SPOTLIGHT ON... HIGHER LEARNING
Some people are talking about reimagining high school and beyond to address deficiencies in learning, narrow the skills gap, and meet the needs of a new generation of work and the realities of a 21st century life filled with technology. At CER, we are working on taking it one step further – let’s not reimagine, let’s
REVOLUTIONIZE IT. We offer some ideas from our colleagues, and our own, that should be on the minds of policymakers particularly in Washington as they look toward solving these issues this year.
REINVENT HIGH SCHOOL? It’s been the buzz for a while now. The XQ Super School Project picked it up and ran with it with grants of $10 million to schools to replicate (still a work in progress). Jobs for the Future has been talking about it since before 2012. And the NAEP data we see every few years is a clear indication that something is not right about these 12th graders (so much so that some cities like DC have to cheat to get people out the door!) but alas these big ideas take time. Now, an article by 2 scholars in a think tank’s blog goes a step further with a clear-cut plan to truly turn it upside down. Their prescription? Change how we measure, ensure that students master the material (not just sit through a class) and yes, realign all they are expected to learn with higher ed and work.
“…it’s important to change how we measure success. If we want high schools to ultimately turn out responsible and productive citizens and we agree that not every graduate in America today fits that criteria, then let’s not use graduation rate as our ultimate measure of success. …The solution—personalized learning, the educational buzz word that has every school across the nation attempting to better serve each student’s unique needs and goals.” MORE
REINVENT HIGHER EDUCATION. At SXSW edX CEO Anant Agarwal offered this prescription to Ed Sec Betsy DeVos’ question about how best to “rethink” higher ed:
“Let's make education modular; let's unbundle education so that we can share and combine and stack pieces and do things in a very innovative and forward looking way.
"If I'm working and I need to up-skill, where do I learn data science today? I don't have time to go and get a two-year masters. We need these modular credentials. We need the employers to accept these. And, he argued, we need to change the way federal financial aid flows to recognize these new credentials and scores more being created by employers, universities and others trying to respond to the growing skills gap and intransience of higher ed to adapt:
"Today a student can use $20,000 of funding to fund a fly-by-night, terrible degree program, but they cannot use a thousand dollars for a micro masters in artificial intelligence, or cyber security from Columbia, or MIT, or Harvard.," like those now available on the non-profit EdX's platform. Let students decide how they wish to spend the aid, he suggested, “and watch how fast things will change.”
THE NEW DEGREE. GSV’s A2APPLE Weekly Brief reports that companies are co-creating their own higher ed programs to address the deficiencies in traditional higher ed. “… re-skilling and adapting the workforce to modern technology is becoming one of the biggest focus areas for corporations. As an illustration — open IT positions in the global workforce are currently growing at 15% per year. Not surprisingly therefore, Coursera’s recently launched B2B offering has already gained over 900 global company customers, up 25x compared to 2016!” The aforementioned EdX has new Micro-degrees and ASU and others are creating new masters programs in computer science and data sciences.
REINVENT WORKFORCE & APPRENTICESHIPS. We’ve been marching around the Hill saying it for nearly a year – the critical missing link isn’t whether we do vocational education well, or how we fund workforce development programs, but whether Americans have access in real time to the education, workforce and apprenticeship opportunities that can ensure continued learning and a career path that makes sense. Enter the Education, Workforce and Apprentice Tax Credit Proposal of 2017 that has been Introduced in 2018 by Cong. Lloyd Smucker as the USA Workforce Tax Credit Act (H.R. 5152). U.S. businesses and individuals who wish to support scholarships for students who want to pursue better learning opportunities at every level would get a tax credit for their contribution. This would spur relevant and responsive programs to be developed at every level and more workers would have access to the education they and their families need in real time. Check it out. We’re fans! (Then again, it was our idea!)
WE STILL LOVE THE LIBERAL ARTS. As Burning Glass Technologies argues in their blog on this subject that employers want the critical thinking, comms and soft skills that liberal arts provide, but they also need the specific skills that are suited to the job market. It’s not either or, it’s both, AND! And yes, Senator Rubio, we do need more philosophers!
DID YOU KNOW?
IN OTHER NEWS... The future of knowledge, education, issues like you find in today’s Newswire and more will be covered inside and out at the 2018 ASU+GSV Summit this April 16-18 in San Diego, CA. Speakers include former President George Bush, Ed Secretary Duncan, Orange County Superintendent Barbara Jenkins and many others. Join us at the hottest confab of the year!
TELL US YOUR STORY! Families all over the country have education stories to tell. Send us yours!
Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout US education.
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We are excited to announce a new kind of Girls on the Run event; called Actually, I Can. Saturday, April 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Park City Hospital, Blair Education Center. It's a day focused on emotional and physical wellness for women and girls ages 14 and up. Come learn how to live more consciously and take charge of your thoughts, feelings,and emotions so you actually can live the life you want.
Stacey and Senti, creators of LifeCourse Education will offer a unique perspective for seeing your life. You'll discover the importance of knowing your emotional body, learn valuable tools to set goals and understand where you expend energy.
Be inspired by Kristy Muir, mom of three girls who founded an educational technology company called FuzePlay.
Find this event on Facebook here.
Kristy is a community-oriented visionary studied in Piano Pedagogy and Marriage Family Therapy. As Co-Founder and CEO of FuzePlay, Kristy is a passionate leader and social influencer who was named one of Utah’s Most Inspirational Entrepreneurs as well as Top Ten Coolest Entrepreneurs in Utah. Kristy is a dedicated single mother to three girls, hair fanatic, and inspirational EdTech innovator and advocate.
For more information on Kristy and FuzePlay, head to her website: https://fuzeplay.io/
Senti is a Graduate of the University of Utah in Psychology and earned a Masters in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica. Her passion is sharing what she has learned with anyone who will listen.
Stacey takes much delight in being the mother of two daughters, a traveler of places near and far, and a fearless explorer of personal growth.
General Registration (after March 15): $75
Fearless (Early registration before March 15): $65
Girl Power (Girls ages 14-18): $50
BFF (Registration for two!): $125
Bring your Crew (Buy a table): $500
Pricing includes breakfast and lunch
If you want to come stay the night in Park City, we have a negotiated a discounted rate at the Hyatt Place for Friday, April 13 or Saturday, April 14.
Use this link to a book discounted room:
https://parkcity.place.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html?corp_id=G-GR18
If you're feeling uninspired, bored and frustrated with your life, we challenge you to spend the day with us on April 14, 2018. We think that you'll leave inspired and ready to tackle the overwhelming circumstances in your life. We can't wait to see all of you there!
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United Utah Party to Hold Caucus in Weber County - Open to All Voters
March 13, 2018
Ogden, Utah - The United Utah Party will hold a county wide caucus meeting for Weber County for the 2018 election season on March 20th at 7pm. The meeting will be held at James Madison Elementary School at 2563 Monroe Blvd, Ogden, UT 84401. Those who are unable to attend will be able to participate in the caucus meeting via videolink.
Unlike other party caucuses, the United Utah Party will not be electing delegates at their caucus. The United Utah Party is a qualified political party in the state, and therefore will be selecting candidates at state and county conventions via delegate vote. However, in an effort to make the caucus and convention process as open as possible in the party, the United Utah Party has opted to invite all to attend their caucus meetings, regardless of current voter registration. To become a delegate and vote in United Utah Party conventions, all one must do is register to vote as a member of the party. Each registered voter can automatically be a delegate in the county and state conventions if he or she so chooses, with no limits set on the number of delegates.
The United Utah Party will hold seventeen caucuses in eight counties across the state. Those who are interested in attending a caucus but are unable to do so in person will be able to join a portion of the caucus via webinar, which will be broadcasted to caucus locations throughout the state.
The United Utah Parties invites all Utah voters who are interested in learning more about what this new party has to offer to attend their caucuses.
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John Thomson
Administrative Assistant
United Utah Party
