david blake

What would Bill Gates fund? That's the question many in higher education want to know and his annual letter about his interests for his foundation offers some guidance. This year, one of his areas of interest is online learning. "So far technology has hardly changed formal education at all. But a lot of people, including me, think this is the next place where the Internet will surprise people in how it can improve things — especially in combination with face-to-face learning. With the escalating costs of education, an advance here would be very timely," he writes. He praises colleges and universities for putting lectures online, but argues that online learning also needs to include interactivity. He also expresses interest in identifying the best educational materials online and better organizing them.

Via InsideHigherEd

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<p>Rethink Scholarship at Langara 2010 Call for Entries from Rory O'Sullivan and Simon Bruyn on Vimeo.</p>

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When I posted my Harvard HGSE application essays on this blog I had a few people ask me if I worry about what Harvard may think about posting my essays online.

Honestly, I am not sure what Harvard may think. If Harvard actually checks into my blog, I would consider that a pro. It goes to show that an online portfolio or profile holds some weight in their decision, which I think more and more is the way of the future in college admissions.

At the same time, Harvard may not like me sharing my essays publicly. It may prove to be a mistake that could cost me handsomely.

But that fear—the fear of making a mistake online—is one of the biggest hurdles between where education stands today and the heights to which it could rise with our current technology.

The Harvard Business Review just posted a piece on exactly that—the fear of making mistakes online. From the article:

“Unless you're prepared to risk the occasional mistake, however, you'll never do anything interesting enough to earn real attention or foster real conversation. Even more crucially, you'll never develop the social media fluency that comes from making, and then learning from, your own mistakes.”

I couldn’t agree more. Both my wife and I have some pretty decent horror stories about keeping an active social media presence online with our multiple blogs and twitter accounts. And yet, both my wife and I have since made it through the social media learning curve and enjoy the benefits of vibrant online networks. 

You have to go out on a limb when it comes to engaging online. You have to put some skin on the line.  

I am interested in feedback on my ideas; I desire collaboration around my ideas; I want access to a network of people interested in education reform. For those reasons, I am willing to risk sharing my ideas with people who may or may not agree. Because I believe in the power of social media as a means of real education and collaboration I am even willing to risk making a mistake in the eyes of Harvard HGSE.

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In my Harvard Application #2 I talked about a system that would allow students to be grouped by the teacher’s specialty—a system flexible enough to accommodate multiage grouping as well as teacher’s ability to continue with students for longer than a year.

The Arizona Republic just published an article about Mingus Springs Charter School that groups students by four ability groups—not traditionally by age and grade—and reports improvements for both teachers and students:

“‘By grouping students by ability rather than age, we're better able to respond to the student's needs,’ Principal Dawn Gonzales said. ‘Research shows that multiage classrooms can be beneficial to academic achievement.’

“This structure promotes collaboration and friendships across age groups that create a unique community. Older students have an opportunity to become role models and to reinforce their own understanding through teaching. Younger students get to preview concepts they'll study later. Each student can move ahead at his or her own pace.

“At Mingus Springs, younger students spend two years with the same teacher, allowing the teacher to have a greater understanding of the students' learning style.

“‘I enjoy the creativity that this type of curriculum offers,’ said Susan Romney, a Level 2 teacher. ‘The instruction is much more meaningful for students as well as teachers.’”

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“College applicants are facing one of the toughest years ever to gain admission to the nation's public colleges and universities as schools grapple with deep budget cuts and record numbers of applications.

“The increased competition means more students will be turned away, forced to attend pricier private institutions or shut out of college altogether.”

Via USAToday

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Interesting article from The Chronicle of Higher Education regarding the battle over student metrics. I was largely unaware prior to this article regarding the debate between advocates of a national student database and privacy advocates who oppose it.  The article largely focuses on privacy issues.

Which bores me. I agree with Mark Zuckerberg, “Privacy is passé.” 

Seriously, I don’t care if The Man knows I scored a 1320 of my 7^th grade state standardized math test. Fighting the wrong battle. Gotta have metrics.

“Arne Duncan, U.S. education secretary, has expressed the hope that databases will one day track students from preschool through college to their careers.”

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<br />via Online Colleges and Universities<br>

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