Innovation

edCircuit Opinion:
Walk into any public school today and what do you see? Most likely groups of desks for students to sit, shelves filled with books intended to strengthen their imagination and support their pursuit of learning, or hopefully a room filled with computers. We’ve entered the 21st century, and technology is more prevalent now more than ever before. It’s common to see a child sitting quietly, playing the latest popular game on their iPad. Or teens (and adults!), completely consumed by their smartphones.

The VH1 Save The Music Foundation in partnership with Grammy nominated singer Charlie Puth, and Casio America announced the 2016 winners of Keys + Kids, a competitive grant program created in response to the lack of functional pianos in public schools.

The 18 winning schools will receive a piano grant valued at $10,000 of instruments, including a Casio Grand Hybrid piano and three keyboards to support their school’s music, drama, and community programs.

This post, COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION: The Working Definition, was originally published in SEEN Magazine and reprinted with Permission. 
The advocacy for competency-based education (CBE) has grown considerably in mainstream education over the last few years. Out from the shadows of alternative education, the idea that skills based mastery leads to achievement has come of age. Universities, colleges, and K12 education now consider competency-based education a viable option for improving the quality and effectiveness of teaching.
Competency-based education has at its core an emphasis on achievement.

This post, MARCHING TOWARDS COMPETENCY: Competency Based Learning: Instruction that Matches the Needs of Each Student, was originally published in SEEN Magazine and reprinted with permission. 
In theory, the choice is simple. Continue to implement a time-bound; age-based; one-size-fits-all curriculum-driven instructional model that has not served us well for many decades.

Zack Gilbert is currently teaching 6th grade social studies and language arts at Parkside Junior High School in Normal, IL. Zack is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a B.A. in History with a secondary teacher certificate and has an M.S. in Instructional Technology and Design from Illinois State University. His master’s research looked at the impact of educational games and how the knowledge gained through these games is stored into long term memory.

Dr. Celine Coggins, CEO of Teach Plus, spent time with Dr. Berger discussing the role education plays in helping educators build their own understanding for how policy impacts practice and overall enjoyment of practice. Coggins pulls back the proverbial curtain to share her own initial experiences exploring teaching as an option for her own career. The response her parents provided, though less than inspiring, provides context to the underground image so many Americans have about education and the decision to work in the sector. 

Eric Mazur is the Balkanski Professor of Physics and Applied Physics and Dean of Applied Physics at Harvard University, Member of the Faculty of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and President Elect of the Optical Society. Mazur sat down with Bob Greenberg, of the Brainwaves Video Anthology, to share his thoughts on who impacted his life path the most. 

John Larmer, Editor in Chief at the Buck Institute for Education (BIE), spent time with Dr. Berger at the annual ASCD conference in Atlanta. Larmer discusses the place Project Based Learning (PBL) has in 21st century learning. We also learn how districts approach teaching and learning from a PBL perspective. Larmer shares his advice for young people contemplating a career in education given his vast and diverse professional path.  

Play video: CoffeED: Sylvia Martinez (13 minutes 38 seconds)13:38 CoffeED: Sylvia Martinez13 min 38 sedCircuit on Vimeo Sylvia Martinez, leading author and speaker in the education technology space, spent time …