Afternoon Announcments: December 15, 2011

Good Afternoon, it's almost the weekend so hurry through your evening. But don't rush through the latest in education news.

It looks like someone in the Department of Education needs to reassess their calculation skills. According to the New York Times, a new study by the Center for Educational Policy found that the Secretary of Education largely overstated the percent of schools nationwide that are failing under the No Child Left Behind act. While Secretary Arne Duncan initially reported 82 percent of schools are failing, it turns out that in reality, it is slightly above half of that- 48 percent.

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Afternoon Announcements: December 14, 2011

More like evening announcements? Enjoy the latest in education news as you make your way through the rush hour commute. 

Being unemployed in this economy is not uncommon and incredibly difficult. But being unemployed and uneducated may just set you back even more. Education Week reports that the U.S. House of Representatives is considering a bill that would require Americans filing for unemployment insurance to have a high school diploma or GED in order to receive benefits. Those who don't must be working toward one. Ouch.

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Alliance President Responds to New York Times

In a recent article, the New York Times highlights the failures of low-quality online learning programs. The writer’s key points include for-profit providers using marketing and advertising to get larger market shares of students contrasted with the substandard conditions of these programs such as high student-to-teacher ratios, unprepared teachers, and inadequate personalization. The results of these programs are often poorer outcomes in achievement and graduation than traditional public schools. This happens even as programs are conducting aggressive and successful lobbying campaigns to increase their footprint in education. Alliance for Excellent Education President Bob Wise offers his thoughts on the article as well as larger criticism toward the use of digital technology in the classroom.

Utilizing technology in the classroom continues to be a growing concept and with that comes new criticisms, skeptics, and proponents. The issue for the Alliance for Excellent Education is constantly showing what quality application of technology looks like. The question that the New York Times and The Nation seem to want to raise is whether technology and the private sector should be in the classroom. That really is a false and unrelated issue for most schools. Technology will be there; the issue is whether it will be effective and truly boost student outcomes.

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Afternoon Announcements: December 13, 2011

Happy Tuesday. Enjoy a break from meetings and monotony with the latest in education news.

A long standing argument for why students in other countries outperform Americans has been the theory that American children spend less time in school. This includes less hours within the day and less days within the year. But a new report from the Washington Post exposes that theory as just a myth. No worries kids, your school day will not be getting longer.

 

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Afternoon Announcements: December 12, 2011

It's yet another slow and sluggish Monday. As you reach for coffee number four, take a look at the latest in education news.

The Alliance strives to raise awareness of the dire need to focus more attention on high schools in terms of educational reform. A new study by researchers at John Hopkins University and the University of Arizona underscores this mission. According to the Washington Post, the study finds that two-fifths of high school students graduate prepared neither for traditional college nor for career training.

Apparently, schools around the country could use a lesson from the military. The New York Times reports that schools located on U.S. military bases outperform public schools based on results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

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Afternoon Announcements: December 7, 2011

Congratulations! It's the middle of the week, two days in and two more to go. Let's make them productive shall we? Here are the top stories in education news.

Recess has long been the time to release the stress of class by playing kickball, soccer, or just running around on the playground. Now, elementary schools across New York City are opting to replace beloved recess with enrichment courses. The New York Times enlights us on the newest competition to a childhood pasttime.

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Wise: Digital Learning Has Produced Noticeable Gains

The World Economic Forum recently announced that the United States fell to fifth place in its annual competitiveness rankings behind Switzerland, Singapore, Sweden, and Finland—countries known not just for competitive economies but also for their world-class education systems. While the United States continues to enjoy benefits from earlier education investments, it risks falling further behind if it fails to embrace advances in technology that can improve education outcomes for all students.

Last Sunday’s New York Times article, “In Classroom of Future, Stagnant Scores,” gives an incomplete picture of the current—and rapidly developing—use of technology and digital learning. By focusing essentially on one Arizona school district, the article ignores the positive changes taking place in many other schools and districts as a result of innovative instructional methods that use technology to improve teaching and learning. Successful initiatives implement technology as part of a comprehensive plan that personalizes learning for the student, allows teachers to be more effective, and gives students access to richer content in an engaging way. While more research still needs to be done, there are many schools around the country that have achieved noticeable student gains by adding digital learning and technology focused on increased personalized learning for students and additional teacher training.

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In New York, Gov. Wise Calls For Focus On Teachers As ‘Educational Designers’

At the New York Times’ conference on education and technology yesterday, Bob Wise — president of the Alliance and former governor of West Virginia — said the United States is entering the phase of “Web 3.0,” a new era focused on how to effectively use technology in the classroom by emphasizing the teacher’s role.

While in the past digital learning had often been limited to a virtual world used by homeschooled students or those with special needs, it has become more of a blended-learning model used by students in traditional schools. Wise said America is moving on to an important third stage: conversations are now focusing on how technology can empower teachers to become “educational designers” by using their professional expertise to help students learn in a personalized manner.

“For the first time we’re talking about the serious role of the teacher,” Wise said. “The teacher has always been involved, but in this “Web 3.0,” it’s high-tech equals high teach […] Teachers are designing a path for each student in that class — that is a professional responsibility. Teaching doesn’t become less, it becomes more in this world.”

Wise made these remarks at the New York Times’ “Schools for Tomorrow” conference during the last session entitled “Closing Debate: The System,” moderated by Times columnist David Brooks.

 

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