TECHNOLOGY: “Low” tech? I’d call it “essential”

Monday, September 12, 2011

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tom-vander-ark/education-innovation-_b_938991.html

Tom Vander ArkCEO, Open Education Solutions
18 Low-Tech Learning Innovations
Posted: 8/28/11 01:00 PM ET

Education Reform , Google , Teachers , Education Innovation , Education Idea , Education Innovation America , Innovation , Learning Innovations , Learning Low-Tech , Teacher Innovations , Education News

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I frequently write about new learning technologies, but there are lots of low tech learning innovations (i.e., produce better outcomes and potentially cost less). Here’s a lit of 18. I bet you can add two to the list to make it an even 20. At this point, some aren’t really innovations, they are demonstrated best practices but they exist in so few places they are worth mentioning.

1. High expectations and future focus. In the first minute of visiting an Aspire elementary school you see, feel, and hear about the college going focus — a unique and powerful combination of high expectations and future orientation.

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Seems like this is a “universal” low tech list. Never saw an enterprise use this approach.

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LIBERTY: The Gooferment can’t do anything right!

Monday, August 16, 2010

http://reason.com/archives/2010/08/05/private-enterprise-does-it-bet

Private Enterprise Does It Better
Why freedom and responsibility triumph over regulation and central planning
John Stossel | August 5, 2010

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In Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity, I bet my readers $1,000 that they couldn’t name one thing that government does better than the private sector.

I am yet to pay.

Free enterprise does everything better.

Why? Because if private companies don’t do things efficiently, they lose money and die. Unlike government, they cannot compel payment through the power to tax.

Even when a private company operates a public facility under contract to government, it must perform. If it doesn’t, it will be “fired”—its contract won’t be renewed. Government is never fired.

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I can’t think of a single thing it does well?

Even if I could think of something it accomplishes, then we have to examine that “accomplishment” under the dual lens of effectiveness and efficiency.

I think the Gooferment is sadly lacking. Whatever it attempt to do, it screws it up.

It’s all rooted in the concept that it can initiate force in our name on others. Once that mistake is made, all it’s efforts are poisoned.

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