A Revolution in Education
March 22, 2025 Edition
Sorry for the short hiatus ... back at it. See below for newsletter link and a summary of the 6 highlighted articles from the last three weeks' articles.
A Revolution in Education Newsletter (March 22, '25 edition).
This week, the articles I highlight reveal both significant challenges and promising innovations in education reform. From AI's emerging role in personalized learning to district-wide transformation strategies, these pieces showcase diverse approaches to educational change in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Amid the Flames of the Federal Role in Education: Is Advancing Next Gen Learning a Way to Confront the Tear-Down? | NGLC Andy Calkins offers a reflective response to dramatic federal education policy changes, proposing that educators focus on advancing student-centered learning at local and state levels regardless of national politics. Highlighting the broad consensus around preparing students to be caring, collaborative, creative problem-solvers, Calkins encourages education stakeholders to concentrate on transforming learning experiences in their own communities. The piece suggests that working toward this shared vision might be a productive way to navigate current political tensions while maintaining focus on education's most important work. https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/confront-federal-education-teardown-with-next-gen-learning
Student Well-Being, School Choice, Higher Ed Top Governors' Priorities for 2025 | The 74 This analysis of 41 State of the State addresses reveals governors' education priorities, with student well-being, school choice, higher education, and teacher support emerging as key themes. While many governors propose increased K-12 funding and initiatives to address youth mental health and cell phone use, few directly tackle declining academic achievement. The article highlights bipartisan commitments alongside partisan divides on school choice and DEI policies, providing a comprehensive overview of state-level education agendas. https://www.the74million.org/article/student-well-being-school-choice-higher-ed-top-governors-priorities-for-2025/
5 Solutions to the Biggest Obstacles in Transforming Public Schools | NGLC Administrators from Bullitt County Public Schools in Kentucky share key strategies from their eight-year journey in educational transformation: creating a shared vision through stakeholder engagement, building authentic community partnerships, developing a leadership pipeline, including support staff in reform efforts, and aligning technical assistance providers. Their approach demonstrates how districts can overcome common obstacles to implement competency-based learning by fostering a collaborative culture and ensuring coherence across all system components. https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/5-obstacles-and-solutions-to-transform-education
AI for School Leaders: A Pathway to Wellness and Productivity | NGLC Educator Vickie Echols explores how school leaders can leverage AI to enhance both productivity and well-being. The article outlines five key applications: facilitating collaborative decision-making, strengthening communication, personalizing professional development, simplifying data analysis, and improving community engagement. By automating administrative tasks that consume up to 60% of a leader's time, AI enables more meaningful human connections and supports a healthier school culture, demonstrating that technology can help "automate the mundane to elevate the human." https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/ai-for-school-leaders-a-pathway-to-wellness-and-productivity
AI in Elementary Education: Make It Personal | NGLC Principal Jeff Finelli of Edison Park Elementary shares how his Chicago school is using AI to transform personalized learning through the LEAP Innovations Pilot Network. The article details how teachers are using AI tools to generate high-quality tasks, streamline lesson planning, and make real-time instructional adjustments, ultimately reducing burnout and enabling them to focus on meaningful student interactions. This case study demonstrates how AI can serve as a strategic partner rather than just another educational tool when implemented with a structured design process. https://www.nextgenlearning.org/articles/ai-in-elementary-education-make-it-personal
OpenAI's Education Leader on AI's 'Massive Productivity Boost' for Schools, Teachers | The 74 In this podcast discussion, OpenAI's Siya Raj Purohit shares how AI tools like ChatGPT are revolutionizing education by providing personalized tutoring, reducing teacher burnout, and automating time-consuming tasks. Purohit emphasizes that AI complements rather than replaces the human elements of teaching, allowing educators to focus more on mentorship and inspiration while helping students elevate their thinking. The interview offers valuable insights into how AI is becoming integrated into university settings through Custom GPTs that make campus knowledge conversational. https://www.the74million.org/article/openais-education-leader-on-ais-massive-productivity-boost-for-schools-teachers/
Together, these articles showcase the complex landscape of educational transformation - from AI integration and policy shifts to system-wide transformation strategies and leadership approaches. They highlight both promising opportunities and significant challenges in creating learning environments that truly serve all students in the age of artificial intelligence.
And a reminder that I have 3 seasons of A Revolution in Education podcast up.
Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3
Also, my piece on the state of AI in education and the possibility of it transforming schooling in Next Generation Learning Challenges: Could AI Accelerate a Revolution in Schooling? AI has the potential to accelerate a revolution in schooling by making learning more personalized and efficient, though significant barriers remain
And the toolkit: Transforming Schooling with Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools
And a reminder of all other good things ...
My conversation with Tom Vander Ark on Getting Smart about my book and the need and opportunity for a revolution is here on Getting Smart. Tom had and continues to have a hand in getting all things good up and running in learning environments. (Thank you Tom!).
Also, a Q&A here about my book on Education Reimagined. I tell it like I see it.
And this was fun! Corey Mohn of the CAPS Network had me on their podcast to talk about my book, but we really got into how AI may be a tool for making a dent in education – supporting the development of student interest-driven learning. It is fun! Think 2 guys having a beer and yakking it up! ;)
Really GREAT!
And ... my book is OUT!
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