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''Previously, standardized tests accounted for 100% of a school's API (academic performance index). Under the new rules California high schools will have no more than 60% of students' test scores contribute to their API. ''

I've been waiting for this to happen-- High performing teachers will be maximized by somehow giving them more students. Shaky premise especially when teacher burnout is considered or just plain sickness.

Karen Cator, director of education technology with the U.S. Department of Education touts keystroke-sensitive algorithms are capable of guiding students for learning, accessible to teachers, parents and the students. "Education technology, as in the gaming world, has the ability to assess performance every step of the way, comparing students to classmates across schools, districts, states and the world, with immediate feedback and direction. No final exam necessary."

NCLB pressures on high schools to perform

This article highlights how virtual education can transform the learning experience for students with special needs, as well and low and high performing students by allowing them to slow down or speed up according to their needs. As more and more students enroll in online courses, public schools are trying to figure out how incorporate virtual learning into their districts.

Voters in Idaho voted 2:1 to repeal a RTTT-inspired state law that would have brought 1:1 laptop programs to all high schools and required all students to take 2 online or blended courses in order to graduate from high school. The public felt that the law would have "diverted taxpayer dollars to technology corporations and marginalized teachers."

Idaho voted down several education measures including one to require participation in an online course before high school graduation and a shift to 1-to-1 computing in schools.

Arizona State University is using data mining to collect information on their students and help guide them to the "most appropriate major". also, in class, using data collection methods, teachers collect information to be used in assessment Ex: "Ms. Galayda can monitor their progress. In her cubicle on a recent Monday, she sees the intimacies of students' study routines - or lack of them - from the last activity they worked on to how many tries they made at each end-of-lesson quiz. For one crammer, the system registers 57 attempts on multiple quizzes in seven days. Pulling back to the big picture, a chart shows 15 students falling behind (in red) and 17 on schedule (in green)."

wow this is kind of bothersome on some levels and kinda amazing on other levels. While I can see the benefit of understanding where and how a student is more likely to succeed, I think there are some potential dangers with such a system. There is the what I would imagine the psychological effect of such a program and I am thinking particularly about STEM fields where women are already way under-represented and often self conscious about their performance, do you really also need a system telling you you shouldn't be majoring in that as well cause you're not performing at that point....or what about a student who really wants to be an engineer but maybe hasn't been fully prepared with the appropriate math courses in high school, would he or she be filtered into another major? I understand using such a system as a means to target help for example if a student could get an assessment of where they currently are, where they want to go and how to get there....

Indian college classrooms have not integrated technology into learning and teaching, so private companies - teaching the skills needed to perform in their specific career paths - are taking the lead, showing that universities need to catch up.

Mutlisensory presentations are the way to go for future learning and gaming. Neuroscience studies show that increasing senses in learning process helps reinforce memory and improve performance.

Right here in our Boston area back yard. An initiative by the very high performing MATCH charter school.

Words of wisdom from a leader in education.

I like this guy; he's wise and practical -- a great combination

I agree, great and rare combination. I like what he says about learning from others and setting yourself a benchmark based on a high performance. That is a good thing for anybody to learn and practice.

In most the world's most "successful" classrooms, technology is absent.

Thought provoking (except for that odd use the phrase "tricked-out" :-) )