K-12

Digital Promise — new nonprofit corp with some interesting goals

On 09/20/2011, in 21st century, education reform, education technology, emerging technologies, innovation, K-12 related, legislatures / government / legal, research, United States, by Daniel Christian

Excerpt:

Digital Promise is an independent 501(c)(3), created through Section 802 of the federal Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, authorizing a nonprofit corporation known as the National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies (Digital Promise). According to the statute, Digital Promise’s purpose is “to support a comprehensive research and development program to harness the increasing capacity of advanced information and digital technologies to improve all levels of learning and education, formal and informal, in order to provide Americans with the knowledge and skills needed to compete in the global economy.”

Also see:

White House makes ‘Digital Promise’ to schools — from ecampusnews.com by Dennis Carter
Obama administration officials will draw on expertise of tech industry, higher education to determine how educators can best use technology

Tagged with: 21st century • education reform • educational technology • emerging technologies • innovation • K-12 • legislation • research • United States

Multiple items re: iPad deployments, teacher PD, usage, ideas

On 09/20/2011, in digital learning, digital textbooks, K-12 related, mobile learning, professional development, strategy, tablets, by Daniel Christian

iPad deployment and teacher PD –– from Langwitches.org by Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano

Excerpt:

I have been reading my fair share of blogs, wikis and other documentation as schools around the world are deploying iPads in their classroom. It is finally our turn at the Martin J. Gottlieb Day School to welcome 20 brand new shiny iPad2s (no cart, just individual iPads).

In the spirit of passing on the trials and errors, as we get the devices ready to be used in the classroom by teachers and students, I am documenting our process.

Also see:

Many U.S. schools adding iPads, trimming textbooks — from eschoolnews.com
Apple says more than 600 K-12 school districts have launched iPad programs—with two-thirds of them beginning since July

Addendum on 9-22-11:

Lessons from an iPad Rollout — from The Journal.com by Bridget McCrea
Florida’s “first iPad high school” has deployed 1,000 iPads to its high school teachers and students. Thanks to preparations on the infrastructure, training, and security fronts, the fall rollout has proved relatively snag-free. In March and June, THE Journal reported on The Master’s Academy and the challenges it was tackling on the way to becoming Florida’s first iPad school. The private, interdenominational Christian institution in Oviedo has since handed out nearly 1,000 of the devices to students in ninth through 12th grade. According to Mitchell Salerno, principal, the transition to a more digital educational environment has gone surprisingly well so far.
10 Ways to Quickly use the iPad in your Classroom — from Electric Educator

Tagged with: digital learning • digital textbooks • iPad • K-12 • Mobile learning • professional development • strategy • tablets

Pearson acquires Connections Education

On 09/16/2011, in new business models, online learning, online media, publishing, virtual K-12 schools, by Daniel Christian

Pearson acquires Connections Education
Gains leading position in fast-growing market for virtual schools

Excerpt:

(PRWEB) September 15, 2011
Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, [announced on 9/15/11] the acquisition of Connections Education from an investor group led by Apollo Management, L.P.

Through its Connections Academy business, the company operates online or ‘virtual’ public schools in 21 states in the US—serving more than 40,000 students in the current school year. These virtual charter schools are accredited and funded by the relevant state and are free to parents and students who choose a virtual school in place of a traditional public institution or other schooling options.

Virtual schools serve a diverse population of students including those who may be gifted, struggling, pursuing careers in sports or the arts, in need of scheduling flexibility, or who have chosen home schooling. It is a large and rapidly-growing segment in US K-12 education: in 2010, 48 states and Washington, D.C. had virtual school programs and 27 states allowed virtual charter schools. Approximately 200,000 students attended full-time online courses and an estimated 1.5 million students took one or more courses online. (Source: Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning, 2010, Evergreen Education Group).

Tagged with: K-12 • new business models • new publishing models • publishing • virtual schools

It’s time to take the black male achievement crisis seriously [Dwyer]

On 09/15/2011, in education, education reform, K-12 related, society, United States, by Daniel Christian

It’s time to take the black male achievement crisis seriously — from good.is Liz Dwyer

Excerpt:

Despite the dire statistics on how the education system fails black males—only 50 percent of them graduate from high school—the issue generally isn’t addressed with a sense of urgency. So veteran broadcaster Tavis Smiley has committed to spending the next year asking tough questions and finding solutions to the problem. He kicked off the effort last night with “Too Important to Fail,” an hour-long PBS special featuring interviews with education experts and black male students in Chicago, Philadelphia, Oakland, and Los Angeles.

Also see:

Addendum on 9/20/11:

Feeding the pipeline: Helping students of color write college entrance essays for the university 2.0

Tagged with: education • education reform • justice • K-12 • society • United States

Computer Clubhouse: Constructionism and Creativity in Youth Communities

On 09/14/2011, in 21st century, computer science, creativity, K-12 related, learning theories, society, by Daniel Christian

Also see:

Tagged with: 21st century • computer • computer science • creativity • K-12 • learning theories • society

Tagged with: K-12 • learning spaces • play

10 salient studies on the arts in education [onlinecolleges.net]

On 09/13/2011, in art, budgets, creativity, curriculum, drama/theater, education, K-12 related, music, by Daniel Christian

10 salient studies on the arts in education — from onlinecolleges.net

Excerpt:

A fine arts education — including music, theater, drawing, painting, or sculpture — whether in practice or theory, has been a part of any well-rounded curriculum for decades — but that may be changing. Many schools today are cutting back or eliminating their art programs due to budget constraints. It is estimated that by the end of this year, more than 25% of public high schools will have completely dismantled them. These stats aren’t just bad news for teachers working in the arts. Numerous studies done over the past decade have demonstrated the amazing benefits of such an integral education facet. Students who don’t have access to art classes may not only miss out on a key creative outlet, but might also face greater difficulty mastering core subjects, higher dropout rates and more disciplinary problems.

You don’t have to take our word for it — you can read the studies yourself. Here, we’ve listed some of the biggest on the arts in education conducted over the past decade. Taken on by research organizations, college professors and school districts themselves, the studies reveal the power of art to inspire, motivate and educate today’s students. And, of course, demonstrate what a disservice many schools are doing by undervaluing such an integral part of their education and development (emphasis DSC).

Tagged with: art • art history • budgetary • creativity • curriculum • drama/theater • education • K-12 • music

If it feels right … [Brooks; regards young people’s moral lives in America]

On 09/13/2011, in business, economics, ethics, faith, future, K-12 related, MBA, morals/values, relationships, religion, society, student-related, United States, by Daniel Christian

If it feels right … — opinion piece from the New York Times by David Brooks

Excerpts:

During the summer of 2008, the eminent Notre Dame sociologist Christian Smith led a research team that conducted in-depth interviews with 230 young adults from across America. The interviews were part of a larger study that Smith, Kari Christoffersen, Hilary Davidson, Patricia Snell Herzog and others have been conducting on the state of America’s youth.

…

What’s disheartening is how bad they are at thinking and talking about moral issues.

…

But they just don’t have the categories or vocabulary to do so.

…

When asked to describe a moral dilemma they had faced, two-thirds of the young people either couldn’t answer the question or described problems that are not moral at all, like whether they could afford to rent a certain apartment or whether they had enough quarters to feed the meter at a parking spot.

…

“I don’t really deal with right and wrong that often,” is how one interviewee put it.

Also see:

Moralistic therapeutic deism
The authors find that many young people believed in several moral statutes not exclusive to any of the major world religions. It is this combination of beliefs that they label Moralistic Therapeutic Deism:

A god exists who created and ordered the world and watches over human life on earth.

God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.

The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.

God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.

Good people go to heaven when they die.

These points of belief were compiled from interviews with approximately 3,000 teenagers.^[4]

From DSC:
But don’t worry or lose any sleep or anything…these are the people who will be out on Wall Street or in the big banks (who are too big to fail) — and they’ll be carefully watching over the nest eggs that it took you 30-40 years to build. (Yeah, right…)

Or…these are the folks who you will be trying to do business with…where will the speed of trust be then? I don’t mean to point the finger at the youth…the problem is with us adults. We model or teach — or choose not to model and teach — the youth.

Addendum on 9-15-11:

UBS blames rogue trader for loss of $2 Billion — from NPR
Cheating in online college classes: A virtual epidemic — from about.com

Tagged with: business • economics/business • ethics • faith • future • K-12 • MBA • morals/values • relationships • religion • society • student-related • United States

Way to go Kent ISD! (Kentwood, MI — USA)

On 09/08/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, collaboration, education reform, education technology, future, innovation, K-12 related, learning ecosystem, learning spaces, Michigan, project-based learning, real-world assignments, smart classrooms, teachers, teaching & learning, web-based collaboration, by Daniel Christian

Also see:

Tagged with: collaboration • education reform • educational technology • engagement • future • innovation • K-12 • Keeping students engaged • learning ecosystem • learning spaces • Michigan • project-based learning • real-world assignments • smart classrooms • web-based collaboration

“We Prepare Children to Learn How to Learn” [Richardson, Hancock]

On 09/06/2011, in assessment, Europe, future, K-12 related, leadership, love of learning, strategy, by Daniel Christian

“We Prepare Children to Learn How to Learn” — from Will Richardson, LynNell Hancock

Also see:

Why Are Finland’s Schools Successful? — from smithsonianmag.com by LynNell Hancock
The country’s achievements in education have other nations doing their homework.

“This is what we do every day,” says Kirkkojarvi Comprehensive School principal Kari Louhivuori, “prepare kids for life.”

Tagged with: assessment • Europe • K-12 • leadership • love of learning • strategy

Sydney Centre for Innovation in Learning (SCIL) and Northern Beaches Christian School (NBCS)

On 09/06/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, A/V -- audio/visual, Australia, digital learning, education technology, elearning, future, innovation, K-12 related, learning spaces, online learning, online media, smart classrooms, by Daniel Christian

Sydney Centre for Innovation in Learning (SCIL) and Northern Beaches Christian School (NBCS)

From SCIL’s website:

Sydney Centre for Innovation in Learning actively promotes excellence in education by providing new learning opportunities for students and future-focused Professional Development for teachers. Established as the research and innovation unit of Northern Beaches Christian School (Sydney, Australia), SCIL runs a range of programs and research projects that seek to transform educational thinking and practice both at NBCS and in the wider educational community.

Also see:

Tagged with: 1:1 • 21st century • 24x7x365 • A/V • Australia • digital learning • e-learning • educational technology • future • innovation • K-12 • learning spaces • online learning • online media • smart classrooms

New ad for iPad stresses education, learning

On 09/01/2011, in 24x7x365 access, Apple, corporate universities / corporate training, digital learning, elearning, higher education, K-12 related, lifelong learning, love of learning, mobile learning, mobile technologies, multi-touch, multimedia, online learning, online media, by Daniel Christian

Also see:

Tagged with: 24x7x365 • Apple • corporate universities / corporate training • digital learning • e-learning • higher education • iPad • K-12 • Lifelong learning • love of learning • Mobile learning • mobile technology • multi-touch • multimedia • online learning • online media

Tagged with: educational technology • K-12 • online learning • online media

How learners can be on top of their game: An interview with James Paul Gee [Jenkins]

On 08/30/2011, in 21st century, 24x7x365 access, assessment, education reform, education technology, educational games / serious games, future, K-12 related, by Daniel Christian

Tagged with: 21st century • 24x7x365 • assessment • education reform • educational gaming • educational technology • future • games • K-12

A new model of storytelling: Transmedia [Fleming]

On 08/29/2011, in digital storytelling, education technology, emerging technologies, K-12 related, story, storytelling, transmedia, trends, by Daniel Christian

A new model of storytelling: Transmedia — from edutopia.org by Laura Fleming

Tagged with: digital storytelling • educational technology • emerging technologies • K-12 • story • storytelling • transmedia • trends

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