I'm betting on social learning platforms as a lever for improvement at scale in education. Instead of a classroom as the primary organizing principle, social networks will become the primary building block of learning communities (both formal and informal). Smart recommendation engines will queue personalized content. Tutoring, training, and collaboration tools will be applications that run on social networks. New schools will be formed around these capabilities. Teachers in existing schools will adopt free tools yielding viral, bureaucracy-cutting productivity improvement.
In the coming decade, most middle and high schools will adopt some version of 1:1 technology, online learning will play an increasing role, and learning experiences will be conducted and coordinated on social learning platforms. While adoption won't be simple and smooth, it will cut through the typical barriers that block other reforms.
Christine Bushong on 09 Mar 16AdLit offers information and resources for parents and educators of struggling adolescent readers and writers in fourth through 12th grade. Its content is free and provided by a nationwide multimedia project from WETA, Washington D.C.'s public radio and TV station. From book suggestions to classroom strategies and college-readiness advice, everything here is available to the public. There's no sign-in required; the site is easy to browse and broken down into sections such as Common Core Classroom, Hot Topics, and Research and Reports, among many others. Rotating features on the home page include segments like "Choosing a Book in the Comfort Zone" and "Thinking About Assessment and Evaluation." The site also hosts videos and webcasts featuring professional development and discussions related to adolescent literacy. Read More
