"Educator advises those who want to improve career possibilities because they do not have college degrees or feel trapped in a job or situation beneath their capabilities. He presents ways to take advantage of new opportunities available outside traditional university settings that value the "hidden credentials" of people's knowledge and skills learned from personal and work-related experiences"--

“By deconstructing learning science and making the connection to technology, Hess and Saxberg have outlined key strategies for school leaders as they work to transform traditional practices in schools. Whether it is whole-school reform or targeted interventions, principals will be motivated to rethink or‘re-engineer’ the use of technology to optimize teaching and learning.” —Gail Connelly, Executive Director National Association of Elementary School Principals.

How traditional learning institutions can become as innovative, flexible, robust, and collaborative as the best social networking sites. Over the past two decades, the way we learn has changed dramatically. We have new sources of information and new ways to exchange and to interact with information. But our schools and the way we teach have remained largely the same for years, even centuries. What happens to traditional educational institutions when learning also takes place on a vast range of Internet sites, from Pokemon Web pages to Wikipedia? This report investigates how traditional learning institutions can become as innovative, flexible, robust, and collaborative as the best social networking sites. The authors propose an alternative definition of “institution” as a “mobilizing network”—emphasizing its flexibility, the permeability of its boundaries, its interactive productivity, and its potential as a catalyst for change—and explore the implications for higher education. The Future of Thinking reports on innovative, virtual institutions. It also uses the idea of a virtual institution both as part of its subject matter and as part of its process: the first draft of the book was hosted on a Web site for collaborative feedback and writing. The authors use this experiment in participatory writing as a test case for virtual institutions, learning institutions, and a new form of collaborative authorship. The finished version is still posted and open for comment. This book is the full-length report of the project, which was summarized in an earlier MacArthur volume, The Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age.

With more kids at home now . . . here is a book for parents, family members and friends who want to maximize this time for a deeper learning experience for their children and themselves. Free Range Learning will encourage and excite those who want their children to reap important benefits from this period of “sheltering in place,” learning at home. This is a book for anyone simply wanting some fresh ideas at this time, or those who wonder if a commitment to ongoing homeschooling might actually result in longer term benefits! The material in this book is backed by scientific and educational studies, along with the testimonies of scores of parents and kids from around the world. The work here is applicable for young people from pre-school through high school. Studies indicate that adults who were homeschooled are: * More likely to vote, volunteer and be involved in their communities than graduates of conventional schools. * Read more books than average. * More likely to have taken college level courses than the population as a whole. * Tend to be independent and self-reliant. Children are naturally “free range” learners. They build knowledge and skills naturally, within the full spectrum of their daily lives, while observing, exploring and pursuing their interests. This book guides any parent or educator in assisting that process.

With an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training, Teacher Learning in the Digital Age examines exemplary models of online and blended teacher professional development, including information on the structure and design of each model, intended audience, and existing research and evaluation data. From video-based courses to just-in-time curriculum support platforms and MOOCs for educators, the cutting-edge initiatives described in these chapters illustrate the broad range of innovative programs that have emerged to support preservice and in-service teachers in formal and informal settings. “As teacher development moves online,” the editors argue, “it’s important to ask what works and what doesn’t and for whom,” They address these questions by gathering the feedback of many of the top researchers, developers, and providers working in the field today. Filled with abundant resources, Teacher Learning in the Digital Age reveals critical lessons and insights for designers, researchers, and educators in search of the most efficient and effective ways to leverage technology to support formal, as well as informal, teacher learning.

Packed full with case studies from multi disciplines and with a helpful appendix of tools and resources, this book is an essential guide to effective design and implementation of sound e-learning activities.