Are the old basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic relevant in the 21st century? Or, is it time for an upgrade? Arthur Harkins and I assembled a list of New Basics for education that can help us leapfrog to an education paradigm that is both…
I received feedback from several readers that Arthur Harkins’ reasoning for why we need to Leapfrog might seem a bit too Machiavellian — “us versus them.” I therefore hope everybody will enjoy the contrast of perspective in this next video. In early November, we had…
Last month, IBM took out a two-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal that touted their vision for a smarter planet. They believe: The world continues to get “smaller” and “flatter.” But we see now that being connected isn’t enough. Fortunately, something else is happening…
This post goes without commentary as CNET’s interview with Scott Elrod, vice president of the hardware systems laboratory at the Palo Alto Research Center, pretty much sums it all. Well, okay, CNET sums it up as well: By hiring curious and passionate people, management doesn’t…
An innovative program offered in some Massachusetts elementary schools is giving kids a chance to become bilingual early—and learn from each other. This story in the Boston Globe describes how the program, which begins in kindergarten, mixes native English speakers and native Spanish speakers and…
Even in a week packed with all kinds of dire predictions about the economy, it was hard to ignore this headline: Kids Less Likely To Graduate Than Parents. (See the AP story here) According to the report by the Education Trust, more than one in…
How do we convince professional development programs that leaders need a 21st century, global mindset? Are there models of higher education that are consistently, proactively, and effectively building school leaders who are prepared to compete in a knowledge economy? More accurately, are there higher education…
I am involved in an Institute of Educational Sciences project with Seward Incorporated out of Minneapolis. We are currently building a simulation to support a Model Eliciting Activity (MEA). MEAs are predominantly used in STEM areas (science, technology, engineering, and mathematic). Here is a good read on how MEAs have been…
[Cross-posted from Leapfrog Institutes newswire.] Last March, Minneapolis Public Schools announced that Edison High School and Washburn High School will be overhauled in response to under-performance. As part of the “fresh start” agenda, nearly all staff members at each school received notice that their contracts…
We had the fortunate opportunity to interview Dr. Janet Hively, founder of Minnesota’s Vital Aging Network and co-founder of the SHiFT network. In this video, she shares with us what what is unique about Minnesota’s approach to innovation, the conditions necessary for fostering innovation, and…
