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Alan November --

Models for the Future of Learning — from KnowledgeWorks by Katherine Prince, Jesse Moyer, Lisa Scheerer, and Jamie Feltner
January 2011
This report was prepared for, and with the support of, Yellow Springs School District as part of a series of engagements related to its Class of 2020 initiative.


The Connected Life at Home — from Cisco

The connected life at home -- from Cisco

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From DSC:

How will these types of technologies affect what we can do with K-12 education/higher education/workplace training and development? I’d say they will open up a world of new applications and opportunities for those who are ready to innovate; and these types of technologies will move the “Forthcoming Walmart of Education” along.

Above item from:

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(CA) A Season for Turnaround — from Conditions of Education in California by Alan Daly
…the federal government offers four ‘turnaround’ models:

  • Turnaround:
    The Local Education Agency (LEA) replaces the principal and rehires no more than 50% of the staff; gives the principal greater autonomy; and implements other prescribed and recommended strategies.
  • Restart:
    The LEA converts or closes and reopens a school under a charter school operator, charter management organization, or education management organization.
  • School closure:
    The LEA closes the school and enrolls the students in other schools in the LEA that are higher achieving.
  • Transformation:
    The LEA replaces the principal; implements rigorous staff evaluation and development; institutes comprehensive instructional reform; increases learning time; and provides greater operational flexibility and support of the school.

In California the ‘transformation’ model is the one most frequently chosen.

(NY) Layoffs would hit some schools much harder — from WSJ

(MI) Michigan orders DPS to make huge cuts – Detroit News
Bobb told to consolidate services, close half of schools to end deficit

 

 

[2008/09] Study: Hands-on projects may be best way to teach engineering and technology concepts — from Purdue University as reported by Kim Medaris

From DSC:
This study focused on 126 eighth graders from Indiana; it presents one perspective on teaching STEM-related topics.

ABSTRACT:
Exploring the Effectiveness of an Interdisciplinary Water Resources Engineering Module in an Eighth Grade Science Class

Jody L. Riskowski, Carrie Davis Todd, Bryan Wee,
Melissa Dark, Jon Harbor

Engineering education has historically been given little attention in U.S. K-12 classrooms even though engineering incorporates scientific and mathematical concepts into meaningful, everyday applications. Including engineering and design projects in K-12 science and mathematics classes may improve student interest and comprehension, while also reaching a broader range of students than traditional lecture-based classes.  For this study, the authors implemented an engineering design project focusing on water resources in 8th grade science classes. Students were exposed to either an engineering project (treatment) or a more traditional format (control) and their knowledge of water resource issues was evaluated using a pre-post assessment tool. Overall, students in the treatment classes showed statistically significant improvement in two areas – they displayed higher levels of thinking on open-ended questions and greater content knowledge. This research indicates the effectiveness of engineering in enhancing student learning and supports its inclusion in the middle school science curriculum.

Also, potentially relevant here is:

 

Google Apps taking commercial vendors to school — from blogs.wsj.com by Michael Hickins

The Google Apps for Education application set is gaining traction among school districts across the country, in many cases replacing commercial vendors like Microsoft. Google signed up Oregon and Iowa for its suite of Web-based email and collaboration applications last May and June, respectively, and three other states have joined since then, most recently New York State, according to Shan Sinha, group product manager for Google Apps.

There are now more than 10 million students using Google Apps, including many of New York State’s 3.1 million student population, said Sinha. In addition to the applications used to do things like send email or edit documents collaboratively in real time, the suite includes access to third-party applications like Endgrade Gradebook and lesson plan software for teachers, and administration applications like Class.io or Thinkwave for IT administrators. The apps are available through the EDU category of the Google Apps marketplace.

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Also see:

Google Apps for Education

From DSC:

  • A note to Google — don’t pull any of these applications like you did with Google Wave. If you persuade people to go to your tools, you can’t pull the rug out from under peoples’ feet.
  • With that said, I appreciate your constant pursuit of innovation.

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.
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Supplementing your art budget

Supplementing your art budget — from the teachingpalette.com

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Middlebury College takes language program online for younger students — from The Journal by Dian Schaffhauser

In a Web 2.0 world the drill and practice that makes up much of the standard fodder for many online language courses seems quaint. But a start-up promises to immerse high school students online in the same way that certain successful programs do face to face through video, audio, and avatars plunked down into foreign settings. Middlebury Interactive Languages is a joint venture announced in April 2010 between renowned language institute Middlebury College and K12, a company that operates online learning programs for K-12 worldwide. In January 2011 the venture launched its first offerings for Spanish and French, which will be available for fall 2011.

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The answer to teacher retention: Find passion (not data) driven schools — from The Innovative Educator

From DSC:
It seems to me that this principle — of finding ways for students to pursue their passions — doesn’t just benefit teachers (in terms of retention). It also greatly benefits the students, and would help develop more of a love of learning.

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January Series guest Sajan George on Inner Compass this Sunday

Transforming Troubled Schools
A factory still using production systems from the 1950s would not make sense in today’s technological world. Unfortunately, some K-12 schools still use decades’ old educational techniques and policies. January Series guest and turnaround specialist Sajan George describes progressive technologies and approaches currently under consideration to turn around troubled school districts. Karen Saupe hosts.

Airs this Sunday on local PBS station WGVU-TV at 1:30 p.m.  (channel 35 & cable channel 6 in G.R. and channel 52 in Kalamazoo.)  National broadcast topics, dates and times vary.

Inner Compass episodes may also be viewed after local broadcast through:

www.calvin.edu/innercompass
— iTunes Store podcasts section
— and other methods for thos in the Grand Rapids, MI (USA) area

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Great animated summary of the book, "Teaching 2030"
From TeachMoore blog by Renee Moore

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Addendum (2/12/11) — also see:

Clayton R. Wright’s Mega List of Ed Conferences — from Rick’s Café Canadien

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