IALA » Education Revolution

New Center for Research on Digital Media and Learning

Wayne Jennings — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:44:06 +0000

There’s little doubt that the Internet will transform schooling (read choices) and how students learn, play, socialize, and participate in civic life. A newly-created Digital Media and Learning Research Hub at the University of California-Irvine will explore the impact of digital media on learning and its potential for transforming education. The Center is funded by a $2.97 million grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

The foundation has invested substantially ($50 million since 2006) researching digital learning and gaming with positive results and continues with a variety of media projects including astonishing findings of the positive impact on youth in the three year research report, Living and Learning with New Media.

The Secret Revolution

Wayne Jennings — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 05:41:22 +0000

Our plea for choices as the IALA mission finds a powerful rationale in this new book: The Secret Revolution: A Psychologist’s Adventures in Education by Emmanuel Bernstein. He describes how conventional schooling destroys many students and what needs to be done. He is fair and even-handed in recognizing that even conventional schooling works for some and that democratic education doesn’t work for everyone. Still, conventional schooling must change dramatically to foster the potential in all students. Highly recommended!

Don Glines said of the book: “Dr. Bernstein brings to life a monumental collection of philosophies, histories, personal experiences, programs, descriptions, viewpoints, and research calling for a transformation away from uniform schooling toward personalized learning options. This staggering compendium is essential reading for parents, educators, and politicians, for it is perhaps the best book written clarifying the need for educational alternatives–not just for the few–but for everyone.”

Amazing Learning Alternative

Wayne Jennings — Wed, 23 Nov 2005 03:23:50 +0000

In the most unlikely of places, the Chugach School District in Alaska won the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige award, one of three districts to ever win it. The award created by Congress recognizes extreme examples of quality. The tiny Chugach district, consisting of three remote villages, each with fewer than 30 students K-12 plus homeschooling, over a period of eight years changed its graduation rate from zero to 70%, reduced annual teacher turnover from 50% to 5%, raised achievement scores from the mid-20s to the mid-70s, and restored hope among parents for their children.

Report card grades were abolished in favor of competency achievement. They work smart and are enormously dedicated to performance. They spend 30 days per year on staff development, use progressive methods of instruction and involve students in community-based learning. Much can be learned from their example and their amazing story.

A Spectrum of Alternatives Conference

Wayne Jennings — Sun, 22 May 2005 16:12:09 +0000

The Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO) will hold its conference, A Spectrum of Alternatives, June 22-26, 2005 at Russell Sage College in Troy, NY. The five day schedule includes workshop sessions and keynoters including Jerry Mintz, Ann Cook, John Taylor Gatto, Alfie Kohn, Matt Hern and Tim Seldin. Registration is $200 for the 5 days. Food is $112.50. One can register by the day for partial attendance.