Career & Technical Ed
Posts by Tom Vander Ark
New Pathways
Home Schools Grow With New Funding Streams
A growing number of students are learning in homes. These small schools create opportunities to test new learning models, expand supportive options, and extend access to new pathways.
New Pathways
More Real World Learning in Kansas City
On recent school visits, Tom Vander Ark observes multiple ways that KC schools are embedding real world learning.
EdTech
One Year Into the AI Revolution….and Most Schools Are Still Seeking Direction
There are good reasons to be concerned about the proliferation of AI in work and learning. But if collective response is limited to risk mitigation, communities will miss the greatest impact opportunity in history.
New Pathways
Innovative High School Schedules
Here are five sets of examples of innovative high school schedules that expand student opportunities while providing more collaborative time for teachers.
New Pathways
Real World Learning: Client Projects Are Trending
What if you could combine the immersive benefits of an internship with the problem-solving and deliverables production involved in managing a project? You can gain the benefits of both with a client project, the latest learner experience design trend in high school and college education. Client projects can be extremely valuable…
EdTech
The Rise of AI: New Rules for Super T Professionals and Next Steps for EdLeaders
The rise of artificial intelligence, especially generative AI, boosts productivity in content creation--text, code, images and increasingly video. Here are six preliminary conclusions about the nature of work and learning.
New Pathways
Inviting Learners into Work That Matters
We’ve found pockets of excellence in three dozen high school visits this spring and where we’ve spotted evidence of deeper learning (i.e., engagement, critical thinking, excellent public products) it’s been work that matters to the learner and their community-- it’s relevant, purposeful, and consequential work.
EdTech
New Problems, Diverse Teams, Smart Tools
Every secondary and postsecondary learner deserves at least a couple of cycles each year of opportunity spotting, team-based solution designing, and feeling the satisfaction of delivering public impact.
New Pathways
School Districts and Charter Authorizers Need Innovation Pathways
It’s time for more new schools that meet new demands and take advantage of new opportunities--new schools inside public schools and public districts and new charter schools and networks.
EdTech
Why Teach Journalism When AI Writes Articles?
While there are fewer newspaper roles, job boards are full of journalism, communications, advocacy and marketing jobs where strong writing matters.