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Research shows that students have difficulty achieving deep understanding of many fundamental science concepts, for instance, the nature of matter, pressure, density, and electrical circuits to name but a few. After students have presumably learned the scientific explanations, they often revert back to their initial explanations. The Understandings of Consequence Project has demonstrated that part of the problem arises from differences in how students and scientists think about cause and effect. Scientific explanations often require students to structure knowledge in ways that contradict their expectations about the nature of how causes and effects behave. Such explanations can involve: causal mechanisms that are inferred or abstract; causal patterns that extend beyond linear and unidirectional to cyclic, reciprocal, and non-sequential; correspondences between causes and effects that are in various respects probabilistic; and causal agents that are decentralized and involve aspects of emergence. These are ways of thinking that students typically are not familiar with. Thus students attempt to assimilate information about complex concepts into simplistic causal structures which ultimately distort the information. In order to achieve deep understanding of scientific explanations, students need to learn the levels of these dimensions that fit the level of explanation needed. We have developed a taxonomy of causal models to guide these teaching and learning efforts. We have also developed a taxonomy of epistemological "moves", such as comparing more than one model and being alert to possible gaps in one's explanation, that serve scientific inquiry and lead to more complex conceptions.

About Digital Learning Now! (Jeb Bush's thing) Digital Learning Now! is a national campaign to advance policies that will create a high quality digital learning environment to better prepare students with the knowledge and skills to succeed in college and careers. Digital Learning Now! is building support for the 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning, which provides a roadmap for reform for lawmakers and policymakers to integrate digital learning into education. Establishing the Roadmap for Reform The Digital Learning Council was convened in 2010 to define the policies that will integrate current and future technological innovations into public education. The Digital Learning Council united a diverse group of more than 100 leaders from education, government, philanthropy, business, technology, and think tanks to develop the roadmap of reform for local, state and federal lawmakers and policymakers. Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida 1999 - 2007, and Bob Wise, former Governor of West Virginia 2001 - 2005, serve as co-chairmen. The Digital Learning Council covered a wide range of topics, including: student eligibility for digital learning, access to high quality digital content and instruction, customization and personalization of education such as blended learning, funding models, assessments and accountability. The 10 Elements of High Quality Digital Learning was released at the 2010 Excellence in Action National Summit on Education Reform in Washington, D.C.

analysis of the business model of higher education and how tech is innovating against that, and adding value

technique for capturing 3D surfaces for modeling in virtual environments

The classroom of 2020: the model of the traditional classroom is eroding

the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition, is an international alliance of academic and research libraries working to correct imbalances in the scholarly publishing system. Developed by the Association of Research Libraries, SPARC has become a catalyst for change. Its pragmatic focus is to stimulate the emergence of new scholarly communication models that expand the dissemination of scholarly research and reduce financial pressures on libraries. Action by SPARC in collaboration with stakeholders - including authors, publishers, and libraries - builds on the unprecedented opportunities created by the networked digital environment to advance the conduct of scholarship. Leading academic organizations have endorsed SPARC.

Blended Learning model as a "disruptive innovation" in education

FutureLab: Innovation in Education - based in the U.K., this consortium works to "transform the way people learn through innovative technology and practice"

This is a good model for CATE to study and replicate

Pixar University's Randy Nelson explains what schools must do to prepare for jobs in new media (Caroline - thought this was cool! :)

Revised Bloom's Taxonomy: good for aligning objectives, activities, and assessments

Digital Ethnography at Kansas State University: aggregates their wiki, blog, diigo, etc. (nice model)

Future of News Summit

Phrenopolis: the Solar System to scale

Phrenopolis: the Solar System to scale