A new report by LFA and Grunwald Associates, with support from AT&T, examines how parents perceive the value of mobile devices, how they see their children using mobiles, and what they think of the possibilities for mobile learning.
21st Century Skills
Blog Entries
You might want to put your kids through art school after all.
Best-selling author Dan Pink's prediction that the MFA could become the next MBA is sure to kindle joy in the hearts of underfed visual arts majors everywhere, but it also has profound implications for K-12 public schools. Right-brained skills are becoming an increasingly important ticket to success in the post-information age, Pink argues in his book A Whole New Mind.
Public schools will have to do much more to promote such skills, he suggested, at a time when employers can easily automate or outsource traditional left-brained activities.
In a phone interview last week, Pink spoke with me at length about this new state of affairs, and he gave me a rare preview of his upcoming projects.
Here’s a thumbnail sketch of what Pink told me…. ...
I recently spoke with Professor Yong Zhao from Michigan State University, a leading international education expert who worries that American fears for its economic competitiveness are actually fueling counterproductive education policies.
A native of China, Dr. Zhao is University Distinguished Professor of Education at Michigan State, the founding director of the US-China Center for Research on educational Excellence and a Phi Delta Kappa International Board Member. He and I spoke about the dangers of following in China's educational footsteps, the kinds of skills youth need in a global society, the promise of educational technology, and the importance of international education.
Listen to the following excerpts of our conversation, or read through the highlights below: ...
Yesterday's Washington Post included a somewhat dissatisfying article on critical thinking skills. While the author dutifully provides the Foundation for Critical Thinking's definition of the elusive term, the article's most convincing statement about critical thinking comes in a quotation from Tufts University dean Robert Sternberg: "You know it when you see it." Though some concrete examples may have been in order, the article disappoints us.
As if rising to the challenge, ASCD released a Smart Brief Special Report this morning entitled Teaching Students to Think, Part I, which "explores the many ways educators are developing students' thinking skills." Stay tuned for Part II (Coming February 21st), which will focus on "best practices and professional development." ...
Success Stories
Getting Science to Click with Students
Story posted April 23, 2013
Results:
- Critical thinking statements included in student lab reports increased by 45 percent; 80 percent of students writing such statements provided further explanation/evidence in their writing.
- Teachers report opportunities for greater collaboration and that they can more effectively facilitate formative assessment, leading to more differentiated instruction.
- Education support personnel (afterschool tutors) report that they have better access to information on student performance and can therefore more effectively focus their instructional support specific student needs.
When Amanda Zullo began teaching a multi-grade high school chemistry class, she knew she needed to change the way her class worked to meet the needs of a wider range of students. With no prerequisites, the Regents chemistry course placed in the same classroom “the valedictorian and the kids who are hoping to meet the graduation requirements,” she says. “It challenged me to try different ways of teaching to reach the broadest group of students possible.”
Zullo shifted to an inquiry-based model of classroom instruction, one in which students work together in groups to solve open-ended problems. To ensure students were on task, she walked from group to group to check for understanding. But she knew that spot checks “based on gut” weren’t enough to ensure that all students were learning.
In searching for a solution, Zullo discovered a counterintuitive corollary about technology and teaching: finding a tool to quickly gauge student understanding paved the way for ...
Supporting 21st Century Skills
Story posted August 27, 2012
Results:
- North gained 19.3 points in reading, 19 points in science, and 8.9 points in math on Iowa’s state standardized tests, the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED). (The science and reading gains took them from last place in the district to second.)
- The North High School Academic Decathlon Team earned a spot at the national online competition by achieving the highest score of medium-sized schools at the state level and finished 7th nationally in their division with six individual medals.
- The Science Bound program at North has been named the best high school program four years in a row.
The North High School Academic Decathlon Team from Des Moines, Iowa had its most successful year in a decade during the 2011-2012 school year. Competing against 12 schools in Central Iowa, the North team placed first in a regional competition. ...
Story posted June 2, 2011
Every year the American School Board Journal (with the National School Boards Association and Sodexo) recognizes excellent school district leadership with the Magna Awards. The following district is a 2011 winner.
RESULTS
- Students who participated in school-sponsored summer camps demonstrated impressive gains from pre- to post-assessments—especially students from higher-poverty schools.
- Participating teachers were pleased with the programs, and have committed to include more technology in their regular classroom instruction.
- The program produced intangible results in providing the neediest students with high-quality educational and social experiences.
Economically disadvantaged students consistently underperform academically. Research shows that socioeconomic factors such as family income are more significant in explaining differences in educational achievement than traditional factors such as race and ethnicity. 
One cause is limited exposure to experiences that promote intellectual development. Unlike their wealthier peers, poor students are rarely exposed to experiences that help them to succeed in school. Trips to the zoo, family vacations, and experience with technology give wealthier children advantages beginning in kindergarten. The Pasco County School Board supports the notion that increasing a student’s exposure to quality experiences can greatly influence a child’s potential to succeed. The district developed the Title I Pasco Environmental Adventure Camp Experience (PEACE) and ...
Taking the Cool School Challenge
Story posted April 22, 2010
Results:
• School greenhouse gas emissions are now 44% below the Kyoto protocol
• School has saved well over $100,000 over the past three years
• AP Environmental Science scores are well above state and district averages
Mike Town is a man with a mission. This Washington state environmental science teacher has spent the past 25 years educating students on environmental issues. His students do real-world projects designed to show the relevance of science, get them thinking about the environmental impact of their actions, and introduce them to the emerging green job sector. ...
From Fire Trucks to the Federal Court: An Academic Edge for Low-Income Students
Story posted October 30, 2008. Results updated October 25, 2011.
Results:
• In 2011, over 95% of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders met state standards in reading
• In 2011, over 95% of 3rd, 4th and 5th graders met state standards in math
• Named a 2008 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education
"There's not a minute to be lost." That's the mantra in many high-needs schools today, where the pressures of high-stakes accountability have reduced the time spent on "untested" subjects and activities like art, music, drama and physical education. And perhaps no brand of school fun has taken the drubbing given to the venerable Field Trip in recent years. Trips away from school often take most or all of the day, and a day lost from intensive instruction (and test preparation) is no small matter to the principals of high-needs schools, where children often have a lot of catching up to do. ...
Mapping Success with Technology
Story posted June, 2008
Results:
• Increased student test scores on California State STAR exam every year for the last 5 years
• Only technology class where majority of students are female and minority
• Work by students has been published in professional journals, presented at professional conferences, and honored with numerous national awards
Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District wanted to put technology in the hands of students with a program that would deliver results and benefit the community. ...
Helping Students Demonstrate Their Math Knowledge
Story posted June, 2008
Results:
• 70% of students scored in the top levels of the MCAS in 2007, up from 35% in 2004
• 91% of 10th graders passed the math portion of the MCAS in 2007
• 83% graduation rate in 2007, with 89% graduation rate for both black and Hispanic students
Fenway High has a unique history. It was founded in 1983 as a program for students in at-risk situations who were failing in the more traditional high schools. Fenway became a pilot school in 1995 and is now open to all students, serving a diverse population that is 44% African-American, 36% Hispanic, and 15% Caucasian, with 46% receiving free or reduced lunch.
Fenway has an innovative approach to student learning, most notably in math, and has seen significant improvement in test scores over the past few years. Fenway's principal and math chair both agree that their continuous improvement in mathematics is supported by three key elements: ...
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A VISION FOR GREAT SCHOOLS
On this website, educators, parents and policymakers from coast to coast are sharing what's already working in public schools--and sparking a national conversation about how to make it work for children in every school. Join the conversation!
