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Dennis OConnor

The Wrath Against Khan: Why Some Educators Are Questioning Khan Academy - 0 views

  • While "technology will replace teachers" seems like a silly argument to make, one need only look at the state of most school budgets and know that something's got to give. And lately, that something looks like teachers' jobs, particularly to those on the receiving end of pink slips. Granted, we haven't implemented a robot army of teachers to replace those expensive human salaries yet (South Korea is working on the robot teacher technology. I'll keep you posted.). But we are laying off teachers in mass numbers. Teachers know their jobs are on the line, something that's incredibly demoralizing for a profession already struggles mightily to retain qualified people.
  • it's hard not to see that wealth as having political not just economic impact. Indeed, the same week that Bill Gates spoke to the Council of Chief State School Officers about ending pay increases for graduate degrees in teaching, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan issued almost the very same statement. What does all of this have to do with Sal Khan? Well, nothing... and everything.
  • One of education historian Diane Ravitch's oft-uttered complaints is that we now have a bunch of billionaires like Gates dictating education policy and education reform, without ever having been classroom teachers themselves (or without having attended public school). But the skepticism about Khan Academy isn't just a matter of wealth or credentials of Khan or his backers. It's a matter of pedagogy.
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  • No doubt, Khan has done something incredible by creating thousands of videos, distributing them online for free, and now designing an analytics dashboard for people to monitor and guide students' movements through the Khan Academy material. And no doubt, lots of people say they've learned a lot by watching the videos. The ability pause, rewind, and replay is often cited as the difference between "getting" the subject matter through classroom instruction and "getting it" via Khan Academy's lecture-demonstrations.
  • Although there's a tech component here that makes this appear innovative, that's really a matter of form, not content, that's new. There's actually very little in the videos that distinguishes Khan from "traditional" teaching. A teacher talks. Students listen. And that's "learning." Repeat over and over again (Pause, rewind, replay in this case). And that's "drilling."
jim con

USD 70 Million World Bank Loan for Karnataka Health Systems | eHEALTH Magazine - 0 views

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    An agreement for World Bank assistance of USD 70 million for the 'Additional Financing of Karnataka Health Systems Development and Reform Project' was signed by Shri Prabodh Saxena, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Michael Haney, Operations Advisor, World Bank (India) on behalf of the World Bank and Dr. Vishal R., Project Administrator on behalf of the Government of Karnataka.
John Evans

Finland's Schools Are Overhauling The Way They Do Things. Here's How - 2 views

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    "Finland's education system, often held up as an exemplary model for the rest of the world, is on the verge of making some major changes. For years, Finland has led the pack in international test scores, becoming a source of fascination for education policymakers and experts. Now, the country is changing the way it teaches students. Going forward, Finnish schools will be placing less emphasis on individual subjects like math and history, and will instead focus on broader, more interdisciplinary topics. The goal, according to Finnish leaders, is to provide students with the necessary skills for a more technological, global society. Here are three things you need to know about Finland's changing education system:"
John Evans

Go Make Something | John Spencer - 3 views

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    "Over the last year and a half, I been intentionally responding to every complaint I make about education with the following questions: What have I made that helps solve this problem?  If not . . .  Who do I know that is solving this problem? How can I promote that solution?  I don't always have the answers and I don't have the time or the knowledge or the capacity to create solutions. But even that, in itself, is a step in the right direction. Sometimes admitting that you don't know the answer is a part of the solution."
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