I want to build a website to address the issue of passive learning and to provide a framework in which parents can explore new options for their children, by identifying failing schools and comparing them to schools who have a proven track record of success in educating children through engaging students through a combination of progressive and traditional learning. By highlighting the successes of these schools (i.e, showing student collaboration on projects, increased subject interest through research, making and building, and exploring how technology encourages blended learning through digital practices) parents can gage new educational options and understand children can be educated within combined progressive and traditional methodologies.
The website will allow visitors to view maps of both failing and successful schools, and will also provide different data visualizations around success rates and curriculum, trajectories for successful careers as well as consequences for failure.
A space would be provided to invite writers to contribute articles around the many ways technology could be used in the classroom. This space would be specific to technology, as a way to glean the possibilities for in-depth training in the area.
The website will also provide space for discussion around curriculums and ongoing projects at different schools.
Thanks Joseph. Yes, I am passionate about this project. I am looking to scale it back though but to answer your question I think if there were a space where students could collaborate or add assets, that might be a way of determining interests and success. Also, if it is possible to measure success analytically, that could turn out to be useful information for administrators.
Genevieve, this sounds like a project that you’re really passionate about. The functionality of the website seems as though it could successfully facilitate discussions by interested parents.
My one concern at the moment is in regards to the measurement(s) of success and whether such measurements can/will be analytical. If the intent of such a website is to demonstrate to parents that progressive and/or combined progressive and traditional educations work, can you provide non-subjective measurements of success? I know there are ways of determining success other than test scores, but how can you measure such things as student interest?