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 […]
Where better to learn about the world than out in the world? We’ve been hearing a lot about “expanded learning time” lately. Education policymakers and district and school leaders are considering how best to increase learning time for all students. The rationale often cited is the need to help American students become more competitive against […]
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 […]
On Monday, I wrote about how the global knowledge economy demands a new set of skills. How does a school system meet these new demands? One place to look is the top-performing nations according to the The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). PISA measures student critical thinking skills and has demonstrated a direct correlation […]
The nature of work is changing. Many graduates will be working in 24/7 global production teams. As more routine jobs can be done by computer or outsourced, the advantage will go to workers who can analyze and solve problems, recognize patterns and similarities, and communicate and interact with other people, especially those who do not […]
What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bilingual. What do you call someone who can speak one language? American. It’s an old joke that’s no longer funny. U.S. national security and American businesses alike have called for greater language capacity among Americans, but schools have not been able to help meet this need. […]
Nothing opens up ones worldview like international travel. When teachers have this opportunity it can have far-reaching impact. Personal perceptions change, cultural awareness is heightened, and the ability to respond to a variety of cultures is vastly improved. Teachers return from travel with knowledge, insights, and understandings that are invaluable in increasingly diverse classrooms. They […]
You can see evidence of globalization in most places throughout the world. Global economic, cultural, technological, and environmental changes may reveal themselves in different ways, but one thing is certain: growing global interdependence calls for more people who are critical thinkers and can participate in local, national, and global civic life. The question everyone asks […]
I recently re-connected with a former 6th grade student of mine. It felt like yesterday that she was in my classroom, but the reality is that this week, she’s about to embark on her first student-teaching assignment. She asked me, “Mr. Wiley, what advice do you have for me?” Where to begin? I could have […]
