|
REPORT No.2 - In This Issue:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOGETHER. SHAPING THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION
|
Why do our schools struggle to improve?
One of the critical reasons is that today's schools were not designed to achieve what we are currently asking them to do. Today's schools were designed over a century ago to emulate the efficient factories of that era. By standardizing the way they taught and tested students, school systems could educate children like standardized plants produced widgets. The model - in which we batch students up in classrooms and teach the same thing to all of them in exactly the same way - worked well enough when most students went directly to industrial jobs.
But back in 1900 only 17% of all jobs required knowledge workers, whereas more than 60% do today.
Today nothing in industry functions as it did back then. We now need students to master more challenging subject matter and develop more specialized skills. In the knowledge economy, people need to be more flexible on the one hand, while on the other they also benefit from cultivating their individual talents and interests.
Therefore factory-style education falls short today as it is an ineffective way for most children to learn and maximize their potential. So, while the world has changed, our schools have not. As every parent knows, each child has different learning needs at different times. If we hope to have all children succeed in school and in life, then we need a system that can customize for different student needs - the exact opposite of standardization.
Education Whitepaper, April 2013
|
" The rise of Open Educational Resources as a digital learning tool is transforming the modern-day classroom. To cope with this 21st Century "sea change in education," educators have been expected to master constantly evolving technology, new sources of content and revolutionary delivery systems.
But now there is help. Marianas Electronics in partnership with 3W Education Consulting Group brings together a collection of some of the nation's most respected experts with backgrounds in teaching, OER, administration, IT, EdTech, and digital learning infrastructure support. We speak your language. And we are committed to making your school's transformation to digital learning a success. Join with us in this effort and become a Sponsor or just forward this message to family, friends and associates."BECOME A SPONSOR OF ReTHINK EDUCATION
|
VIEW REPORT ARCHIVES
|
|
 |
|
|
Schools remain locked in the last Century
|
 Modern information technology has dramatically improved our ability to work, get health care, stay in touch with family and friends, and inform and entertain ourselves. In only a decade, the Internet has fundamentally transformed the way we live as consumers, as citizens, as patients, and as family members. However, information technology has been slower to produce meaningful systemic improvements in K-12 education. The dynamic in many classrooms around the country remains decidedly 20th Century: teach the paper textbook, test the students at a fixed point in time, and move on. There also remains a profound disconnect between the learning that happens in school and that which takes place out of school. Educators are challenged to satisfy the learning needs of today's diversity of students while meeting the increasingly complex definition of what it means to be educated in the 21st Century. Two recent in-depth government analyses, the National Education Technology Plan and the National Broadband Plan, called for leveraging the best of modern technology to transform how teachers teach and how students learn and for improving access and equality of opportunity for learners of all ages.The ReTHINK Education Report will explore 21st Century education opportunities in-depth over the next several weeks to provide a detailed guide to this transformation in learning. We hope you will share this important information.
|
|
WHAT ARE DIGITAL TEXTBOOKS
|
|
Lightweight Portable Digital Devices - such as a laptop, tablet or advanced device
|
 In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama said, "I want all students to be able to learn from digital textbooks." The digital textbooks envisioned will come in an ever-evolving variety of technological and instructional variations to meet diverse educational needs and interests. But they will all have in common are digital devices with access to rich, interactive, and personalized content that will encompass the primary toolset in digital learning. No longer will students have to tote 50 pound backpacks with outdated print textbooks. New digital textbooks will be light digital devices - such as a laptop or tablet - that combine Internet connectivity, interactive and personalized content, learning videos and games, and many other creative applications to enable collaboration with other students while providing instantaneous feedback to the student and teacher. Digital textbooks can revolutionize teaching and are not simply the digital form of static textbooks. A true digital textbook is an interactive set of learning content and tools accessed via a laptop, tablet, or other advanced device. Perspectives of key users are considered: in particular, students, teachers, and parents.(More detail on Digital Textbooks in the next REPORT) |
|
MAKING THE TRANSITION TO DIGITAL LEARNING
|
|
Learning that is personalized to the student through interactive content
|
 A modern day approach to digital learning is a personalized experience that dynamically identifies and addresses each student's unique learning needs in a manner appropriate to their learning interests, styles, and aptitude, and does so anytime and anywhere. This personalized learning model is made possible by digital learning that leverages persistent connectivity, large-scale data processing, and rapidly advancing device capabilities and digital content to individually engage every student.
Additionally, more and more students today are what could be called "digital natives," already accustomed to the rapid feedback, collaborative nature, and ease of use of many digital technolgies.The ability to use many forms of digital content, through Open
Education Resources (OER) will provide more enriched learning experiences to meet the needs of individual students. As is currently the case with printed materials, digital content may also have costs associated with it. However, schools and districts have the opportunity to select content and curricula that is directly focused on the needs of the school, the district, and the students. Plus the content is always up-to-date and available 24/7. (Read more about OER in the next REPORT)
|
COMING IN THE NEXT ISSUE:
|
Including an in-depth look at Digital Textbooks and the substantial cost savings offered by digital textbooks and multimedia OER material over traditional printed content.
|
Please Share the REPORT with Colleagues, Family & Friends
CLICK THE FORWARD LINK BELOW
|
|
|
CASE STUDY
Digital Conversion Increases Graduation Rates Without Increasing Spending
|
ReTHINK Education is distributed by
Marianas Electronics in Partnership with 3W Digital Education Group
Cheri Wegner, Vice President M.E. International, Inc. 671-632-5310 Puzzled about digital learning & OER tools?
Let the professionals at MEI and 3W put the pieces together for you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
