College Learning for the New Global Century

College Learning for the New Global Century, from the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ National Leadership Council for Liberal Education and America’s Promise, spells out the essential aims and learning outcomes for a 21st century college education. Beyond discussion of access, affordability and accountability, this report aims to address what college graduates need to know and be able to do in a demanding economic and international environment. The essential learning outcomes outlined in this report include student acquisition of:

• Knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world
• Intellectual and practical skills
• Personal and social responsibility
• Integrative learning

Core Knowledge for PreK-3 Teaching

Researchers and educators have documented that children with a strong foundation in pre-kindergarten through grade three are better prepared for success in later grades when the academic demands of school begin to accelerate. This policy brief from the Foundation for Child Development draws on standards of national education organizations – including NAEYC – to identify ten components of effective instruction. The ten areas of ‘core knowledge’ for PreK-3 educators are: knowledge of child development, methods for teaching diverse children, use of multiple forms of assessment, organization of learning environments, curriculum design that helps children make connections, strategic use of resources and technology, parent and family outreach, professional collaboration and development, reflection for enhanced teaching, and vertical alignment of standards.

Improving Instruction for Students with Learning Needs

This ASCD Educational Leadership, Improving Instruction for Students with Learning Needs, explores the topic in depth, with a focus on identifying successful strategies for education professionals. Articles examine issues associated with instruction, assessment, teacher education and professional development, take a look at policy and leadership, and present various perspectives on this difficult and controversial subject. While schools cope with a growing population of students identified as having special needs, and face heightened pressure to ensure these students make strides in core academic areas like math and reading, the report maintains that the challenge is not insurmountable, and exciting new instructional approaches are beginning to show promise.

Success of Pre-K Partnership

A new report by the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) and Pre-K Now examines how Head Start and state pre-kindergarten programs can work together to best serve young children and their families. Better Outcomes for All: Promoting Partnerships between Head Start and State Pre-K, based upon in-depth interviews with Head Start and state pre-k program directors, collaboration coordinators and providers, demonstrates that better coordination can maximize resources, avoid Click Hereduplication of effort, improve the quality of programs, and lengthen the day to meet the needs of working families. All of those interviewed for the report noted that collaboration is possible under current law and is well worth the effort.

New Tech Standards

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has completed a draft revision of its National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for students, a groundbreaking paradigm for what young people should know about technology and what they should be able to do with it before graduating. Now, ISTE is asking educators for feedback on the new draft. A number of forces have prompted ISTE to update its technology standards. Don Knezek, the group's chief executive, describes the changes as a shift away from a focus on "competency with [technology] tools" toward a focus on the "skills required in a digital world to produce and innovate" using technology.

For information about how you can contribute, see the group's NETS Refresh web page: Click Here

High School Reform: It's About Time

The educational model that was designed to serve the United States in the early 1900s is no longer relevant in preparing students to succeed in today's global economy. High school graduation rates are dropping. Many students who enter college require remedial courses in basic subjects, and an increasing number of young adults who join the workforce directly out of high school have insufficient reading, writing, and mathematics skills. At the same time, an increasingly complex global economy means that students need critical-thinking skills, technological expertise, and business acumen to succeed. In short, our nation's schools are underperforming. This issue of Infobrief explores the problems faced by American high schools and the key components of ASCD's High School Reform Proposal – multiple measures of assessment, personalized learning strategies, flexible use of time and structure, new professional development models for teachers and school leadership, and business and community engagement.

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