EdTech 10: Today’s Word is “Capacity”

Capacity (noun): “the ability or power to do, experience, or understand something.”

As we reviewed this week’s top ten list, the word “capacity” came to mind. We’re encouraged by the number of people, organizations, institutions and companies that are working hard to build the capacity of teachers, leaders and students to “do, experience and understand.”
Check out this week’s list for evidence of leaders who are working to build the capacity of their staff, powerful partnerships aimed at building leadership capacity, professional learning opportunities for teachers to build their own capacity and so much more.

Blended Schools & Tools

1. New School Design Guide

Designing #NewSchools, A Practical Guide from @springpointEDU https://t.co/0IrAWdvW5q pic.twitter.com/O6zT2X6ZnW

— Tom Vander Ark (@tvanderark) October 11, 2016

On attainment vs innovation in new school development:

Measure your current level of attainment along 5 elements of next gen school design: https://t.co/ihz0RkvIm6 pic.twitter.com/8UXdGODwef

— NextGenLC (@NextGenLC) October 7, 2016

For more, checkout 100 Tips & Insights for Opening Great New Schools
2. Chromebook Craze

20M students using Chromebooks https://t.co/MOu2cNUU7d #EdTech

— Tom Vander Ark (@tvanderark) October 6, 2016

We’ve been watching this trend for awhile and discuss the reasons why Chromebooks are so popular in schools.

Digital Developments

3. EdLeader MOOC

#UQ, @edXOnline and @Microsoft to partner on K-12 Education Leadership course. https://t.co/wZtWYRXMYK pic.twitter.com/fW0voG7ffA

— UQ News (@UQ_News) October 11, 2016

Here are Five Ways Participants Get Value From Professional Learning MOOCs
4. “Learning Makes Us”

Register now for the #professionaldevelopment #webinar series for #mathematics and statistics educators: https://t.co/lwmtqVAQ8f

— PearsonNorthAmerica (@PearsonNorthAm) October 4, 2016

#AskAboutAI

5. Mr. Roboto

Industrial robots will replace mfg jobs — and that’s a good thinghttps://t.co/fHFqPHYxkJ #AskAbouAI #AI

— Tom Vander Ark (@tvanderark) October 10, 2016

For more on how smart machines are bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. see Batch of One, part of our #AskAboutAI series. Other recent posts discuss Smart Transportation and Talking to Kids About AI.

Smart Planet

6. $71M For Global Ed

@usedgov Awards $71+ Million in Grants to Strengthen Global Ed @JohnKingatED @GoGlobalED @MAKtweeter #SmartPlanet https://t.co/kUhfjHupEe …

— Emily Liebtag (@EmilyLiebtag) October 10, 2016

Check out our recent series with VIF International Education about Getting Smart on Global Education and Equity.

Policy Pieces

7. Capacity for #PLearning

New blog: Building #Educator Capacity to Personalize #Learning for Every #Student https://t.co/FO4pkAc0Yp #plearnchat

— iNACOL (@nacol) October 9, 2016

8. Tipping Point

New #CompetencyWorks report explores #K12 #competencyed #policy & practice https://t.co/1BlvPkcLJE @nacol #CBE pic.twitter.com/IihkqJfuGi

— CompetencyWorks (@CompetencyWorks) October 10, 2016

9. Florida Goes Bottoms Up

Great read on ‘#Florida’s ‘bottom-up’ move to personalized learning’ https://t.co/IB4SD03rNn

— ExcelinEd (@ExcelinEd) October 7, 2016

For more on state shifts to competency-based education, check out this new video from ExcelinEd featuring Karla Phillips, co-author with our own Carri Schneider of Policy, Pilots and the Path to Competency-Based Education.

Teachers & Tech-ers

10. Helping Teachers Thrive

Happy #WorldTeachersDay! See how schools and policymakers can best support teachers who are new to the profession: https://t.co/EKJ5duhNOL pic.twitter.com/HMsbKXTaPC

— EdWeek Teacher (@EdWeekTeacher) October 5, 2016

For more, see:

• Catalyzing Mastery-Based Learning: NYC’s Mastery Collaborative
• Making the Most of After-School with Personalized Tutoring
• When Professional Development is Just an Experience

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