Mindworkers

Charlet T. Kerchner / MindWorkers

High Tech High and Networks of Ideas

Today I published a long-in-the-works case study of High Tech High, the collection of schools in San Diego County that follow the same design and operating principles. Each of the 11 HTH schools is small, a maximum of 125 students per grade, and personalized.  Each of the schools follows a project-based curriculum that requires students […]

Innovation Unit Site Worth A Visit; Their New Report Features High Tech High and Project-Learning

The growing literature on rigorous project-based learning includes a new report by Alec Patton of the Innovation Unit in London, Work That Matters. It is built in part around the experience of High Tech High in San Diego, and also includes vignettes from the Chramlington Learning Village in Northumberland, UK, and the Beal Elementary School […]

The Road to Learning 2.0: Publishing as an Incentive To Practice Writing

Ben Heckman, an 8th grader from Framington, MN, is a twice-published novelist whose story was told in a New York Times piece about the growing number of young writers who break into print, usually with a little bankrolling from their parents.  Hundreds of teenage and younger authors are publishing every year. The Times story by […]

Nominate the Most Transformational Schools

Blogger Sam Chaltain, former director of the Forum for Education and Democracy, is collecting nominees for the most transformational learning environments in the world.  So far, there are 58 nominees, a list of which is on Sam’s site, and he invites additions. His template for transformation comes from the QED Foundation: learning moves from classroom […]

The Elements of Learning 2.0: Students as the real workers in education

Most education reforms start with the premise that adults need to work harder so students will learn more.  But ultimately, maybe quickly, that premise is self-defeating.  Regardless of the pedagogy used, who governs the school, or how long teachers toil, students are the real workers in the system.  Building around that reality is one of […]

The Elements of Learning 2.0: A Remix of Knowledge Acquisition and Practice

The words “remix” and “mashup” entered the vocabulary as descriptors of life in the digital age.  They are also key to what I am calling Learning 2.0, the next full-scale version of public education. At the simplest level, these new terms are represented by three teenagers using Apple Garage Band to combine bits and pieces […]

About

Charles Taylor Kerchner is an Emeritus Professor and Senior Research Fellow at Claremont Graduate University. My daily musings appear in the blog. The archives of my EdWeek blog are available via link under the 'On California' head. Some of my photography can be seen by clicking on 'Gallery.' And numerous links to academic work and other research and commentary can be found by clicking on 'Projects.'

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