I spent much of my childhood listening to music. It saddens me that school music programs are too often squeezed out to focus on hard sciences and raising test scores. Budget cuts haven’t helped either. Conversely, in many high-performing Asian school systems, great effort is going toward giving students access to the arts to encourage […]
As the new school year starts and afterschool programs are ramping up, here are some ways to create afterschool activities that incorporates global issues. There are several core elements to consider and no matter what topic or age group, think about each step carefully. Planning: Steps to Success Plan your globally focused activity ahead of […]
Easy access to multiple technologies makes this a genuinely exciting time to begin the process of going global at any school. In fact, one of the fastest and most effective ways to incorporate a global approach is through the use of digital technologies. Computers, interactive software, video conferencing, games, online courses, blogs, educational television, video […]
In the 1990′s, in response to a changing global economy, Japanese education authorities realized they needed to make major changes to their education system. One of these was to change the curriculum to include an emphasis on interdisciplinary learning, critical thinking, problem solving, and international relations. With a very prescribed curriculum, the trick was to […]
Twitter has become a vibrant venue where educators around the world connect and share ideas—in 140 or fewer characters at a time. A primary way educators find one another on the massive social networking site is through the use of hashtags. A hashtag is a #word or #severalwords prefixed by a # symbol. In this […]
Seattle’s busy port, with its colorful cranes and massive cargo shipping facilities, is one of the largest in the United States. The port generates some $12 billion in business revenue each year, mostly from trade with Pacific Rim countries. It’s quite a view from the <a href=”http://www.seattleschools.org/”>Seattle Public Schools</a> headquarters just three blocks away. About […]
Digital Learning Day was an inspiration. It has, for one, inspired me to write about three things I wish to see happen. The organizers Alliance for Excellent Education defined digital learning as “any instructional practice using technology to strengthen student learning.” Educators and policymakers throughout the United States watched and chatted online as experts share […]
The popular children’s chant may have a whole new meaning before long. State and federal government agencies have talked about and passed legislation to move towards digital education. With Apple’s iBook announcement last week, a new age of learning may be upon us. The American education system, however, must proceed with great caution that this […]
Students have a keen sense of what experiences are relevant to their futures. And what could be more relevant than real world, globe-spanning projects that professionals work on every day? As I traveled the country in the last few years, I’ve seen many inspiring projects that engage students on many different levels. Here are a […]
