wmfall2011

I think Ambient's growth rates beyond 2013 may be a little high, but I revised my view that learning at home will plateau at or below 10%.  With parent co-ops and microschools, an informal extension of friends and family, and early learning and care (learning predominantly at home supported by full or part time online enrollment in an online school or at least significant use of informal online learning resources) could approach or even exceed 9 million students or close to 15% of the P-12 population by 2020.

Essential schools aim for teaching students how to find out and critically evaluate the facts they need in a particular situation- the thoughtful habits of mind that are sometimes called the "higher literacies." Most standardized tests, critics say, lack the subtlety and sophistication needed to test such critical thinking skills.

The reach of the Internet could very well redefine education.