Video that makes you think about how teaching with technology is much more than accessing Information... it is about developing student Curation Skills of identifying, connecting, creating greater meaning, and then sharing new ideas around that information.

"The ingredients of social and collaboration have become key factors in successfully fostering innovation. But often it's not easy for organizations to transform their approach from single-area silo discussions to open, collaborative conversations."

Cooperative Learning is something that not only works for students...it works for adult professional groups (teachers) also.

Short Summary of The Global Achievement Gap "In his 2008 book, The Global Achievement Gap, Tony Wagner discusses a variety of ways to improve education in the United States. At the heart of his thinking is the need for all schools to teach what he calls the "Seven Survival Skills", which have much in common with the thoughts of Friedman and Pink (who are both cited in his book)."

1. Critical thinking and problem solving 2. Collaboration across networks and leading by influence 3. Agility and adaptability 4. Initiative and entrepreneurialism 5. Effective oral and written communication 6. Accessing and analyzing information 7. Curiosity and imagination

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development report on Finland. Covers: * Commitment to education and to children * Cultural support for universal high achievement * Teacher and principal quality * Accountability * How money is spent * Instructional practice * School organization * Sequencing of reforms to economic development * Cultivating behaviors for the knowledge economy

Maintaining a strongly supportive school system in which teachers and students share responsibility for results Finland has one of the world's best performing education systems. Thanks to years of steady progress in education reform, its secondary school students regularly achieve high scores in PISA tests.

"...the key to understanding ePortfolios is realizing that what you're looking at is a supporting technology that opens up an enormous range of potential for evidence-based learning."

Association for Authentic, Experiential and Evidence-Based Learning (AAEEBL) Monday, July 16, 2012 Boston, MA "This Institute will launch a conversation among educators and enable participants to raise questions and examine issues about the implementation of eportfolio programs for K-12 teaching, learning and beyond."

Website also has significant amount of information, resources, and exemplars re for those engaged in ePortfolio work.

One page overview of program.

Would love to learn more about this.

"Specialist High Skills Majors let students focus on a career path that matches their skills and interests while meeting the requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Students receive the SHSM's seal on their diploma.

While this program is definitely more career based, it could be modified to provide flexibility in what I am calling the "focus area electives"...which can be highly personalized by individual students within the same Focus Area who are career or college bound...or are not quite sure yet of what they want to do after high school.

An unconference, free conference for teachers, administrators and anyone involved in education. Essex Middle School on April 14, 2012

"Mind, Brain, and Education is the first in a nine paper series from JFF called Students at the Center.  Like all of JFF's work, the series focuses on helping students from all backgrounds graduate ready for post secondary education and the 21st century knowledge economy."

Australian lit. review of mostly US & UK research on effects of high-stakes testing...sections on: Reliability, Student Health & Well-being, Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum.

As we head this direction... Thanks ACSR for the heads up on this link.

"Here are five of the key leadership lessons that you can take away from Captain Kirk as you pilot your own organization into unknown futures."

Kobayashi Maru? I was never very good with languages in school. Does that translate to No Child Left Behind?

Debatable, but interesting reforms.  While I may not agree with all of the pieces I do like that they are taking a multipronged approach...and that they are not just talking about transformation, but taking real and decisive actions.

"I teach in an inquiry, project-based, technology embedded classroom. A mouthful, I know. So what does that mean? To begin with, I don't lecture. My students don't take notes, at least not in the traditional sense, and we don't read a novel and simply answer the questions. It means my classroom is a place where my students spend time piecing together what they have learned, critically evaluating its larger purpose, and reflecting on their own learning. It also means my students don't acquire knowledge just for the sake of acquiring it. They need to do something with it - that's where "project-based" comes into play. Finally, technology is embedded into the structure of all we do. It's part of how we research, how we capture information, and how we display our learning. It's never an accessory tacked on at the end."

Leveraging Technology For professional learning, teacher effectiveness and student achievement. Wednesday, May 9th Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH

29 Great pieces of wisdom for all educators to reflect on.

"1. Open up lessons 2. Think outside the classroom box 3. Get personal 4. Tap into students' digital expertise 5. Get real with projects 6. Expect (and help) students to be teachers 7. Help (and expect) teachers to be students 8. Measure what matters 9. Work with families, not just children 10. Power to the student"