Archive: Feb 2012
Math Wars: The Debate Between Higher-Order Vs. Rote Learning
Recently, EdSurge published a fabulous post highlighting the escalating rhetoric that the Khan Academy has inspired among math educators and edupreneurs. Sal Khan’s success has brought to the forefront a discussion that has been ongoing in academic and education circles for some time. This debate parallels the one about Common Core Math Standards exemplified by the Wurman and Wilson article referenced in a recent Getting Smart post.
Primavera, an Arizona Online Success Story
Primavera is Arizona's largest school serving more than 5000 students statewide. It serves primarily upper division students seeking an alternative pathway to graduation. Primavera has been helping Arizona students graduate for a decade. It’s a homegrown academic success story.
Webinar: The Comprehensive Assessment Consortia
Two state consortia—Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium—are hard at work putting ambitious designs in place for new assessment systems. They have released materials and will soon select contractors to build assessments and the infrastructure to support them. What do their current plans look like?
SmartTech Roundup: Deals, OER, Tablets, & Awards
Interesting Deals Countering all the Knewton press, Blackboard launched Blackboard Developmental Education to improve student outcomes and completion rates. DevEd was developed in partnership with American Education (A+), a company acquired by K12 last year. Atlanta investor Richard Smyth spent 2010 gaining control of a public company. Last January he launched…