Getting Smart Staff

EdTech 10: Confident Investing and Justified Strategies

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Lots of new studies out this week advocating for Deeper Learning, teacher leaders,  motivation and engagement; it signals continued confidence in the shift to personalization, and student-centered strategies. 

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Blended Schools & Tools

For the reading list. The documentary film Most Likely to Succeed that debuted at Sundance now has a hardbound companion. The new book by Executive Producer Ted Dintersmith and Tony Wagner (author of Creating Innovators) is also titled Most Likely to Succeed and is available for purchase on Amazon.  

Power points. Bill Gates shared on his blog gatesnotes, three ways software is empowering teachers. Building on Bill’s blog, our recently updated paper identified 10 ways that blending face-to-face learning with digital learning is benefiting teaching.  

Digital Developments

Powerful parenting. Inspired by the stories of over 60 parents in our Smart Parents blog series, is our new book Smart Parents: Parenting for Powerful Learning. Nicholas C. Donohue shared why The Nellie Mae Education Foundation has chosen to partner with Getting Smart to share these parent stories. Listen Nicholas talk Smart Parents and student-centered learning in the latest episode of the Getting Smart Podcast.

Listen up. This American Life from WBEZ Chicago released a two part series on school integration, and Michigan Radio shared news on the changing narrative around summer school. While you’re in your Podcast app, make sure to subscribe to the Getting Smart Podcast, our next episode will be on microcredentialing.

Dollars & Deals

One for the wall. It has been a year since Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg announced the $120 million invest in Bay Area schools. It was announced this week that the investment is being expanded to support NewSchools Venture Fund, who just released a new strategy update, a major pillar of which is to build a national portfolio of Innovative Schools.

Community college comeup. Quad Learning, who runs American Honors, raised $4.8 million to support a mobile app to keep students to stay up-to-date on their classes, coursework and administrative deadlines. This is great news for students navigating decisions surround community college as American Honors is a program that has historically supported this HigherEd demographic.

Higher, Deeper, Further, Faster Learning

College collaboration. Seven major universities including University of California’s Davis, Irvine and Los Angeles campuses, Northwestern University and University of Wisconsin Extension are engaged in a new joint effort to create an online platform that will feature modular content, skills assessments and student-facing services. Dubbed the University Learning Store, the collaboration is great news for secondary students who will begin making making critical HigherEd decisions this fall.

Policy Pieces

Deeper evidence. Students in high schools that were part of networks associated with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation’s Deeper Learning Community of Practice performed better than similar students in comparison schools on a range of measures. This is according to Deeper Learning: Improving Student Outcomes for College, Career, and Civic Life is a new report from the American Institutes for Research’s Education Policy Center. Deeper learning opportunities are just as important for EdLeaders and teachers.

Let’s Get Personalized

The big mo. Student motivation is veiled in complexity. Motivation Matters: How New Research Can Help Teachers Boost Student Engagement is a new report from the Carnegie Foundation that works to clarify the subject. Because engagement is vital to motivation, we noted 22 engagement instincts and four levels of engagement.

Teachers & Tech-ers

Leading the way. The case for teacher leaders is growing with a new study from the RAND Corporation that examines Leading Educators Fellowships in Kansas City and New Orleans from 2011 to 2014. One teacher leader, and Getting Smart Teacher Blogger, is Lindsey Own who has outlined her process of success in mentoring new teachers.

For more EdTech 10’s check out:

Getting Smart Staff

The Getting Smart Staff believes in learning out loud and always being an advocate for things that we are excited about. As a result, we write a lot. Do you have a story we should cover? Email [email protected]

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