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13 Search Results for "zhao"

  • Professional Development On Yo Professional Development On Your Time, Your Way

    • From: Steven_Anderson1
    • Description:
      As someone who helps develop and deliver professional development to teachers, I've heard lots of reasons why some of the PD schools offer to teachers might not be a good fit.

      It's not relevant to me.

       It's a waste of time.

       Boring.

      I am sure if you ask, most teachers can recall some PD they've suffered through with great detail.

      PD should be something that we look forward to. It should be something that we are excited about. It should be something we are in control of.

      Yep. In control of.

      Did you know there are tons of ways to learn new concepts, techniques and ideas for both in the classroom and for you as an educator?

      Simple K12 Webinar Series (http://simplek12.com/webinars) The girls over at Simple K12 have been offering free webinars on a wide variety of topics for a while now. Everything from going Google Apps, formative assessments, iPads, administrator specific stuff, you name it, they probably have an upcoming webinar on it. The webinars range from 30 mins to 1 hr and are completely free to watch live. (If you want the recordings you have to be a member of the Community which comes at a fee.) Check out the upcoming calendar for all they have to offer.

      Classroom 2.0 Live! (http://live.classroom20.com/) Classroom 2.0, one of the largest member communities for educators anywhere on the Internet, has been doing these Saturday live webinars since 2009. Again, the topics vary week-to-week. But no matter the topic, you will find yourself having lots of fun and learning too. The sessions take place every Saturday at 12 noon Eastern. Miss a show? Not to worry! They archive every session and tag them so they are easy to search. This archive is a place I regularly go to find information on tools, trends in instructional practices and just to learn something new. You can also subscribe to the audio feed in iTunesU.

      Bam Radio Network (http://www.bamradionetwork.com/) Bam Radio has grown into the place to visit for educational podcasts. With so many topics to choose from, my iPod is about to bust with all shows I've downloaded. You may already know 2 of the shows there, Edchat Radio and my show, Edtech Radio but those are just 2 of over 50 with hosts of every caliber. Oh, and all the shows are free and short too (about 10-20 mins) which makes them perfect for listening while riding to work or going for a stroll.

      School Leadership Summit Recordings (http://admin20.org/page/summit-recordings) The School Leadership Summit was a 1-day, completely virtual conference aimed at school administrators but the topics reached much further than the school principal. With a keynote from Yong Zhao and over 100 sessions, you are sure to find something that you didn't know before. I am certainly going to spend time going through all the sessions over the next couple of weeks.

      TED Talks (http://www.ted.com/) By now most have heard of TED Talks but in case you haven't, TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) are talks given by some of the world's best thinkers and doers. Whenever I watch one, no matter if its on the designs of 404 pages on websites to a talk given on monkeys and game theory, I always learn something. There are over 1400 to choose from, and while not all are education related there are several that are. And even the ones that are not, there are still takeaways that you can use in your teaching.

      Open Courses (Various) In just the past year there has been an explosion in the number of higher ed institutions providing open courses to the world, meaning you can take a course on Physics from MIT or economics from USC. From MIT Open Courseware to edX (which is a combined effort of over 10 universities) there is so much out there to choose from, all for free. These can be great places to beef up your content knowledge or just learn something new.

      Twitter Hashtags (http://bit.ly/hashtagsedu) A list like this wouldn't be complete without mentioning the great learning that happens on Twitter 24/7. And hashtags are a great way to organize and follow that learning. (Want to learn more about hashtags? Read this post I wrote a while back.) The spreadsheet linked above is one of the best I've seen. Organized by day, it has most all of the Educational Hashtag chats and their times, along with hashtags that might not have a chat but folks still share using them.

      Now, take control of your professional development. Use these as a starting point and go learn!

      Do you have other places, webinar series, podcasts or courses that have helped you take control of your PD? Leave some comments below.
      photo credit: Βethan via photopin cc
    • Blog post
    • 1 month ago
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  • #edbook Reading List, Part I #edbook Reading List, Part I

  • A Nation at Risk: Edited by Yo A Nation at Risk: Edited by Yong Zhao

    • From: Yong_Zhao
    • Description:

      A Nation At Risk - April 1983

      Edited by Yong Zhao, March, 2011

      Next month marks the 28th anniversary of the publication of A Nation At Risk, one of the most influential education documents in the US history. As an English language learner, I have always been impressed with the prose and composition of this document, although I have raised questions about its content in my book.

      The title of the document captures the present condition of American education very well. The goals and aspirations are well stated and I agree with them. But what I don’t agree is the indicators of risk, i.e. student test scores by and large, which after almost 30 years, have been proven to be irrelevant, as I have argued in my book. The real risk America faces is the insane policies and scapegoating practices in education. So I decided to edit the document. I have replaced what I think misleading and misconceived phrases, sentences, and paragraphs with what I believe to be correct. The italics are what I added. If you are interested in what I deleted, read the PDF version.I have only done this for the first part. I may continue to edit the rest. Theoriginal version of the document is here—YZ, 10-03-11

       

      All, regardless of race or class or economic status, are entitled to a fair chance and to the tools for developing their individual powers of mind and spirit to the utmost. This promise means that all children by virtue of their own efforts, competently guided, can hope to attain the mature and informed judgement needed to secure gainful employment, and to manage their own lives, thereby serving not only their own interests but also the progress of society itself.

      Our Nation is at risk. Our once unchallenged preeminence in commerce, industry, science, and technological innovation is being overtaken by competitors throughout the world. This report is concerned with only one of the many causes and dimensions of the problem, but it is the one that undergirds American prosperity, security, and civility. We report to the American people that while we can take justifiable pride in what our schools and colleges have historically accomplished and contributed to the United States and the well-being of its people, the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of insanity and scapegoating that threaten our very future as a Nation and a people. What was unimaginable a generation ago has begun to occur--others are matching and surpassing our educational attainments.

      If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the insane policies that threaten democracy, turn American children into robotic test takers, narrow and homogenize our children’s education, reward grant writing skills instead of helping the needy children and stimulate innovation (e.g., Race to the Top), value testing over teaching, and scapegoat teachers that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war. As it stands, we have allowed this to happen to ourselves. We have even squandered the gains in student achievement made in the wake of the Sputnik challenge. Moreover, we have dismantled essential support systems which helped make those gains possible. We have, in effect, been committing an act of unthinking, unilateral educational disarmament.

      Our government and business leaders seem to have lost sight of the basic purposes of schooling, and of the high expectations and disciplined effort needed to attain them. This report, the result of 18 months of study, seeks to generate reform of our educational system in fundamental ways and to renew the Nation's commitment to schools and colleges of high quality throughout the length and breadth of our land.

      That we have compromised this commitment is, upon reflection, hardly surprising, given the multitude of often conflicting demands we have placed on our Nation's schools and colleges. They are routinely called on to provide solutions to personal, social, and political problems that the home and other institutions either will not or cannot resolve. We must understand that these demands on our schools and colleges often exact an educational cost as well as a financial one.

      In his 2011 State of the Union speech, President Obama said ““We need to out-innovate, outeducate and outbuild the rest of the world,” This report, therefore, is as much an open letter to the American people as it is a report to the Secretary of Education. We are confident that the American people, properly informed, will do what is right for their children and for the generations to come.

      The Risk

      History is not kind to idlers. The time is long past when American's destiny was assured simply by an abundance of natural resources and inexhaustible human enthusiasm, and by our relative isolation from the malignant problems of older civilizations. The world is indeed one global village. We live among determined, well-educated, and strongly motivated competitors. We compete with them for international standing and markets, not only with products but also with the ideas of our laboratories and neighborhood workshops. America's position in the world may once have been reasonably secure with only a few exceptionally well-trained men and women. It is no longer.

      The risk is not only that the Chinese make faster computers, cheaper toys, and more electronics than Americans and have government subsidies for development and export. It is not just that the Indians recently built the world's cheapest cars, or that American strawberries and apples, once the pride of the world, are being picked by Mexicans. It is also that these developments signify a redistribution of trained capability throughout the globe. Knowledge, learning, information, and skilled intelligence are the new raw materials of international commerce and are today spreading throughout the world as vigorously as miracle drugs, synthetic fertilizers, and blue jeans did earlier. If only to keep and improve on the slim competitive edge we still retain in world markets, we must dedicate ourselves to the reform of our educational system for the benefit of all--old and young alike, affluent and poor, majority and minority. Learning is the indispensable investment required for success in the "information age" we are entering.

      Our concern, however, goes well beyond matters such as industry and commerce. It also includes the intellectual, moral, and spiritual strengths of our people which knit together the very fabric of our society. The people of the United States need to know that individuals in our society who do not possess the creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, global competence essential to this new era will be effectively disenfranchised, not simply from the material rewards that accompany competent performance, but also from the chance to participate fully in our national life. A high level of shared education is essential to a free, democratic society and to the fostering of a common culture, especially in a country that prides itself on pluralism and individual freedom.

      For our country to function, citizens must be able to reach some common understandings on complex issues, often on short notice and on the basis of conflicting or incomplete evidence. Education helps form these common understandings, a point Thomas Jefferson made long ago in his justly famous dictum:

      I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them but to inform their discretion.

      Part of what is at risk is the promise first made on this continent: All, regardless of race or class or economic status, are entitled to a fair chance and to the tools for developing their individual powers of mind and spirit to the utmost. This promise means that all children by virtue of their own efforts, competently guided, can hope to attain the mature and informed judgment needed to secure gainful employment, and to manage their own lives, thereby serving not only their own interests but also the progress of society itself.

      Indicators of the Risk

      The educational dimensions of the risk before us have been amply documented inmaterials read by this editor. For example:

      These deficiencies come at a time when the demand for creative and globally competent workers in new fields is accelerating rapidly. For example:

      Analysts examining these indicators of student performance and the demands for new skills have made some chilling observations. Educational researcher Paul Hurd concluded at the end of a thorough national survey of student achievement that within the context of the modern scientific revolution, "We are raising a new generation of Americans that is scientifically and technologically illiterate." In a similar vein, John Slaughter, a former Director of the National Science Foundation, warned of "a growing chasm between a small scientific and technological elite and a citizenry ill-informed, indeed uninformed, on issues with a science component."

      But the problem does not stop there, nor do all observers see it the same way. Some worry that schools may emphasize such rudiments as reading and computation at the expense of other essential skills such as comprehension, analysis, solving problems, and drawing conclusions. Still others are concerned that an over-emphasis on technical and occupational skills will leave little time for studying the arts and humanities that so enrich daily life, help maintain civility, and develop a sense of community. Knowledge of the humanities, they maintain, must be harnessed to science and technology if the latter are to remain creative and humane, just as the humanities need to be informed by science and technology if they are to remain relevant to the human condition. Another analyst, Paul Copperman, has drawn a sobering conclusion. Until now, he has noted:

      Each generation of Americans has outstripped its parents in education, in literacy, and in economic attainment. For the first time in the history of our country, the educational skills of one generation will not surpass, will not equal, will not even approach, those of their parents.

      It is important, of course, to recognize that the average citizen today is better educated and more knowledgeable than the average citizen of a generation ago--more literate, and exposed to more mathematics, literature, and science. The positive impact of this fact on the well-being of our country and the lives of our people cannot be overstated. Nevertheless, the average graduate of our schools and colleges today is not as well-educated as the average graduate of 25 or 35 years ago, when a much smaller proportion of our population completed high school and college. The negative impact of this fact likewise cannot be overstated.

      Hope and Frustration

      Statistics and their interpretation by experts show only the surface dimension of the difficulties we face. Beneath them lies a tension between hope and frustration that characterizes current attitudes about education at every level.

      We have heard the voices of high school and college students, school board members, and teachers; of leaders of industry, minority groups, and higher education; of parents and State officials. We could hear the hope evident in their commitment to quality education and in their descriptions of outstanding programs and schools. We could also hear the intensity of their frustration, a growing impatience with shoddiness in many walks of American life, and the complaint that this shoddiness is too often reflected in our schools and colleges. Their frustration threatens to overwhelm their hope.

      What lies behind this emerging national sense of frustration can be described as both a dimming of personal expectations and the fear of losing a shared vision for America.

      On the personal level the student, the parent, and the caring teacher all perceive that a basic promise is not being kept. More and more young people emerge from high school ready neither for college nor for work. This predicament becomes more acute as the knowledge base continues its rapid expansion, the number of traditional jobs shrinks, and new jobs demand greater sophistication and preparation.

      On a broader scale, we sense that this undertone of frustration has significant political implications, for it cuts across ages, generations, races, and political and economic groups. We have come to understand that the public will demand that educational and political leaders act forcefully and effectively on these issues. Indeed, such demands have already appeared and could well become a unifying national preoccupation. This unity, however, can be achieved only if we avoid the unproductive tendency of some to search for scapegoats among the victims, such as the beleaguered teachers.

      On the positive side is the significant movement by political and educational leaders to search for solutions--so far centering largely on the nearly desperate need for increased support for the teaching of mathematics and science. This movement is but a start on what we believe is a larger and more educationally encompassing need to improve teaching and learning in fields such as English, history, geography, economics, and foreign languages. We believe this movement must be broadened and directed toward reform and excellence throughout education.

      Excellence in Education

      We define "excellence" to mean several related things. At the level of the individual learner, it means performing on the boundary of individual ability in ways that test and push back personal limits, in school and in the workplace. Excellence characterizes a school or college that sets high expectations and goals for all learners, then tries in every way possible to help students reach them. Excellence characterizes a society that has adopted these policies, for it will then be prepared through the education and skill of its people to respond to the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Our Nation's people and its schools and colleges must be committed to achieving excellence in all these senses.

      We do not believe that a public commitment to excellence and educational reform must be made at the expense of a strong public commitment to the equitable treatment of our diverse population. The twin goals of equity and high-quality schooling have profound and practical meaning for our economy and society, and we cannot permit one to yield to the other either in principle or in practice. To do so would deny young people their chance to learn and live according to their aspirations and abilities. It also would lead to a generalized accommodation to mediocrity in our society on the one hand or the creation of an undemocratic elitism on the other.

      Our goal must be to develop the talents of all to their fullest. Attaining that goal requires that we expect and assist all students to work to the limits of their capabilities. We should expect schools to have genuinely high standards rather than minimum ones, and parents to support and encourage their children to make the most of their talents and abilities.

      The search for solutions to our educational problems must also include a commitment to life-long learning. The task of rebuilding our system of learning is enormous and must be properly understood and taken seriously: Although a million and a half new workers enter the economy each year from our schools and colleges, the adults working today will still make up about 75 percent of the workforce in the year 2000. These workers, and new entrants into the workforce, will need further education and retraining if they--and we as a Nation--are to thrive and prosper.

      The Learning Society

      In a world of ever-accelerating competition and change in the conditions of the workplace, of ever-greater danger, and of ever-larger opportunities for those prepared to meet them, educational reform should focus on the goal of creating a Learning Society. At the heart of such a society is the commitment to a set of values and to a system of education that affords all members the opportunity to stretch their minds to full capacity, from early childhood through adulthood, learning more as the world itself changes. Such a society has as a basic foundation the idea that education is important not only because of what it contributes to one's career goals but also because of the value it adds to the general quality of one's life. Also at the heart of the Learning Society are educational opportunities extending far beyond the traditional institutions of learning, our schools and colleges. They extend into homes and workplaces; into libraries, art galleries, museums, and science centers; indeed, into every place where the individual can develop and mature in work and life. In our view, formal schooling in youth is the essential foundation for learning throughout one's life. But without life-long learning, one's skills will become rapidly dated.

      In contrast to the ideal of the Learning Society, however, we find that for too many people education means doing the minimum work necessary for the moment, then coasting through life on what may have been learned in its first quarter. But this should not surprise us because we tend to express our educational standards and expectations largely in terms of "minimum requirements." And where there should be a coherent continuum of learning, we have none, but instead an often incoherent, outdated patchwork quilt. Many individual, sometimes heroic, examples of schools and colleges of great merit do exist. Our findings and testimony confirm the vitality of a number of notable schools and programs, but their very distinction stands out against a vast mass shaped by tensions and pressures that inhibit systematic academic and vocational achievement for the majority of students. In some metropolitan areas basic literacy has become the goal rather than the starting point. In some colleges maintaining enrollments is of greater day-to-day concern than maintaining rigorous academic standards. And the ideal of academic excellence as the primary goal of schooling seems to be fading across the board in American education.

      Thus, we issue this call to all who care about America and its future: to parents and students; to teachers, administrators, and school board members; to colleges and industry; to union members and military leaders; to governors and State legislators; to the President; to members of Congress and other public officials; to members of learned and scientific societies; to the print and electronic media; to concerned citizens everywhere. America is at risk.

      We are confident that America can address this risk. If the tasks we set forth are initiated now and our recommendations are fully realized over the next several years, we can expect reform of our Nation's schools, colleges, and universities. This would also reverse the current declining trend--a trend that stems more from weakness of purpose, confusion of vision, underuse of talent, and lack of leadership, than from conditions beyond our control.

      The Tools at Hand

      It is our conviction that the essential raw materials needed to reform our educational system are waiting to be mobilized through effective leadership:

      • the natural abilities of the young that cry out to be developed and the undiminished concern of parents for the well-being of their children;
      • the commitment of the Nation to high retention rates in schools and colleges and to full access to education for all;
      • the persistent and authentic American dream that superior performance can raise one's state in life and shape one's own future;
      • the dedication, against all odds, that keeps teachers serving in schools and colleges, even as the rewards diminish;
      • our better understanding of learning and teaching and the implications of this knowledge for school practice, and the numerous examples of local success as a result of superior effort and effective dissemination;
      • the ingenuity of our policymakers, scientists, State and local educators, and scholars in formulating solutions once problems are better understood;
      • the traditional belief that paying for education is an investment in ever-renewable human resources that are more durable and flexible than capital plant and equipment, and the availability in this country of sufficient financial means to invest in education;
      • the equally sound tradition, from the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 until today, that the Federal Government should supplement State, local, and other resources to foster key national educational goals; and
      • the voluntary efforts of individuals, businesses, and parent and civic groups to cooperate in strengthening educational programs.

      These raw materials, combined with the unparalleled array of educational organizations in America, offer us the possibility to create a Learning Society, in which public, private, and parochial schools; colleges and universities; vocational and technical schools and institutes; libraries; science centers, museums, and other cultural institutions; and corporate training and retraining programs offer opportunities and choices for all to learn throughout life.

      The Public's Commitment

      Of all the tools at hand, the public's support for education is the most powerful. In a message to a National Academy of Sciences meeting in May 1982, President Reagan commented on this fact when he said:

      This public awareness--and I hope public action--is long overdue.... This country was built on American respect for education. . . Our challenge now is to create a resurgence of that thirst for education that typifies our Nation's history.

      The most recent (1982) Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools strongly supported a theme heard during our hearings: People are steadfast in their belief that education is the major foundation for the future strength of this country. They even considered education more important than developing the best industrial system or the strongest military force, perhaps because they understood education as the cornerstone of both. They also held that education is "extremely important" to one's future success, and that public education should be the top priority for additional Federal funds. Education occupied first place among 12 funding categories considered in the survey--above health care, welfare, and military defense, with 55 percent selecting public education as one of their first three choices. Very clearly, the public understands the primary importance of education as the foundation for a satisfying life, an enlightened and civil society, a strong economy, and a secure Nation.

      At the same time, the public has no patience with undemanding and superfluous high school offerings. In another survey, more than 75 percent of all those questioned believed every student planning to go to college should take 4 years of mathematics, English, history/U.S. government, and science, with more than 50 percent adding 2 years each of a foreign language and economics or business. The public even supports requiring much of this curriculum for students who do not plan to go to college. These standards far exceed the strictest high school graduation requirements of any State today, and they also exceed the admission standards of all but a handful of our most selective colleges and universities.

      Another dimension of the public's support offers the prospect of constructive reform. The best term to characterize it may simply be the honorable word "patriotism." Citizens know intuitively what some of the best economists have shown in their research, that education is one of the chief engines of a society's material well-being. They know, too, that education is the common bond of a pluralistic society and helps tie us to other cultures around the globe. Citizens also know in their bones that the safety of the United States depends principally on the wit, skill, and spirit of a self-confident people, today and tomorrow. It is, therefore, essential--especially in a period of long-term decline in educational achievement--for government at all levels to affirm its responsibility for nurturing the Nation's intellectual capital.

      And perhaps most important, citizens know and believe that the meaning of America to the rest of the world must be something better than it seems to many today. Americans like to think of this Nation as the preeminent country for generating the great ideas and material benefits for all mankind. The citizen is dismayed at a steady 15-year decline in industrial productivity, as one great American industry after another falls to world competition. The citizen wants the country to act on the belief, expressed in our hearings and by the large majority in the Gallup Poll, that education should be at the top of the Nation's agenda. ?-###-

      [Introduction] [Findings]

       

    • Blog post
    • 2 years ago
    • Views: 4310

  • K-8 SocSci Curric for 21st Cen K-8 SocSci Curric for 21st Cent-Part 3

    • From: Robert_Siegel
    • Description:

      K-8 Social Science Curriculum for the 21st Century - Part 3

      This is a series of posts on the topic of how we might re-think the social sciences as we move tumultuously toward humankind's evolution becoming one common family on this interconnected and interdependent planet.

      In this blog, we will explore more definitions that will be used throughout our discussion.

                  Global Understanding.  The most finely-tuned and holistic definition I have found so far of global understanding which goes beyond the “classical” and in my opinion simplistic interpretation of the “learning about cultures different than our own” is found in a work by Charlotte Anderson entitled Global Understandings: A Framework for Teaching and Learning: “The realities of a globally interrelated and culturally diverse world of the 21st century require an education for all students that will enable them to see themselves as human beings whose home is planet earth, who are citizens of a multicultural society living in an increasingly interrelated world and who learn, care, think, and act to celebrate life on this planet and to meet the global challenges confronting humankind.” (Anderson 1994, p. 5). A student who has received the above message through a systematic sequence of strategically design learning, caring, thinking, choosing and acting outcomes will surely be better prepared for global understanding.

                  Unity in Diversity.  In order to better grasp the concept of the unity of the human species as the underlying goal of a global society, it is imperative to distinguish between unity and uniformity.  The oneness of our home planet was perhaps engrained in our consciousness most graphically after the space flights in the early 1960s which “enabled human beings for the first time to actually look at our planet from outer space and perceive it as an integrated whole,” which “was a profound spiritual experience that forever changed their relationship to the Earth.” (Capra 1996, p. 100).  Now, this “discovery of the interdependent wholeness of our planet must be accompanied by the recognition of the interdependent wholeness of humanity.” (Muller 1993, p. 35). While we seem to be struggling between two apparently opposing forces, that which unites and that which divides or differentiates, we have the potential of manifesting “the fullest response to others of which humans are capable,” appreciating, as educator Alfie Kohn proposes in his work The Brighter Side of Human Nature, on the one hand “the other’s otherness” while on the other, “the humanness that we have in common.” (Kohn 1990, p. 99).  The "Us and Them" syndrome continuous pervades our curricula, and the sooner we eliminate these outworn shibboleths which as Yong Zhao states "merely serve as constantly evolving containers", the better. Therefore, it is the belief of the writer that through a systemic and updated educational process, “[humankind] might then see that the centripetal force of their common universal human nature is far stronger than the centrifugal force of their different ideologies and racial-cultural patterns.” (Lawson 1969, p. 17).  This balancing act is what we shall term achieving unity in diversity.

                  Wholistic Education (or Holistic Education).  Nearly all of the recent education researchers who delve into the arena of learning and knowledge seem to agree with the need to see learning from a holistic viewpoint, integrating the social and the emotional aspects of a person’s disposition toward learning - their motivation for learning - beyond expecting results solely on intellectual capacity; that “for children to become knowledgeable, they must be ready and motivated to learn, and capable of integrating new information into their lives.” (Elias 1997, p.1)  It is the “integration of intellectual, social and emotional aspects of ... student learning.” (Cove 1996).   Holistic education has been given greater relevance due to the impact on learning of the emotional capacities of individuals.   It has even been considered a form of intelligence which may be a key to the successful development of lifelong learning as researched and documented by Daniel Goleman (Goleman 1997) and numerous brain researchers over the last 20 years who have even gone so far as to elevate emotional intelligence to an essential element for creating meaning and driving attention. (Jensen 1998, p.72). Beyond integrated education which “cuts across subject-matter lines, bringing together various aspects of the curriculum into meaningful association to focus upon broad areas of study,” (Shoemaker 1989) holistic education addresses the whole learner. ASCD's Whole Child Initiative is the latest iteration of a positive campaign toward consensus about this topic (see http://www.wholechildeducation.org/).

                 Global Education.  Because the term “global” can mean “comprehensive” (especially when translated into other languages), in the English language it is secondary, according to the Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, to its first definition of “pertaining to or involving the whole world”.  The latter being considered, when we refer to global education in these discussions, we are referring to that process which “develops the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are the basis for decision making and participation in a world characterized by cultural pluralism, interconnectedness” and international economic dependencies. (Merryfield 1995) Oftentimes referred to as a global multicultural curriculum because “it is intended to deliver the knowledge, skills and attitudes to empower students to active citizenship of their own community, their nation and the world,” and “it is in its very essence an active curriculum,” which should have action outcomes imbedded into its assessment strategies. (Lynch 1989 p. 50). As opposed to “world studies” which tends to be viewed as an additional subject area within the curriculum, in its broadest sense, “global education is also seen as a whole curriculum strategy, permeating and adding to the existing parameters, not only of individual subjects but in a holistic way across all the school-organized learning experience of the student.” (Lynch, P. xvi)

      More definitions will be forthcoming in the next part of the blog.

      Anderson, Charlotte C. (1994). Global Understandings: A Framework for Teaching and Learning. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

      Capra, Fritzof (1996). The Web of Life. New York: Bantam-Doubleday.

      Cove, Patrick G. and Anne Goodsell Love (1996). Enhancing Student Learning: Intellectual, Social and Emotional Learning. ERIC Digest ED400741.

      Elias, Marice and others (1997). Promoting Social and Emotional Learning: Guidelines for Educators. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

      Goleman, Daniel (1997). Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.

      Jensen, Eric (1998). Teaching With the Brain in Mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

      Kohn, Alfie (1990). The Brighter Side of Human Nature. New York: BasicBooks (Division of HarperCollins)

      Lynch, James (1989). Multicultural Education in a Global Society. London: The Falmer Press.

      Merryfield, Merry (1995). Teacher Education in Global and International Education. Washington, DC: ERIC ED384601

      Muller, Robert (1993). New Genesis: Shaping Global Spirituality. Anacortes, WA: World Happiness and Cooperation.

      Seminars. Hamburg: UNESCO Institute for Education.

      Shoemaker, Betty Jean Eklund (1989). Integrative Education: A Curriculum for the Twenty-First Century. OSSC Bulletin 33,2. Eugene, OR: Oregon School Study Council, ERIC Digest ED 311602 89.

      Zhao, Yong (2009). Catching Up or Leading the Way. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. p. 171-173.

    • Blog post
    • 3 years ago
    • Views: 693

  • Learning in the Age of Globali Learning in the Age of Globalization

    • From: Jason_Flom
    • Description:

      evolution.jpgYong Zhao, like Daniel Pink, makes a compelling case for re-imagining our school system in the age of globalization.

      With our current overemphasis on knowledge transmission, we run the risk of sacrificing innovation, all in the pursuit of scores.

      In his session at ASCD's Annual Conference in San Antonio, Zhao provided a glance at some international education reforms that move toward what our policy seems design to limit: autonomy, creativity, and innovation:

      • Japan: Respecting individual school autonomy
      • Singapore: explicit teaching of critical and creative thinking skills; reduction of subject content; revision of assessment modes
      • Korea: ultimate goal is to cultivate creative, autonomous, and self-driven human resources who will lead the era's developments in information, knowldge and globalization

      In 1964, the first international mathematics study (FIMS) tested 13 year olds from 12 nations. US finished second to last. Such comparisons leads us to the question, what matters? Zhao suggests the following:

      • Diversity of talents
      • Creativity
      • Entrepreneurship
      • Passion

      In support of these elements he considers schools' talent shows a strength.

      Whoa, whoa, whoa.  Hit the breaks.  

      Talent shows as a strength? Isn't that the problem?  We're wasting our time with obscure, random celebrations of student mediocrity when we should be focusing on skill development, accountability, and achievement.

      Here, Zhao asks us to go with him for a second, to pull away from the short term analysis and to look at the larger trends and values therein. "School talent shows value individual talents, inspire passion and responsibility, tolerate deviation, and cultivate entrepreneurship." To make the case stronger, he employs the idea of children as pop-corn -- some pop early, some pop late. And in this mindset we respect individual differences, have faith in every child, and give second, third, fourth chances.

      There are essential learnings that can happen herein that help students develop skills that cannot be shipped overseas.

      Globalization: The Death of Distance

      Technology is rendering specific knowledge increasingly less valuable. Think of London taxi drivers who might spend three years learning and memorizing every street in the city before GPS was made widely available.

      What do we offer that companies cannot get overseas? Here Zhao makes the case that the 21st century is about personalization and customization, with the idea that "something local becomes more valuable." He implores us to cultivate talents that can guide students through (and help them take advantage of) globalization.

      Global Competences

      Culture intelligence

      • Skills
      • Attitutdes
      • Perspectives
      • Values/identity

      Knowledge of the globe

      • Global economics
      • Global problems
      • Interdependence

      Languages and culture Living in the digital world

      • Consumers
      • Citizens
      • Community leaders

      Making a living in the digital world

      • Digital workers
      • Global workers

      (Re)Creating the digital world

      • Innovators
      • Entrepreneurs

      How can we do it?

      We need, "Schools as Global Enterprises: Re-imagine Education in the Age of Globalization." Schools as Global Enterprises would focus on:

      • Global products
      • Global resources
      • Global market
      • Global staffing

      Input-based Accountability

      • Physical environment
      • Leadership
      • Learning facilities
      • Teacher quality
      • Diverse opportunities
      • Student voice
      • Tolerance
      • Global connections

      In the end Zhao says we need to reinvest and regain trust in our public school system. Education is about dreams. Not about rules.

      Image: Clemson
    • Blog post
    • 3 years ago
    • Views: 704
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  • Talking with Yong Zhao Talking with Yong Zhao

    • From: Steve_Moore
    • Description:

      Here are a few of my CinchCast audio recordings from the conference. There will be more posted in my blog here and on www.mooreonthepage.com!

    • 3 years ago
    • Views: 843
    • Not yet rated

  • Interview: Yong Zhao on Global Interview: Yong Zhao on Globalization in Education

    • From: Steve_Moore
    • Description:

      When I heard that Yong Zhao would be speaking at ASCD I was excited, having just read his interview in the latest issue of the Kappan. I had read his blog posts previously and was interested in his view of American Education as innovative.

      I think, unfortunately, many American educators allow themselves to remain isolated within their own district, state, or region. Some even seldom go beyond the classroom walls for new information. Zhao’s perspective is dually Chinese and American, as a student who grew up in Sichuan Province and came to Chicago for his graduate education. His perspective offers something every educator should seek out: diversity.

      I’m sure the term has different meaning for each of you reading this, but if there’s one thing I know cripples innovation, it’s isolation and the routine of sameness many of us experience day-in and day-out.  Zhao’s research is extensive in many areas, but one of the most interesting is in the use of gaming for learning. He helped to create a massively-multiplayer environment for students learning Mandarin; the concept alone is interesting, but his results are impressive.

      His session reflects the work in his latest book, Catching Up or Leading the Way: Education in the Age of Globalization. The gist of his speech was that the American education system is not falling behind places like China and India, but rather is far ahead in terms of its ability to produce individuals. You can’t export the ability to innovate as easily as you can core knowledge like calculus.

      China may be very good at turning out good test-takers, scientists, and mathematicians, but Zhao says there is a lack of thought there. The thing that American schools do well (at least before NCLB) is cultivate creativity.

      You can see my tweets and others about Yong Zhao’s session by following the #ZHAO tag on Twitter

      You can listen to some audio recorded when I approached Yong after his session:

      I started recording the audio while an administrator from Indiana was asking his question about assessment policy. You’ll hear me start my question about a minute in.

      I feel as though I have more to say on the subject (I haven’t even dug into my session notes!), but ASCD is so full of things I don’t want to miss. More to come…

    • Blog post
    • 3 years ago
    • Views: 783

  • Yong_Zhao

    • ASCD EDge Member
    • Points:445
    • Views: 1524
    • Since: 3 years ago

  • ASCD Authors in the Community ASCD Authors in the Community

  • Laura_Berry

    • ASCD EDge Member
    • Points:795
    • Views: 903
    • Since: 3 years ago

  • Meet Yong Zhao, ASCD Author Meet Yong Zhao, ASCD Author

    • From: Tim_Ito
    • Description:

      Author Yong Zhao discusses standardized testing and the problems it causes for educators in this profile from 2009. Meet him and other authors at ASCD's Annual Conference in San Antonio, TX, March 6-8, 2010.   

    • 4 years ago
    • Views: 118

  • 21st Century Learning 21st Century Learning

  • Talks With an Author: Yong Zha Talks With an Author: Yong Zhao

    • From: Tim_Ito
    • Description:

       

      Author Yong Zhao sits down with ASCD to discuss his latest book, Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization. A must-read for those involved with education policy and 21st century skills, Zhao argues that the best aspects of American education could be at risk as the country pushes more standardized testing of its students.

       

    • 4 years ago
    • Views: 1386
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