While the point of inception for online programs is somewhat subject to debate, the success and growth of this particular brand of education is undeniable. Historically however, the offerings for online degree programs have been somewhat limited. Many schools, such as Pepperdine University’s Graziado School of Business and Management have been successful with more traditional offerings like MBA degrees, but increasingly the online offerings have…

Universal access to tablets provides an opportunity to gather evidence

As students increasingly use technology in school, with many schools providing students with free digital devices, the opportunity has never been better to create innovative applications of technology and evaluate their impacts on student achievement, says Robert Slavin, Director of Johns Hopkins University's Center for Research and Reform in Education, …

Teacher preparation programs have to catch up.  Until then, filling the gaps that those shortcomings create has become the responsibility of the teachers and leaders in schools which hire recent graduates. Those districts large enough have teacher leaders, including department chairs, and curriculum personnel in the district office who can support the principals. Together they carry the burden of developing the novice teacher. But, many more schools have only the principal and the…

When Gandhi was studying law at the University College of London, a white professor, whose last name was Peters, disliked him intensely and always displayed prejudice and animosity toward him.  Also, because Gandhi never lowered his head when addressing him, as he expected, there were always "arguments" and confrontations.

 

One day, Mr. Peters was…

We think sleep is an important factor contributing to good physical and emotional health. We think good health is part of the foundation needed for learning. And we think the time is right to reexamine school schedules. But why not take advantage of the interest in changing school schedules and roll the rest of what needs to change for 21st century learning into this conversation? Schools for this century include research, re-designed curriculum,…

I first wrote about this 20 years ago; the issue is still around; and I think the academic left STILL pretends that calling something "prescriptive" is really VERY damning.

 They reach this verdict by a twisted sophistry that mixes up how you treat natives in the jungles of South America with how you treat people-- expert and not so expert – in New York City.

This may be…

 I'm trying to address a certain unreality, a certain abstraction,  a certain dishonesty, where children are  said to be learning 21st-century skills, critical thinking, collaboration, resilience, and so much more, but they don't know where Panama is on a map of the world. They don't know what 7×8 is. They don't know what a moon is.

They are as ignorant as bricks.

And here is a little secret. Our…

Story starter websites – In this School Library Journal feature, Richard Byrne suggests apps to help students get started with their writing. Here are three that are free:

• Write About This http://ow.ly/CwmbT 

• WordWriter http://www.boomwriter.com/wordwriter 

• StoryToolz…

In my never-ending quest for boiling everything down to a few paragraphs, I put up a short article called "Memo to mothers: how public schools damage your child."

 The four ways are: reading, arithmetic, knowledge, and attitudes. Make a mess of those four and you've pretty well  messed up another generation.…