Dot Learnt

Just-in-time management and tech training of the sort you can receive at General Assembly will increasingly replace traditional just-in-case business degrees. Why get an MBA when you can start a company and get just-in-time support? Why take a crummy programming course from your local community college when you can get one free from Stanford or MIT? – Tom Vander Ark (former Executive Director of Education, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)

Agreed! So, agreed! I was recently asked by someone, “Do you think community organizations and the private sector should be involved in teacher training initiatives given that so many universities in the Middle East are expanding their offerings for pre and in-service teachers?” My response was, “Absolutely!” Why? Because…

• Not all learning should end in a degree! - There are so many educators out there that want professional development that will help them in their classes now, but that frankly don’t want to spend the time and money getting a 1st or 2nd master’s degree.
• People outside of academia can bring a lot of value to education - As I wrote in Unconscious Education, “How can it be justified that the teachers that are meant to prepare students for the world of work, so often have little work experience outside of schools?” Or, as Tom Vander Ark puts it, “New eyes with no loyalties other than to kids and community gives an observer a chance to ask tough questions about the strange collection of historical practices that make up the typical school day. While not valued in education, a breadth of leadership experiences and exposure to solution sets from other sectors is helpful.” (more…)

Philipp Schmidt shares nicely, that is on his blog and now with DotLearnt. Director and co-founder of Peer 2 Peer University, a socially charged open educational resource learning community, Schmidt takes on the role of education activist and social entrepreneur. This December, Philipp sat down with Bon and gave us the low down on social learning and how anyone can learn just about anything.

0-5 Seconds: Tell us anything or everything about P2PU in a Status Update.

P2PU is a lab for the future of online learning. We built a platform and fostered a community that enables learning for everyone, by everyone, about almost anything.

5-10 Seconds: What is the driving force behind P2PU’s schools—The School of Webcraft, Social Innovation, Mathematical Futures and Education?

The idea of “schools” grew out of the initiative and hard work of certain members of the P2PU community. They saw the potential for grouping courses together and partnering with external organizations to design assessments and certification.

10-20 Seconds: Where does the demand for P2PU lie?

The general answer is “everywhere”. P2PU community members come from all over the world, are at different stages in their lifelong learning, and are looking for different learning experiences. However, there is no one-size fits all solution to education, and the nice thing about Schools is that they can target different audiences and experiment with slightly different models and approaches.

20-30 Seconds: What’s the most useful tool in P2PU’s 21st century toolbox?

The innovative and generous nature of our community, and our ability to experiment. There is a lot going on in online education at the moment, and we are constantly looking ahead, and it’s great to see volunteers take initiative, make suggestions for improvements, and then get involved in the implementation of these suggestions. (more…)

Edtechistas and Edtechers – back again for your global education technology fix. Dig in for this month’s most talked about topics unearthing across the globe:

Too Cool for School

These days it is all about mobility. School in a Box brings the very concept of portability and convenience to the notion of schooling. The new non-profit initiative providesaccess to education ICTs in rural populations throughout India and sub-Saharan Africa. Weighing in at 11 KG, the $1600 boxes will set up teched out schools. Each box contains an iPad, solar panel, projector and speakers. Looks like officials in Zimbabwe are liking what they see…

Samsung Africa is shedding some light on education. The new Solar Powered Internet School in Boksburg, South Africa is one of the first of its kind. The Internet accessbile and solar-powered school grants students more accessibility to education, especially throughout areas that lack connectivity.  Shine on Africa!

Spreading that Tech Love

Looking for free Wi-Fi can be tough, but when it comes to emerging markets, finding any Wi-Fi can be a challenge. Last month, the Global Education Challenge, a competition to find original ideas that can improve student outcomes across the globe, announced their annual winners. Prizewinner Neil Dsouza introduced Education Hotspots, a program that provides mobile hotspots and free educational courseware to emerging communities lacking Internet connection. Neil’s in good company – check out the other GEC winners, here. (more…)