Libraries are actively reinventing themselves for the digital age. Confronted with corrosive budgets, skyrocketing costs, and challenged by a fear of obsolesce resulting from the accelerating rate of technological change; libraries are struggling for their survival. For the academic library — the “heart” of the modern research university — survival requires demonstrating their value in new ways, [...]
The purpose of the Invisible Learning Tour was to raise awareness for the need for innovation in education. Mainstream teaching focuses mainly on the preparation of students for compartmentalized roles and jobs (mainly factory workers and bureaucrats) that contrast sharply with the needs of the modern economy, which requires people that are imaginative, creative, and innovative. We explored ideas, existing options, and new pathways for learning that is relevant for the 21st century.
Last month, Douglas Rushkoff released “Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age,” a book on how to manage your freedom and identity in a social media-powered world. The question he asks –and I think this is critical for educators to consider– is do we lead in using technology, or do we let it use us?
Back in August, Josh Bernoff tweeted an offer for a free copy of his new book, Empowered, in exchange for a review at Amazon. I enjoyed his previous book, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies, co-authored with Charlene Li, so I took him up on the offer. Somehow, there was a delay in getting the book to me, and the text did not arrive until we were well into the fall semester — not a good time for a review. So, this is a little bit late, but better than never.
[Photo by darkmatter] Keeping with Education Futures’ annual tradition, I released five predictions for global education in 2009 early last year. How did I do? Much better than my predictions for 2008! Let’s look: No Child Left Behind won’t get left behind. Contrary to all the data that shows that NCLB is a miserable failure, [...]
I like conceptual maps –tools for illustrating the relationships among ideas– and, Tero Heiskanen created an interesting one. It’s huge. Without any further commentary: Settlers of the shift is an open map of experts, organizations and ideas that are scattered around the globe. It’s for people whose work is shifting us towards a better tomorrow [...]
Continuing a tradition that started last year, I am listing my predictions for the big stories that will impact the education world in 2009. My predictions from last year were hit-and-miss, but I did well overall. How will I fare this year? No Child Left Behind won’t get left behind. Contrary to all the data [...]
This summer, Leapfrog Institutes and Education Futures interviewed Arthur Smith, a Boston-based media producer, on what the role public media might take on to help a state become a leader in innovation. His answer: making innovation economy jobs accessible and fun. More in the video:
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