hacking education

This video is getting a little older now, but just came across it again and though it worth resurfacing. Valedictorian lays the smack down on the widget factory that is American education.  

Kno, who earlier launched with a dual-screen tablet, announced a single-screen tablet textbook reader, citing the smaller version will allow for wider adoption at the lower price point. 

U.S. Department of Education launched teach.gov to help recruit teachers.

The TEACH campaign is an initiative of the United States Department of Education designed to raise awareness of the teaching profession and get a new generation of teachers to join the ones who are already making a difference in the classroom. At TEACH.gov you can learn what it’s really like to be a teacher and get the tools you need to launch your own career in education.

Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, will take questions submitted to the site in a live interview which is to be hosted Oct. 1, 2010 2:15 EST. 

via NBC News

Co-founder Doug Imbruce, who demonstrated Qwiki on-stage at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in San Francisco, compared the site to what you see in science fiction movies like Wall-E, where users ask a computer a question and then receive an answer with relevant images and narration.

Qwiki makes that vision a reality, Imbruce said. You type in a search term, then Qwiki pulls information and media from the Web (from Wikipedia, yes, but from other sites too), then narrates the answer in a computerized voice while displaying related media.

Some Stats on traditional vs eReaders:

• Read 11-21 books per year: 40% traditional readers vs 36% eReaders
• Read 21+ books per year: 19% traditional readers vs 26% eReaders
• Total 11+ books per year: 59% traditional readers vs 62% eReaders

"53 percent of those with ereaders report they read more now than they did six months ago, compared to 18 percent of non-ereader users. At the same time, 51 percent of non-ereader users say they read the same as they did six months ago, compared to 25 percent of ereader users."

via School Library Journal

I believe in the Mayor and his vision, and that's why I want to help them succeed. Using my own Facebook stock, I'm creating the Startup: Education foundation with over $100 million to invest in educating and improving the lives of young people. I'm also challenging others who want to improve education in America to match my contributions. - Mark

When exposed to real cruelties of this world, we find ourselves saying, "Someone should do something." My little brother, Daniel Blake, has led thousands to action with his response, "Be Someone."

September 24 brings the premier of "Waiting for Superman." It is just such a moment, an exposure to the cruelties and failures of America's  public school system.

Its title, "Waiting for Superman" is a call analogous to that of, "Someone should do something."

It is time to Be Someone. 

I honestly believe this problem is bigger than any one person could feasibly know how to solve. That said, there is no one standing in charge pointing the way and telling us what needs to be done to fix it. 

That leaves us, for now, each to yearn for something better, envision that future and start working towards that end. 

President Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan have made charter schools a big part of their reform agenda, but the pushback from unions has been fierce. Perhaps that explains why the new $10 billion federal teacher bailout will be dispensed in a way that discriminates against charters. The Administration's initial guidance excluded many charter school teachers, even though charters are public schools.

via WSJ.com (Subscription Required)