I am attempting to refresh the thread in which I give my (clearly cynical) interpretations of terms and phrases I have heard form leaders over the decades. This phrase is tossed around with abandon by many leaders and educators. Ostensibly, it is used to communicate the idea that the speaker is open to ideas and Read More
I decided my “first choice” college was not good fit for me within a few days of arriving on campus. I had some goals while I was there, and I got a “D” in chemistry my first semester, so I arrived back there for the spring semester so that I could improve my second semester Read More
Schools are also organizations that are always seeking to improve. “Quality” is a difficult concept to define, but there is a large industry that is dedicated to helping organizations improve the quality of their work and “continuous improvement” is a goal that articulated in the mission and vision statements of many schools and educational organizations. Read More
In 1986, Larry Cuban, a professor of education at Stanford University, reviewed the history of radio, movies, and television in schools and he observed a common pattern. First, advocates argued the technology could be used to make teaching more efficient and more effective. Second, dubious research (frequently supported by the manufacturers of the technologies) was Read More
When I started working in educational technology, scholars and practitioners were concerned with the “digital divide” that existed in schools. Some populations (white, male, and rich) were more likely to have access to computers in schools. When it was first recognized, the digital divide was specific to access to hardware at school. Over time, schools Read More
Like many who work in my field, I’ve been thinking (and talking and Zooming but precious little writing) about online learning in the last few months. Here, at last, are a few of my thoughts. To me, one of the issues that is most getting in the way of ensuring students learn is the labeling Read More
The culture that learners experience contributes to their views and perspectives that determine what is important to them and the people around them. These become the learned behaviors that determine what learners value, how they define learning, and other decisions about how learning occurs. Differences between the expectations of educators and students is an example Read More
“School improvement” has been the mantra of school leaders for generations. The story for educators who have been in the profession for more than about 10 years is familiar: An innovative new approach to education is presented as the panacea for finally realizing the schools that we want and that the described in our vision Read More
The idea of digital badges has been kicking around for a few years. The microcredentials are exactly what the names suggest: Badges are credentials; they are awarded when a learner has completed some experience that leads the awarder to believe the learners can do things now that they couldn’t do previously. Badges are micro-credentials; they Read More
“Effective schools” is a nebulous term. We could define schools in which students earn top scores on standardized tests as effective; likewise, we could define schools in which students write cogent essays (or create paintings, music, and dance) expounding the evils of standardized tests as effective. In fact, these schools may not be exclusive; perhaps Read More