SXSWedu sparked conversations on innovation in education. One conversation included Betsy DeVos, ExcelinEd Board Member and Chairman for the American Federation for Children. She spoke last Wednesday at “Competition, Creativity, and Choice in the Classroom” and shared how modernized education practices – including digital learning – can help our nation produce students ready for college and careers. DeVos also focused on how educational choice can transform lives and provide students with unprecedented educational opportunities.
SXSW Update: Student Data Privacy
Last week, thousands of innovative teachers, ed tech companies, district leaders and stakeholders flocked to the annual SXSWedu conference in Austin, Texas. Today we’re sharing the first of a three-part series on our top takeaways from the event.
18 Mar 2015
DLN Report Card Preview: Accelerating Students in Florida
This means Florida schools no longer have to rely on seat time to award academic credits. Advanced students who master the material quickly can move on to another course, cutting down on boredom. Struggling students can take more time so they are not left behind. Learning is the constant and seat time is the variable.
13 Mar 2015
EdPolicy Leaders Online: Access to Education’s Top Experts
I am excited today to announce a new initiative by the Foundation for Excellence in Education called EdPolicy Leaders Online, a series of free, self-paced online education reform massive open online courses (MOOCs) designed specifically for policymakers and education reform partners. The best part is – you can enroll right now!
19 Feb 2015
Technology + innovation = gains in math
Recently, New Classrooms released an independent study of the first two years of implementation of its new middle school math program called Teach to One, which is a blended and personalized learning program that allows students to learn at their own academic level in an instructional format that is most likely to help them succeed.
18 Dec 2014
Everything I needed to know about student data, I learned in kindergarten
By: Andrew Kossack Everything I needed to know about student data, I learned in kindergarten. My son’s kindergarten class, specifically. Recently, my wife and I experienced our first parent-teacher conference as a mom and dad. Our son’s school encourages its students to lead parent-teacher conferences, so our little five-year-old served as the official host for the…
11 Dec 2014
When the Stars Align in Support of Learning . . .
By: Karla Phillips There is one key area where K-12 and higher education policy intersect—teacher preparation. Higher education needs college and career ready graduates while K-12 turns around and asks for better equipped teachers. I think it’s safe to say that there is broad agreement on the importance and impact a great teacher can make—a…
8 Dec 2014
Pre-#EIE14 Experience: Blended D.C. Policy Hackathon
By: Tom Vander Ark & Carri Schneider Blended, personalized and competency-based learning holds promise for boosting achievement in high challenge cities like Washington, D.C.–that was the conclusion reached by a group of policy makers that toured schools in the nation’s capital yesterday. Digital Learning Now, an initiative of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, hosted school visits…
20 Nov 2014