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evaluating K-12 online learning

Its clear, the Common Core Standards are creating new market opportunities.

Online schools benefit who? children or taxpayers, or a company that thrives by squeezing profits from public schools by raising enrollment , increasing teacher load, and lowering standards?

I definitely recommend taking a look at Edudemic Magazine.

SIIA (Software & Information Industry Association) is hosting a webinar about its efforts to create a standard metadata framework for tagging and delivering learning resources matched to individuals' needs, in line with . Unfortunately, it is during next week's section, but perhaps it will be archived...

Here is the link to the archived version of the SIIA webinar I posted about a few days ago: "The Learning Resource Metadata Initiative (LRMI) is working to create a standard metadata framework for tagging educational resources on the web to enhance search, discovery and delivery of educational content. The project is funded by the Gates and Hewlett Foundations, administered through AEP and Creative Commons, and builds on the broader Schema.org project by leading search engines Bing, Google, and Yahoo! This webinar provides an overview of the LRMI goals and deliverables, an update on progress and timelines, a look at the technical specifications, and a discussion of its implementation and impact with a focus on content publishers, aggregators and other digital learning providers."

Duncan pushes technology verbally, but does not act on the national ed tech plan and has eliminated funding for technology. This is bad reporting by someone who does not understand the subject and does not ask tough questions

Comment: As we're talking about the Common Core Standards, this is a concept which aligns itself to the CCSS. I volunteered through a non-profit organization this summer to teach AVID classes concepts about the world of work, entrepreneurship and personal finances. (AVID is advancement via Individualistic Determination) 

A special report on the future of higher education and the role of innovation - lots of interesting and relevant topics here, including rethinking assessment standards, flipping classrooms, and reinventing the academic calendar.

One example of the perils of standardized testing

Can an emerging technology be 'disruptive' and 'emerging' at the same time? Pre-disruption perhaps? Either way, I don't see this hack replacing the bulky, expensive and single use mode of the standard cardiovascular systems, but then again, is't that how these things develop? Imagine a game that actually got your heart moving (ala Nintendo Wii Fitness) while also running a diagnostic analysis on the back end... Still, Donkey Kong has a terrible bedside manner.

DC is keeping/firing teachers based on "grading" teachers in their successes with their students on standardized tests.

In the USDOE Educational Technology plan, Universal Design for Learning standards require that information be presented in a way that is accessible to people with disabilities such as sight or hearing impairment. I found this article about automatic text-to-sign avatar software that would seem to be a no-brainer for anybody who is creating an eLearning experience that is primarily text-based. We have text-to-speech, which is as easy as opening a document and having a robot read the text for you. I wonder if there are any text-to-sign avatars that are available in English.

I love competative learning labs. I wish this project based co-opetition model were a standard in our schools. Innovation and team dynamics are mindsets and skills that need to be developed in our kids.

Webconfessionals probably don't have the same cleansing powers as the standard booths, but if you are in a pinch... But how is this different than the 700 Club

Interesting.

Also, I can't imagine that education will make the fear of failure extinct. It may make failing a bit more tolerable with individualized instruction, but I can't image that the pressure on students to succeed will decrease; it seems more likely that it will increase.

I appreciated that they mentioned learning HTML. I wish I learned that in school -- I think basic web design should be a 21st century skill.

Speaking of being wary of marketers pitching 'magical digital products'...this study found "no discernible effects" on high school students standardized test scores - of course, we must ask how the effects were measured (what the test actually tests) and measure in what ways software has a meaningful effect on student's learning...

I think Karen Cator makes a good point in the article when she talks about standardized tests being the sole gauge for assessing the effectiveness of the programs. While the programs may be used with the intent to improve test scores, I'd also argue it's important for digital literacy to be valued as a skill in its own right. Thus while test scores may not reflect the sought-after results, other important skills may still have been developed by using the programs.

American Library Association details how tech must be employed in conjunction with common core standards

A financial / investment perspective of the Education industry is offered in this report. I think the interesting thing is this section: "With the implementation of the Common Core standardized curriculum, the focus on content is becoming less about differentiation and more about delivery through emerging technology platforms," stated Mary Jo Zandy, Managing Director at Berkery Noyes. "Interactive assessment tools that measure student progress, particularly in the quantitative disciplines, will thus become even more important in K-12 education as schools aim to meet specific testing benchmarks."