Real Change or the Next Illusion: Coding, Robotics and Makerspaces

It’s here and coming to a school near you. Coding, Robotics and Makerspaces (CRAM) comprise the latest trend in educational reform. Is CRAM the marketing hype of an information technology industry? Is it the next new thing for grantmakers, the hope—and perhaps fear—of K-12 educators, or the reasonable expert estimate of a sea change in … Read more »

Does Everyone Need to Go to College?

  Just google “does everyone need to go to college?” and you will have ample opportunity to view all the reasons why other pathways to good paying jobs are available. That’s what I did. In many cases, I did read some persuasive arguments about the rewards of pursuing career and technical education (CTE) skills leading … Read more »

The Crisis in Civility

Photo by Jay L. Baker, Office of the Maryland Governor; https://flic.kr/p/jHQUNd; CC by 2.0

  The country faces a severe civility deficit. A survey administered annually since 2010 finds that Americans believe civility to be at crisis levels and that the nation has lost stature because of it. Survey respondents say that the responsibility for the civility crisis lies largely with politicians (75%), the internet/social media (69%), and the … Read more »

Professional Development: On the Chopping Block

Photo by U.S. Department of Education, https://flic.kr/p/r5uQ5y

I love the definition of insanity often attributed to Einstein: “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” I think of that often when I am trying to put together one of my grandson’s new toys without success. So does this definition of insanity resonate with educators? In education, we often struggle with … Read more »

Teaching Citizenship in a Divided America

Photo by DoDEA, https://flic.kr/p/Y6FqFZ, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

  The past several decades have marked an era of “college and career” in America’s schools. The two C’s echo in school hallways, driven by a political priority on economic competitiveness. But since the tectonic presidential election, as we’ve seen the ascendancy of attacks on our institutions and been stunned by the march of hate … Read more »

Is “For-Profit Education” an Oxymoron?

  We applaud entrepreneurs that have an idea, take a risk and strike it big. It’s the American way. So some may ask, why does government and the larger educational community look skeptically at a for-profit entity that is operating a school or college? Why can’t for-profits operate effectively in public sector arenas such as … Read more »

Arming Students Against Bad Information

Photo by thekirbster (https://flic.kr/p/UFZbwJ) [CC-BY-2.0]

All consumers of information need to be able to distinguish fact from opinion and recognize any bias, including one’s own, that may influence the quality or depth of understanding what we are reading or hearing. For this reason, these skills are staples of the language arts and social studies curricula. Yet, with new forms of … Read more »

The Case for New Metrics

  The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) introduces a major policy shift. Responsibility is going back to the states for setting academic standards and holding schools accountable for ensuring that students are learning. With each state now determining its own metrics for gauging student success, the question arises: how can states ensure that a student … Read more »