strategy

Reflections upon “MBA Curriculum Changes: Wharton, Yale, and Stanford Lead the Pack”

On 03/22/2011, in 21st century, business, corporate / business world, curriculum, Daniel S. Christian, future, innovation, leadership, learning agents, learning ecosystem, MBA, metacognition / metacognitive skills, strategy, technology (general), vision/possibilities, workplace, by Daniel Christian

MBA Curriculum Changes: Wharton, Yale, and Stanford Lead the Pack — from knewton.com by Christina Yu

Excerpt (citing article from a U.S. News article):

“Rather than consider pre-digested summaries of company situations, students tackle ‘raw cases’ packed with original data. Instead of being presented with an income statement, for example, they must mine the considerably bulkier annual filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission for data. The raw cases ‘push us to understand,’ says second-year Yale student Jason Hill. ‘They purposely put in more material than you could ever look at, but you have to learn where to look.’” (emphasis DSC)

From DSC:
I found this to be a good, interesting post. I just had a couple of thoughts that I wanted to throw out there re: it.

In looking at trends from an 80,000-foot level, I’d vote for MBA programs integrating much more of the tech-know-how — and/or appreciation of what technologies can bring to the table — as well as teaching grad students about some of the tools/technologies that are emerging these days (and I’d bet that the leaders/schools mentioned in this article are already doing this) .

I remember an instructor years ago — at SFSU’s MSP Program — saying that bots and agents will be the key to making decisions in the future, as there will be too much information for a person to sift through. The streams of content need to be tapped — but in efficient ways. So perhaps the logical step here is for MBA students to learn what bots/agents are, how to use them, and what their applications might be in making business/strategic decisions.

The most successful organizations of the future will be well-versed in technologies and what the applications/benefits of these technologies are. My bet? If you don’t have a technologist at the power table of your organization, the outlook doesn’t look very bright for your organization in terms of surviving and thriving in the future. Organizations will also need to be willing to take risks and move forward without having a full cost-benefit analysis done — as many times these don’t work well or are not even possible when implementing tech-based endeavors/visions.

Also relevant here:

Ten Steps Ahead: What Separates Successful Business Visionaries from the Rest of Us

Tagged with: 21st century • business • corporate / business world • curriculum • Daniel S. Christian • future • information overload • innovation • leadership • Learning Agents • learning ecosystem • management • MBA • metacognition • strategy • technology (general) • vision

Customized schooling

On 03/21/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, education reform, education technology, future, personalized/customized learning, strategy, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

Customized Schooling — from edweek.org by Rick Hess

Excerpt:

So, if you’re ready to get your geek on, have I got a treat for you. Harvard Education Press has just published Customized Schooling: Beyond Whole-School Reform. The book, edited by Bruno Manno and [Rick Hess], is an attempt to pull together a bunch of sharp thinking on how we get past just trying to “fix” schools–or to merely give families a choice between school A and school B–and how we start to think about using new tools, technologies, and talent to transform the quality of teaching and learning.

School turnarounds are a swell idea, and will occasionally work. And I’m broadly in favor of choice-based reform as a useful way to open up systems to new providers and permit schools to sharpen their focus. But these measures retain and even enshrine the assumptions of the 19th century schoolhouse, and those assumptions seem an unlikely answer to the challenges of the 21st century. (For my full riff on this score, go peruse last fall’s The Same Thing Over and Over.)

Contents

Introduction
Bruno V. Manno and Frederick M. Hess

1 Creating Responsive Supply in Public Education
Kim Smith and Julie Petersen

2 Reframing the Choice Agenda for Education Reform
Chester E. Finn Jr. and Eric Osberg

3 The Rise of Global Schooling
Chris Whittle

4 Multiple Pathways to Graduation
Tamara Battaglino and JoEllen Lynch

5 The Evolution of Parental School Choice
Thomas Stewart and Patrick J. Wolf

6 Education Tools in an Incomplete Market
Douglas Lynch and Michael Gottfried

7 A Typology of Demand Responders in K–12 Education
Joe Williams

8 Price Competition and Course-Level Choice in K–12 Education
Burck Smith

9 The Data Challenge
Jon Fullerton

10 Will Policy Let Demand Drive Change?
Curtis Johnson and Ted Kolderie

Conclusion
Frederick M. Hess and Olivia Meeks

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 24x7x365 • customized learning • education reform • future • personalized learning • strategy • vision

What is the place of learning theory in policy discussions? In educational reform?

On 03/21/2011, in change, Daniel S. Christian, education, education reform, leadership, learning theories, legislatures / government / legal, organizational change, pedagogy, policy, strategy, tools, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
In my recent class at Capella University, one of the last discussion board questions asked:

Do you think learning theory should be more explicit in official discussions of policy?

What a great question! My answer was yes, as it makes sense to me to guide educational reform by what is best for the students…for learning. Hopefully, we can make informed decisions. Though I’ve learned that there is no silver bullet when it comes to learning theories, each learning theory seems to be a piece of the puzzle for how we learn. Graphically speaking:

If viewing the above graphic on the Learning Ecosystems blog (vs. in an RSS feed/reader):
You may need to right-click on the above image and save it, then open it.

Such theories should have a place when policies are drafted, when changes are made. But I don’t often hear reference to the work of Thorndike, Bandura, Vygotsky, Gagne, Kolb, etc. when legislative bodies/school boards/or other forms of educational leadership are exploring future changes, directions, strategies. What is it that these people were trying to relay to us? What value can we gleam from them when we form our visions of the future? How does their work inform our selection of pedagogies, tools, organizational changes?

Tagged with: andragogy • change • Daniel S. Christian • education • education reform • leadership • learning theories • legislation • organizational change • pedagogy • policy • strategy • tools • vision

What’s the best way for learners, employees, organizations, & publishers to deal with constantly-moving streams of content?

On 03/18/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, active learning, adult learning, career development, change, collaboration, content development, aggregation, repositories, corporate / business world, dangers of the status quo, Daniel S. Christian, digital textbooks, distance education, informal learning, instructional design, learning ecosystem, learning theories, lifelong learning, microlearning, online learning, online media, pace of change, professional development, publishing, RSS, social learning / networks, social media, staying relevant, strategy, student-related, surviving, teaching & learning, textbooks, training / L&D, ubiquitous learning, workplace, by Daniel Christian

From DSC:
After looking at some items concerning Connectivism*, I’ve been reflecting upon the following questions:

What’s the best way for us to dip our feet into the constantly moving streams of content?
(No matter the topic or discipline, the streams continue to flow.)
What’s the optimal setup for K-12 based “courses”?
What’s the optimal setup for “courses” within higher education?
How should L&D departments deal with this phenomenon?
How do publishers and textbook authors want to address this situation?

Thinking of Gonzalez (2004; as cited in Siemens (2005)) description of the challenges of rapidly diminishing knowledge life:

“One of the most persuasive factors is the shrinking half-life of knowledge. The “half-life of knowledge” is the time span from when knowledge is gained to when it becomes obsolete. Half of what is known today was not known 10 years ago. The amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past 10 years and is doubling every 18 months according to the American Society of Training and Documentation (ASTD). To combat the shrinking half-life of knowledge, organizations have been forced to develop new methods of deploying instruction.”

Stephen Downes addresses this and points to a possible solution to this phenomenon in his presentation from 3/15/11 entitled “Educational Projection: Supporting Distributed Learning Online.”

Excerpt/slides:

I need to put more thought into this, but wanted to throw this question out there…more later…

* From DSC: Some of the items I looked at regarding Connectivism — some directly related, others indirectly-related — were:

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm.

Downes, S. (2005). An introduction to connective knowledge. Retrieved from http://www. downes. ca/post/33034. Downes noted that this was published in Hug, Theo (ed. ) (2007): Media, knowledge & education – exploring new spaces, relations and dynamics in digital media ecologies. Proceedings of the International Conference held on June 25-26, 2007. November 27, 2007.

Kop, R. & Hill, A. (2008). Connectivism: Learning theory of the future or vestige of the past? International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, v9 n3 p1-13 Oct 2008.

Tracey, R. (2009). Instructivism, constructivism or connectivism? Training & Development in Australia, December, 2009. p08-09, 2p. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. ISSN 0310-4664.

Kerr, B. (2007). A challenge to connectivism. Retrieved at http://learningevolves. wikispaces. com/kerr.

Sims, R. (2008). Rethinking (e)learning: A manifesto for connected generations. Distance Education Vol. 29, No. 2, August 2008, 153–164. ISSN 0158-7919 print/ISSN 1475-0198 online. DOI: 10. 1080/01587910802154954

Lisa Dawley. (2009). Social network knowledge construction: emerging virtual world pedagogy. On the Horizon, 17(2), 109-121. Retrieved from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1880656431).

Hargadon, S. (2011). Ugh. Classic politics now extends to social networking in education. Retrieved from http://www. stevehargadon. com/2011/03/ugh-classic-politics-now-extends-to. html.

Cross, J. (2001). Crowd-inspired innovation. Retrieved from http://www.internettime.com/2011/03/crowd-inspired-innovation.

Rogers-Estable, M.. (2009). Web 2.0 and distance education: Tools and techniques. Distance Learning, 6(4), 55-60. Retrieved from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 2017059921).

Marrotte-Newman, S.. (2009). Why virtual schools exist and understanding their culture. Distance Learning, 6(4), 31-35. Retrieved from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 2017059881).

Hilton, J., Graham, C., Rich, P., & Wiley, D. (2010). Using online technologies to extend a classroom to learners at a distance. Distance Education, 31(1), 77-92. Retrieved from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 2074810921).

Attwell, G. (2010). Personal learning environments and Vygotsky. Retrieved from http://www.pontydysgu.org/2010/04/personal-learning-environments-and-vygotsky.

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 24x7x365 • active learning • adult learners/learning • change • collaboration • Connectivism • content • Content aggregration • corporate training / universities • dangers of the status quo • Daniel S. Christian • digital textbooks • distance ed • informal learning • information overload • instructional design • learning and study strategies • learning ecosystem • learning theories • Lifelong learning • mash-ups • online learning • online media • pace of change • personal learning networks (PLNs) • professional development • RSS • social learning • social media • staying relevant • strategy • student-related • surviving • teaching & learning • textbooks • training • ubiquitous learning • web-based collaboration • workplace

How Netflix innovates and wins

On 03/17/2011, in business, disruption, innovation, leadership, reinvent, strategy, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

How Netflix innovates and wins — from Forbes.com by Chunka Mui

Excerpt (emphasis DSC):

Netflix illustrates a design principle that any company aspiring to succeed at disruptive innovation must adopt. It has four parts:

Think Big
Start Small
Fail Quickly
Scale Fast

…

Hastings pursued his big idea, streaming video, even though it would render obsolete his wonderfully successful, highly tuned, mail-based system for distributing DVDs.

Tagged with: business • disruption • innovation • leadership • reinvent • strategy • vision

21st Century Administrator — Dimensions of Change Presentation

On 03/15/2011, in 21st century, change, leadership, new media literacies, strategy, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: change • leadership • learning ecosystem • new media literacies • strategy

4 reasons why an increased pace of change means greater unpredictability [Ross Dawson]

On 03/14/2011, in business, corporate / business world, leadership, pace of change, strategy, workplace, by Daniel Christian

4 reasons why an increased pace of change means greater unpredictability — from Trends in the Living Networks by Ross Dawson

Tagged with: business • corporate / business world • leadership • pace of change • strategy • workplace

Game theories: What online gaming teaches us about talent development

On 03/08/2011, in business, educational games / serious games, leadership, professional development, strategy, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Where can our most talented, passionate individuals thrive through accelerated learning, sharing, self-managed teams, transparent and mutual accountability, clear markers for merit and the opportunity to volunteer for work that involves their best talents and strongest interests so they stay passionately involved?

Thankfully, we have discovered that seven game-like conditions can be adapted to the workplace to accelerate talent development. As competitive and economic pressures mount, companies will need to find ways to transform the workplace into an environment that helps talent to develop faster.

Here is a brief description of this addictive game that attracts over 12 million people around the world and the practical pointers that can be gleaned from it.

Tagged with: business • games • leadership • professional development • strategy • workplace

Common curriculum/content: Is this a step in the right direction or in the wrong direction?

On 03/07/2011, in curriculum, education reform, K-12 related, leadership, strategy, United States, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

Leaders Call for Shared Curriculum Guidelines — from edweek.org by Catherine Gewertz
Diverse group says framework needed for new common standards

Seventy-five respected leaders in education, business, and government issued a call this week to devise shared curriculum guidelines for the new common standards.

The move is notable for finding common ground on a sensitive topic among an ideologically diverse group of thinkers. Signatories include political liberals and conservatives, and those with varying views on controversial education issues such as charter schools, testing policy, and ways to evaluate and compensate teachers.

From the “A Call for Common Content” webpage:
To be clear, by “curriculum” we mean a coherent, sequential set of guidelines in the core academic disciplines, specifying the content knowledge and skills that all students are expected to learn, over time, in a thoughtful progression across the grades. We do not mean performance standards, textbook offerings, daily lesson plans, or rigid pedagogical prescriptions.

From DSC:
This concerns me…as such a call for common content would be more palatable to me if ALL academic disciplines were available and represented equally — not just STEM-related items. Also, does the common content represent the average citizen? (Come to think of it, who/what is the average citizen and what do they want to pursue?)

I think that we need to move more towards an individualized/customized learning approach, where students can pursue their passions and God-given gifts. With dropout rates approaching 30%, is movement towards a common curriculum a step in the right direction? Will such a strategy decrease or increase the drop out rates? Will such a strategy end up creating a vanilla/cookie-cutter approach to K-12 education where you had better like STEM-related topics or else…oh well…better luck next time?

Your thoughts on this? Am I off-base on this?

Addendum on 3/8/11:
Summary of Research Statistics

40 million American adults did not complete high school.
The high school graduate, on average, earns $500,000 more in a lifetime as compared to an individual who did not complete high school.
Most high school dropouts (70%) have the intellectual ability to complete the courses needed for high school graduation.
Most high school dropouts do not feel a connection between high school courses and future employment.
75% of high school dropouts stated that if they could relive the experience, they would have stayed in high school.
81% of dropouts expressed a need for schooling that connected academics and employment.

Addendum on 3/23/11:

‘Curriculum’ Definition Raises Red Flags –– from edweek.org by Catherine Gewertz

Tagged with: curriculum • education reform • K-12 • leadership • strategy • United States • vision

Perspectives on the downturn: A survey of Presidents [InsideHigherEd.com]

On 03/04/2011, in higher education, leadership, strategy, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: higher education • leadership • strategy • vision

TEDActive Projects: Education

On 03/01/2011, in education, education reform, K-12 related, leadership, strategy, vision/possibilities, by Daniel Christian

Also see:

What Can TED Do For Education Reform?

Tagged with: education • education reform • K-12 • leadership • strategy • student-related • vision

How do we best educate our students to be successful in this type of workplace/manufacturing environment?

On 02/24/2011, in 21st century, change, curriculum, education, engineering, strategy, student-related, surviving, workplace, by Daniel Christian

Also see:

A Whole New Mind — by Daniel Pink
To survive in this age, individuals and organizations must examine what they’re doing to earn a living and ask themselves three questions:
1) Can someone overseas do it cheaper?
2) Can a computer do it faster?
3) Is what I’m offering in demand in an age of abundance? (p. 51)

Tagged with: 21st century • career development • change • curriculum • education • engineering • strategy • student-related • surviving • workplace

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!

Tagged with: chemistry • faith-wisdom • flipping -- inverted learning • Michigan • pedagogy • strategy • teaching & learning

2020 Workplace

On 02/15/2011, in blogs / blogging / vlogging, Canada, communications, corporate / business world, future, mobile technologies, podcasting, professional development, social learning / networks, social media, strategy, workplace, by Daniel Christian

2020 Workplace — from Harold Jarche

In The 2020 Workplace, Jeanne Meister & Karie Willyerd make 20 predictions at the end of the book. William Gibson said, “the future is already here – it’s just not very evenly distributed.” Here are my thoughts on where we are with some of these predictions…

Tagged with: blogging • Canada • communications • corporate / business world • future • mobile technology • podcasting • professional development • social media • social networking • strategy • workplace

Top Mobile Internet Trends — from Mary Meeker & Matt Murphy

On 02/11/2011, in convergence, dangers of the status quo, disruption, educational games / serious games, engagement / engaging students, game-changing environment, internet, mobile learning, mobile technologies, strategy, tablets, trends, vendors, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: convergence • dangers of the status quo • disruption • engagement • game-changing environment • games • internet • Mobile learning • mobile technology • strategy • tablets • trends • vendors

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