Bill Gates' Stay-In-School TV Show & Charter Prosperity

by Mike Smith

Published September 13, 2009 @ 02:53PM PT

Having invested $2 billion in education programs, Bill and Melinda Gates are teaming up with Viacom to produce TV show "Get Schooled." It will aim to cut the dropout rate by encouraging kids to stay in school. It'll feature celebrities, but focus on the people working behind the celebrities, and how important education was to them. The AP report goes off on a strange tangent to praise charter schools, which seems irrelevant — this isn't about quality, but about inspiring kids to stick around. Do charter schools do a better job of this? They're certainly seeing a surge of students, and a surge of funding from private investors which can't hurt.

[Photo credit: World Economic Forum]

Has One Laptop Per Child Been A Terrible Failure?

by Mike Smith

Published September 11, 2009 @ 11:36AM PT

The dream of the One Laptop Per Child Program (OLPC) may be over. Change.org alumni Alanna Shaikh explains how the program was too expensive, and writes of the constant changes made to laptop operating system. In the U.S. order fulfillment has been especially problematic and its effect on learning in the developing world may have been minimal. She points to a great piece by Timothy Ogden who finds "there appear to be cheaper, more effective ways to improve education in developing nations."

Ogden notes studies that indicate computing may hurt learning and that simply delivering deworming medication can significantly improve school attendance for a cheap price. An expert backs up his claims, saying "if deworming follows the pattern we saw in the U.S ... we could see a 30 percent increase in lifetime earnings." Sounds a lot better than what a costly computer can achieve, right? Michael Kleiman has been making a documentary about his experience with OLPC and in coming weeks he'll present a personal perspective on the successes of the scheme.

[Photo credit: OLPC]

NASA Appreciate Long-Game, Restate Necessity of Science Ed

by Mike Smith

Published September 10, 2009 @ 07:00AM PT

NASA appreciate that to stay ahead in space technology, they need to ensure the U.S education system is up to scratch, and continue to invest in the "most valuable resource": the next generation. Charles F. Bolden Jr., administrator of NASA, explained in an op-ed, "we need new scientists and engineers if we are to remain competitive and retain our role as the technological leaders in the world." He's pleased with President Obama's work so far, with his administration tripling science fellowships and prioritizing science, technology, engineering, and math education at the top of the Race To The Top funds. NASA will do their part, providing resources, content and expertise to help train the future workforce.

But there's no word on diversification. Fewer women and minorities are graduating from Computer Science degrees, with the U.S. education system blamed for not inspiring kids to break stereotypes. The National Science Foundation's K-12 program is working to change that by working to inspire kids in middle and high school, but a shortage of computer science teachers doesn't help matters.

[Photo credit: buglugs]

Economic Crisis Continues to Hinder and Hit Schools and Teachers

by Mike Smith

Published September 09, 2009 @ 04:36PM PT

The stimulus package — better known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act — is affecting schools at the bottom and at the top of performance rankings. Schools across the spectrum have been able to rehire teachers thanks to $100 billion in federal money being made available, reported the New York Times yesterday. But the economic crisis continues to disrupts schools and school districts, having the effect of pushing up class sizes and leaving thousands of other teachers out of work.

Meanwhile, Washington D.C. schools are celebrating high attendance, happy to see as many pupils as possible in school, with more than 44,000 enrolled this year. The news was encouraging for the D.C. system explained the Washington Post who noted that about 30,000 of the district's enrolled students are in charter schools. Even successful, prosperous schools are facing cuts that necessitate dramatic reform.

[Photo credit: Edkohler]

Turnaround Strategies & the President's Back-To-School Message

by Mike Smith

Published September 08, 2009 @ 05:46AM PT

Turnaround strategies for the lowest performing schools are one of the major focuses of the economic stimulus program for education. At the end of August Arne Duncan announced that in order to end cycles of poverty and social failure "we must address the needs of children who have long been ignored and marginalized in chronically low-achieving schools." $3 billion to fund new resources and improve teaching quality will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, with money only going to schools that support "rigorous intervention" and promise "rapid improvements." Duncan certainly favors dramatic turnaround policies, as his support for the Race To The Top program indicates — a program targeting high-quality, rather than failing schools.

This is all happening as Barack Obama is set to address students in a back-to-school address that emphasizes an investment of responsibility: By government, by teachers, and by students:

...at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

At almost 2,500 words, it's a lot for students to sit to take in, but he know it's not just the kids listening:

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need ... I'm working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn.

[Photo credit: Changedotgov]

Increase in Homelessness Strains School Aid

by Mike Smith

Published September 07, 2009 @ 09:05AM PT

As the new school year begin, the economic crisis continues to rear its head, straining kids' education, and forcing schools to invest in extra buses to pick up kids from motels and RV parks. The number of homeless kids is rumored to have doubled in the last two years, with figures from enrollment indicating further rises, reports the NY Times. The question of who'll pick up the bill for these costs is being asked, with temporary stimulus grants filling some of the gaps, whilst many work as liasons to the homeless, going beyond the call of duty to get supplies to kids, and ensure they can all get to school.

Meanwhile, schools districts continue to make a big show of their innovation and reform in an attempt to win Race to the Top Funds. The funds are intended to also reward teacher effectiveness; an extra challenge when kids are coming and going, caught in the turmoil of an economic crisis.

[Photo credit: wheany]

Educational Olympics Helps Kids Learn How to Learn

by Allan Weis

Published September 04, 2009 @ 03:38PM PT

ThinkQuest, the educational Olympics on the Web, motivates kids to create educational web sites and content for others to use as they learn. A passionate believer in the power of the Net to revolutionize learning and close the educational resources gap among students, I founded ThinkQuest® in 1995.

A philanthropic initiative designed as a competition, ThinkQuest honored its annual winners with up to $2,000,000 in scholarships and cash awards, and became the fastest growing Internet-based educational program in the world.

The most innovative idea in ThinkQuest is the ThinkQuest journey – the path the kids and their coaches take to participate in the program. Along this path, kids learn how to learn, they learn how to use and push the technology to make their sites fun and attractive, they learn the topic they are trying to teach others, they learn how to work with each other across economic and cultural boundaries, and they learn project management skills.

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