Having discovered this by means of a circuitous route (wave twitter, weblogged-ed, .pdf) I want to toss it out as if not required reading at least highly suggested reading.

Charles Leadbeater and Annika Wong have produced a seminal treatment of educational innovation whose citations and stats should inform any discussion which centers around the future of education. Breaking the options down to only four types, it's holding up quite nicely and inspiring me to think even more radically than I have done in the past.

It's a Cisco white paper called "Learning from the Extremes," and you can read the entire 40 page .pdf at http://www.cisco.com/web/about/citizenship/socio-economic/docs/Lear...

Time crunched? Want the Cliffnotes version? Will Richardson does a typically great job for you at http://weblogg-ed.com/2010/transforming-learningno-really/

but like Will, I highly encourage you to go to the source for its case studies and descriptions of disruptive innovations that likely fall outside your usual media net. The timeline of how schools developed in the first place is by itself enough to warrant the effort.

While the report draws many of its examples from innovation in the developing world, it does address "the developed world" and its challenges. I'm going to print one section of this stunningly detailed report to give you a good taste of it. I hope that taste whets your appetite enough for you to investigate further:

The Developed World: Cracking the Code

For as long as there have been schools, there have been attempts to radically remake them. These efforts gathered pace in the 1960s in the United States and Europe— for example, through more childcentred education, the open-air school movement, and efforts to create more open plan schools, which felt more like communities and less like factories.3

Schools catering for children with special needs, often operating at the margins of the mainstream system, have pioneered more personalized approaches to learning—for example, using individualized timetables and one-to-one tutoring.38 Schools influenced by alternative pedagogies—Montessori and Steiner schools, liberal arts schools such as Dartington and Summerhill in the United Kingdom, and Big Picture schools in the United States and Australia—focus on creativity, social skills, and studentled learning. Schools in special circumstances, such as the Djarragun in Northern Queensland, which serves an isolated, indigenous community, organize learning around real-world, practical, problemsolving learning, which starts from questions the children want to answer. Learning in all these schools is more personalized and fluid, driven by questions rather than a rigid curriculum.

These experiments have tended to be the exception that proves the rule. However, in the past decade, more systematic efforts have been made to introduce disruptive innovation into schooling. In the United States, some charter schools have developed more creative and personalized approaches to learning. A prime example is the High Tech High network of schools, which offers a wide range of project-based approaches to creative learning. In Sweden, parents have been given the power to set up state-funded “free” schools by pooling the budgets allocated to their children.39 This has led to a wave of new, smaller schools being set up. Every child in the Kunskapsskolan chain of schools in Sweden has a personalized curriculum and a timetable assembled from different modules. Children are taught in groups according to the stage they have reached rather than the age they are. At the start of each of five terms, every child agrees on learning goals with their personal tutor and their parents. Kunskapsskolan’s 14 schools are housed in reused offices, hospitals, and stables; only one is in a dedicated school building. In the United Kingdom, new kinds of schools are being created by: academies, which are sponsored by a company and often specialize in a field such as media, arts, or business; schools created by groups of parents; Studio Schools, which are small schools in shopping centers, for children disaffected from standard school; and cooperative schools, which are owned by staff and the community. The spread of more personalized approaches to learning—tailoring how, when, and where children learn to their requirements—has transformed schools such as Cramlington Community College in Northumberland.

The Orstad Gymnasium in Hellerup, Denmark, has been designed so that there are not enough classrooms for lessons, thus forcing students and teachers to use many of the other informal learning spaces in the school, including the canteen, and so to learn in different ways. Schools all over the world are experimenting with virtual and distance learning environments.

Across the world, policymakers are starting to open up routes for new entrants to create new kinds of schools. In New Orleans, the city is remaking its education system based on commissioning services from a range of independent providers, thus giving it scope to continually stimulate the school system with new approaches.

As you can guess, there's much much more in the report, including a beautiful simple four panel grid called the "Education Innovation Grid." While it would be easy to paste that here, I'm going to up the ante to get you to go read the full report by refraining from posting it! Cheers!

Educator's PLN Live Chat with Alfie Kohn

While snowbound on Monday, I was lucky enough to be able to participate in the Educator's PLN live chat with educational philosopher and author Alfie Kohn. There were over 120 educators "in the room" and since questions had been solicited online prior to the event, I was asked to speak up and ask mine. Thanks to the event organizers and to Dr. Kohn for giving me the opportunity to ask a very pointed question about educational reform. I am sorry that it seemed to throw the good Dr. for a loop! What was the question? You'll just have to view and listen:

Alfie Kohn Live Chat from Shelly Terrell on Vimeo.

Watch PBS TV TONIGHT for "Digital Nation"--check local listings

I had the opportunity today to preview the show online. This one will be controversial, ya'll, and I'd love to start a discussion here. Watch it, because you will most certainly be called upon for an opinion by parents and administrators...

From PBS email:

Last March, we launched a Web site to start a conversation about how
digital technology is changing almost every aspect of modern culture -
from how we think and learn to how we build relationships and even
conduct warfare. We asked for your feedback, and you shared your
stories that helped to shape our 90-minute documentary which airs
Tuesday, February 2, at 9pm ET on PBS (check local listings).

This program is guaranteed to make you think, to question your understanding of and use of technology, and to cause a big stir in educational technology. Very well done, I initially report. Controversial? You bet.

I had seen some of it early on, and we hosted a presentation by the producers--thanks to ISTE member and colleague Malinda McCormick--at the Second Life Playground at NECC09 in Washington, DC last summer. But watching the show in its finished format is even more powerful, incredibly so. What is your response? What does this mean to our work? I'll ask you the same thing I would ask any of my students: What are the creators of this media intending to communicate? Share here.

The Opportunity Equation--Science and Math in Crisis

What kind of schools and systems of education does America need to transform mathematics and science education and deliver it equitably and with excellence to all students?

That's the focal question of a new report, entitled "The Opportunity Equation," from the Carnegie Institute's Center for Advanced Studies Commission on Math and Science Education, just released. Skip what I have to say about it and go read the full report yourself, or stay with me here for a minute then pop back up here and go read the full report.

It's clear we're in crisis, as the review from the National Science Teachers Association cites in some very frank and, errrm, stimulating language: From Education Secretary Arne Duncan, “'We’ve had 50 states doing their own thing,” and the education system has been “lying to parents” about their children’s readiness for college and careers.'" And “'Great teachers matter” in helping children in these schools succeed, he observed. America needs to find ways to reward teacher excellence—perhaps via stimulus funds.'"

More frank talk from a former North Carolina governor: "Informing parents about the state of science and math education and getting them to “raise hell about it” was former North Carolina Governor James Hunt’s suggestion. The Opportunity Equation contains the results of a national poll of students and parents that showed most don’t think it’s important for students to do well in science or math unless they are pursuing careers in those fields."

Of course you know where I'm going with this, and it's summed up by one paragraph in The Opportunity Equation. Listen up:

For today’s students, math and science also open the door to understanding new technologies—a realm of interest that is crucial to our collective economic future but whose value has yet to be fully tapped by our educational system. Outside the classroom, evidence abounds that new media are powerful vehicles for motivating young people, capturing their imaginations, and inspiring them to strive for mastery. In its 2008 report Fostering Learning in a Networked World, the National Science Foundation Task Force on Cyberlearning acknowledges that educational technology has not yet had the profound impact on American schools that has long been anticipated, but the Task Force also argues that “cyberlearning has reached a turning point where learning payoffs can be accelerated.”. If so, the potential for offering students new and motivating avenues to build science, math, engineering, and technology knowledge is great.

We need to re-envision the way we teach our students and the ways in which we motivate them to learn. If schools can't do that, and I'm talking about our finest independent schools as well as our struggling public school systems, we are in more trouble than even the direst pessimists predict. It's time for a model vision. Who can outline that? Who volunteers? Is it Education Secretary Arne Duncan? Is it our President? Is it us?

I'd submit it should be the last. It should be us. This of course is informed by my sometimes absurdly robust dalliance in things Web 2.0, my commitment to Distance Learning--both outreach and intake--and a mindset that is absolutely receptive to Steve Hargadon's recent rant about the future of education at his blog. Read "Web 2.0 is the Future of Education" at Classroom 2.0. Administrators need to be cognizant of these discussions, participate in them, and begin to assume a welcoming attitude toward innovation and change, not a resistant one.

Change PIE--Proponents for Innovative Education

Call to Share from Julie Lindsay in Qatar!

A friend of mine said last week that she's underimpressed with folks blogging other people's work. I present this in order to beg to differ. I'm absolutely impressed with sharing out valuable efforts to bring others into the Great Conversation that is Web 2.0. "Find your story and tell it. If you put two individual teachers together, they're always better than two individual teachers." I rest my case.

This is a MUST-SEE from Julie Lindsay.

Educators internationally gathered together at Qatar Academy on February 20 to
discuss 21st Century Learning. As a result they decided to take action and share
their experiences in the hope that others will be inspired to embrace change in
education using new tools, new skills and a new mindset. See http://elearning.qataracademy.wikispaces.net/21C_Learners for
more information.

Google's Lively "Surprisingly Lifeless"

In an an online article from the print version of The Economist, the editors lampoon Google's efforts to create a novel, browser-based 3-dimensional virtual world. It's a good, quick read with a quote by friend Kathy Schrock, and it makes some very good points, especially about there basically being "nothing to do in Lively unless you're talking to someone." The article's lead-line says it all: "Lively, Google’s virtual world, has been a flop..."

Is there hope for Lively? I'm not sure, and my crystal ball is not responding today, but if you want to learn more about it go visit the Lively website and download the application to play with. My own little Lively build is here. But you have to call a friend to ask them to join you there, unless you are happy just dangling your feet off the dock...

Read more...

Cheers,
Scott

Singular Vision for a Disparate Future--innovateonline.info Article for You

I have to share this (no, it's not my ISTE member profile feature finally online!), an innovateonline.info article projecting the higher education classroom of 2035. It's rather densely written, stylistically speaking, but it has some things to say that you need to hear, if, that is, you care about the future of education, teaching and learning. Here's a little sample:

Similarly, the idea of campus-based learning communities will continue to cede ground to distributed immersive models in which a larger percentage of students' time-on-task is spent engaged in participatory knowledge creation across networks of dispersed learners and learning communities (Foreman 2007; New Media Consortium 2008). The most engaging content will be online and will build on trends in virtual worlds (Exhibit 1), gaming (Exhibit 2), and personal feedback (Exhibit 3) (van Dam, Becker, and Simpson 2005). Today’s Web feed protocols (Exhibit 4) are forerunners of a comprehensive data network that will provide learners with a continuous and personalized stream of information and perspectives.

Read A Singular Vision for a Disparate Future: Technology Adoption Patterns in Higher Learning Through 2035. If you haven't registered, you should. Doesn't cost a nickel...

How to Choose a Student Laptop

Lots of parents are interested in looking at laptop/notebook computers for their chidren, and I do have my opinions but will defer to another source instead of making things up from scratch. Look at How To Choose The Best Student Laptop? By Titus Hoskins and then go look at bizwaremagic.com's comparison of 6 top brands and models.

Another thing you might consider is the new array of subnotebooks, offshoots of the "100 Dollar Laptop" development. I'm particularly intrigued by the Asus EEE PC. See a detailed comparison of currently available ones at ITReviews from Merry Olde England.

My general advice for parents is to purchase a notebook with the fastest processor, the most RAM, and the devices you know you will need. DVD player? Integrated webcam? These are decisions each family needs to make for themselves. With a student laptop, I believe weight is also an important factor. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like we'll be moving to completely digital textbooks any time in the near future: The textbook lobby is too powerful. 1 or 2 pounds saved in the backpack can help the already overloaded child.

Best of luck in your shopping!

This Site is "Pornography?"

Part of me is laughing, part of me is steaming mad. I recently posted a call for educators in Second Life to visit ISTE Island there and vote for a blog to be featured at the Blogger's Hut, which I manage for ISTE. A fellow ISTE docent, Sabian Hawks, (Fil Santiago "irl"--"in real life) emailed me from his school in Los Angeles to inform me...well...let's let his email speak:

Scott,

I received your e-mail regarding the podcast voting and proceeded to click on your Web site. A strange thing happened: our filtration system blocked it and categorized it as ‘pornography’ - strange - thought you might want to check this out, as others may not be able to visit your site from work. (SL--Sabian Hawks)

Fil Santiago

My response to him:

Hey, Fil (SABE!),

I'm not surprised that you couldn't see my site. Sigh. many schools and content blockers disallow blogger and blogspot sites, since there is indeed some objectionable material there. I'm firmly in the camp of Wes Fryer about content filters. How are teachers to begin to learn to take advantage of the powerful networking tools of our age when they have their options limited by paranoid beaurocrats? I hope you'll take the time to visit the site from home if you can.

Thanks for the heads-up. Would you mind my quoting your message in a blog post?

Scott

Is there any hope for our public schools? I always prefer to hope, but I most seriously hope that our leaders pull their heads up out of their...addiction to 18th century learning models and open up things before it's too late. Clear expectations in the form of rigorously enforced Acceptable Use policies--for students AND faculty AND adminstration--are all that would be needed to step into the 21st century.

Check out Jamie McKenzie's take today on "Breaking the YouTube Blockade" to allow teachers to use some of the very valuable resources YouTube can provide.

Academia 2.0 -- Death to the "Lecture?"

Oh, one hopes so, one truly hopes so.

Another video from Kansas State University, via the Best Practices for eLearning Ning, (by way of the Teaching College Math Technology blog)this 10 minute thought-provoker. A gift to you, fellow teacher or learner...