This weekend I am having the distinct pleasure of attending the Cisco Public Service Summit in Oslo which is held around the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremonies http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le21/le34/nobel/2011/index.html . If there is one word that cuts across every presentation from an impressive array of key global thinkers, it is “collaboration”.

I particularly liked Martin Stewart-Weeks’ presentation titled Resilient. Connected. The Art & Practice of Innovation in the Public Purpose Sector. He presented an array of new global partnerships that were solving tough, seemingly intractable public problems. None of these are specifically education examples, but they show the innovation that is increasingly happening when we think in new ways and leverage new partners, particularly the public, working together on big problems.

What to know what is happening to our South? Check out the terrific blog from CoSN's recent senior delegation to Argentina & Uruguay. Lots of innovation around using ICT to address social inequities with one-to-one initiatives.  http://cosnintltrips.wordpress.com/

South Korea is undertaking agressive vision and execution around replacing all paper texbooks with digital content.  Certainly something that those interested in large scale efforts to track the transformation from a print to digital education should be watching. Read this great articles from the Washington Times
to learn more.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/18/s-korea-leads-way-for-paperless-classroom/

 

If you want to understand global trends around use of technology in education, check out the relatively new (August 2011) report from the US Department of Education called International Experiences with Technology in Education 

www.ed.gov/technology

The report looked at 21 key countries and provides in-depth profiles, and then used that information to identify global key trends around ICT in education.  Below is more detailed information.  Definitely worth a read!

This past week I had the pleasure of being part of an official delegation organized by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to Brazil.  Perhaps the most striking sense you get when you visit Brazil is the sense of optimism and what could be called “can-do-ism”,  something  America used to represent to the world. 

One of the most exciting school visits I have ever experienced…and I have been on lots of showcase visits to high tech schools…was in Rio de Janeiro last week at NAVE school (Nûcleo Advanҫado Em Educaҫāo).

The past June, I participated in EDUsummitIT 2011, an International Summit on ICT in Education hosted at UNESCO headquarters in Paris by Kennisnet and other key ICT organizations.  This was a follow-up meeting to a similar Summit held in 2009.  

The small group I was assigned to was tasked with examining 21st century skills and what should be the research and policy agenda.  Despite some early controversy over whether these were skills or competencies (and new or just rebranding), the group wisely agreed to not try to come up with one definition, but instead think about the research and tools that are needed to “move the needle” around reimagining learning today.

The consensus of the group was that there is growing agreement that students need not only basic skills of math, science and reading, they also need the “C”s – collaboration, creativity and critical thinking.  And, while many policy makers and educators are rhetorically agreeing with this vision, most felt that was a deep chasm between talking about it and actually doing it.

If you want an impressive summary from WISE, check out the blog posting by Donald Clark, Board Director of Learn Direct.  I think he was, as they say in the UK, "spot on". 
http://donaldclarkplanb.blogspot.com/

One of the most interesting sessions I attended was on learning through mobile devices.  While this topic feels at its infancy, and most of the pilot efforts are happening in developing countries, there seemed to be considerable optimism that this could be an affordable and scalable technology in education.

David Prosser of the BBC World Service pointed out that if we want to use ICT to make an impact in world’s poorest countries, we need to adapt to tech that people already have.  And, quite simply, that is mobile devices.  Latest statistics indicate  4.5 to 5 bil mobiles.  He also cautioned that Smartphones in developing markets are only expected to reach 17% penetration by 2014…so much of work of using mobile devices in global education will be using basic handsets for near future.  The BBC World Service has a major initiative called BBC Janala launched Nov. 09 to teach English on basic handsets.

Likewise, we heard about Mobile “Bootcamps” to build education apps by college kids in Nairobi.  This...

What will bring innovation and reimagining of learning to schools?  That was the core question at the WISE Conference.  One of the speakers from Singapore quoted John Seeley Brown as saying we cannot expect that either a pedagogical or technological change will be sufficient to transform our schools.  Rather it must be epistemological…the entire school culture must change. 

A kindred spirit who was at the conference was Lord David Putnam of the UK who passionately argued that we need to focus on reengage learners if we hope to transform schools.  Too many students in developed countries, in his opinion, are alienated, bored and disengaged.  And that will continue until we empower, engage them, and use the tools to today to rethink learning.  Lord Putnam chairs the highly influential FutureLab, and continues to provide one of the most passionate voices for this sort of transformation.

While ICT was certainly a centerpiece of the conversation throughout the conference, not all education Innovation...