best do this? How can folks outside of the Detroit area make a solid, helpful impact? Coming from the tech side of the house, I’d like to see us offer FREE materials…online.

That assistance could come from private corporations, individuals, colleges, universities or for-profit organizations such as K12 Inc. Another idea along the lines of individuals, is to allocate $1-$5 billion from the amounts being donated by some of the nation’s wealthiest people. Use those funds to make outstanding educational materials that engage our youth. Then we could offer those incredibly-well done, multimedia-based, interactive, engaging, highly-sophisticated materials FREELY to anyone who wants access to them — whether inside or outside the United States. This would be a massive undertaking from a curricular, instructional design, programming, production, etc. standpoint. But WOW! What a difference it could make to level the playing field!

Perhaps working with vendors, some of the funding could be used for loaning out the devices needed to “play” and interact with the materials, and perhaps some other funding could be allocated to the city of Detroit to provide wireless access throughout the city and surrounding suburbs.

Also see:

The $600 billion challenge– from Fortune

Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffett are asking the nation’s billionaires to pledge to give at least half their net worth to charity, in their lifetimes or at death. If their campaign succeeds, it could change the face of philanthropy.

The Giving Pledge

…and the list goes on…

Crafting e-curriculum that inspires [EdWeek.org]

On 01/13/2011, in blended learning, change, curriculum, engagement / engaging students, hybrid learning, instructional design, K-12 related, leadership, learning ecosystem, Michigan, motivation, online learning, strategy, by Daniel Christian

Crafting E-Curriculum That Inspires

or

Digital edition/interactive PDF version of the report.

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Also see:

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Excerpt:

The 19,100-student Grand Rapids school district in Michigan launched blended-learning classes this past fall. The district has started with high school social studies and math classes.

“There was some initial resistance from the public—concerned parents with the perception that kids are just going to be stuck in computer labs—but that’s absolutely contrary to what [this] is,” said John Helmholdt, the director of communications for the district. “When you say blended, people don’t understand what that means. It took months of really trying to educate and raise awareness of really what it was we were trying to do.”

Moving to a blended model actually made teacher-student ratios better, according to Mr. Helmholdt, by layering on support-staff members to circulate when the students were completing work online.

In Grand Rapids, the blended classes go through a three-day rotation of face-to-face and online instruction. During the first day, students receive a traditional lecture-based class in a regular classroom where a new concept is introduced. On the second day, the class starts by going over the concept again and then beginning to use some of the online software and support tools that reinforce the concept. On the third day, the students work solely with digital resources. [Rest of article here.]

From DSC:
I am very glad that the Grand Rapids school system is moving in this direction! It is a huge step in the right direction and I congratulate the district’s leadership for their vision and patience while this plane gets off the runway. This endeavor will help the students begin to build digital/information literacy. It will open their minds up to numerous creative possibilities — as well as career opportunities and goals. They are beginning to have “the world as their school“.

Gobles (Michigan, USA) third-graders get smartphones

On 01/06/2011, in 21st century, engagement / engaging students, K-12 related, Michigan, telecommunications, by Daniel Christian

Gobles (Michigan, USA) third-graders get smartphones — from WoodTV8.com by Tony Tagliavi; my thanks to Mr. L. Andrew Thorburn for this resource
Phone function disabled; used as handheld computer

GOBLES, Mich. (WOOD) – More than 60 Gobles Elementary School third-graders are spending at least part of their classroom time with their own smartphones.

“It’s amazing,” 8-year-old Halli Davidson said Tuesday before showing a reporter a diagram she drew to help understand multiplication. “You feel like you’re in your own little personal world in here.”

The phone function actually has been disabled, principal Terry Breen told 24 Hour News 8. The students are using the smartphones as handheld computers, complete with filtered wireless Internet, dubbed “mobile learning devices.”

Tuesday was the second day for the $44,000 Gobles pilot program, 75% of which Breen said was paid for with grant funds.

…

But these new devices, according to teacher Chris Quist, are “exciting and fun and engaging. And even in two days, I’ve noticed the amount of on-task time and the quiet time.”

Students could use the devices to watch videos to tie in with their Michigan history lessons, Breen said. And Quist said the simple fact that the phones can show photos and other presentations in color — unlike most classroom handouts — is significant.

…

West Michigan school systems including Allendale, Caledonia and Coopersville — along with Grand River Prep, and Holland Christian Schools — offer one-to-one laptops for at least some grades.

Hopkins Public Schools rolled it out this year with small Internet laptops called netbooks for middle and high school students.

…

If it is expanded, the principal said administrators will determine which device is best — from smartphones to tablet computers such as iPads or laptops — for the needs of students at each grade level.

open.michigan

On 11/02/2010, in global / globalization, higher education, library / librarians, Michigan, open courseware and systems, research, by Daniel Christian

— Found originally at blog.oer.sbctc.edu

Toward a Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project

On 10/29/2010, in Michigan, by Daniel Christian

Toward a Great Lakes Offshore Wind Project — from FastCompany.com by David Zax

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An Obama administration-hosted event in Chicago this week asked the question: What will it take to bring offshore wind projects to the Great Lakes?

The U.S. wants wind power. The Great Lakes are windy. It should be a match made in heaven–so why don’t we see legions of wind farms floating off the shores of Lake Michigan? The Obama Administration hosted a “Great Lakes Offshore Wind Workshop” in DC on Tuesday and Wednesday in Chicago, seeking to answer that question and figure out how to realize the vision.

From DSC:
Hmmm…this is a tough one for me. I support sustainability, yet I know how beautiful the shores of Lake Michigan are. If they move forward with this, I hope they do so wisely and somewhat sparingly…preserving the beautiful vistas and sunsets of Lake Mich.

ArtPrize 2010 — in Grand Rapids, Michigan — 9/22- 10/10

On 09/27/2010, in art, Michigan, by Daniel Christian

West Michigan schools catch up to ‘digital kids’ with new technology

On 09/07/2010, in dangers of the status quo, education, education technology, K-12 related, Michigan, smart classrooms, by Daniel Christian

West Michigan schools catch up to ‘digital kids’ with new technology— from mlive.com by Kym Reinstadler | The Grand Rapids Press

Report: Higher education in Michigan hurting

On 08/11/2010, in budgets, cost of getting a degree, dangers of the status quo, future of higher education, higher education, Michigan, New "Amazon.com" of Higher Education, by Daniel Christian

Report: Higher education in Michigan hurting — from The Detroit News by Kim Kozlowski

Michigan’s declining investment in higher education is among the worst in the nation — making it difficult for students to get degrees and the state to recover from the poor economy, according to a report released Monday.

The first report of its kind by the Michigan League for Human Services found state aid and financial aid programs to Michigan’s 15 public universities declined by nearly 17 percent from 2002 to 2010. Meanwhile, undergraduate tuition for in-state residents during that same time period jumped 88 percent.

Funding for the state’s 28 community colleges, meanwhile, decreased 7 percent between 2002 and 2010 as tuition increased 40 percent — from an average of $54 to $76 a credit hour, the report showed.

The trends occurred as Michigan’s job market is moving away from manufacturing to a knowledge-based sector, and must be reversed, officials said.

Michigan’s first virtual charter school selects downtown Grand Rapids site, accepting applications

On 07/29/2010, in blended learning, hybrid learning, K-12 related, Michigan, online learning, virtual K-12 schools, by Daniel Christian

Michigan’s first virtual charter school selects downtown Grand Rapids site, accepting applications — from rapidgrowthmedia.com

A virtual charter school sponsored by Grand Valley State University will welcome its first students on September 7 at what school leaders say is its first Michigan location – a former office space at 678 Front Ave. NW.

Michigan Virtual Charter Academy, operated by Herndon, Va.-based K12, Inc., will launch with a curriculum geared for high school dropouts ages 17 to 21, offering onsite and online learning in half-day formats.

“It’s a hybrid blend of onsite and online learning, and we’ll have two shifts of students,” says Randall Greenway, vice president of school development. “This was a promising location and it’s close to where we believe our students reside and work. It also has public transportation nearby, and that’s a big part of it.”

2 in Grand Rapids [MI, USA] among top academic workplaces

On 07/15/2010, in colleges, Michigan, research, science, by Daniel Christian

Also see:

http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/inthenews/Workplace0715.aspx

Kendall College in Grand Rapids plans $29M expansion into Old Federal Building

On 06/10/2010, in art, creativity, Michigan, by Daniel Christian

Kendall College in Grand Rapids plans $29M expansion into Old Federal Building — from Rapid Growth by Deborah Johnson Wood

Plans are far from complete, but officials at Kendall College of Art and Design say they’re working to get approvals by summer’s end for a $27.9 million reconfiguration of the Old Federal Building into a creative space where the college, the public and the arts intersect.

“Kendall is growing and like any flourishing college involved with the arts, creative space is so important,” says John Willey, Ferris State University’s vice president for university advancement and marketing. Kendall is Ferris State’s creative arts and design college.

“For about seven years we’ve been thinking about how we could expand in a meaningful way,” he says. “Because of the federal building’s proximity to Kendall (17 Fountain St. NW) and to our other building at 25 Lyon, we’re thinking it would help connect several pieces that we’re trying to do with Kendall College in downtown Grand Rapids.”

Preliminary plans include a studio for ceramics and sculpture, another for metal sculpture, classrooms and lecture spaces, and “significant public areas where the public can come in and engage art and be part of a vivacious creative enterprise,” says Willey. Those public areas may include a restaurant or café.

“We hope to have a major space dedicated to sustainable design,” Willey adds.

Ferris recently added a sustainable design degree to its list of course offerings. A component of the coursework takes place at Kendall, which Willey says will move the college’s expertise in forward-thinking furniture design to the larger built environment.

Learning Ecosystems