How Education Needs are Changing

The Institute for Education and the Arts is posting two articles discussing the influence of technology, math, and science in education.

Communicating for Change: What Educators Must Know and Be Able To Do
"Over the years, a lot has changed in the worlds of media, marketing, and public relations -- and without changes of corresponding sophistication or significance in education communications.

"More "woefully inadequate" than the performance of U.S. schools and students is the degree to which communications in the education marketplace advance meaningful changes that yield better teaching and learning. Even corporations dominating other fields find that they can't use standard tricks of the trade to command consumer opinion or market share in education.

"Those who do well in the education market focus on essential aspects of public engagement. We've learned the hard way that traditional marketing and PR tactics predicated on the quick sale of ideas proffer perilously weak support -- insufficient to sustain commitment or muster the political will to affect policy and practice in education.

"In this article, Scott Widmeyer outlines a dozen lessons learned during decades of reform:

(1) Publicity and promotions are not enough to make a real difference or a lot of money in education;

(2) Invest time and talent to create informed education consumers;

(3) Be patient and prepare for fallout from unintended consequences;

(4) Listen carefully to what the public is saying -- and use polling data wisely;

(5) Beware the perils of pandering to public opinion;

(6) Gain support by behaving like experts;

(7) Help people ask good questions;

(8) Paint a variety of pictures of success;

(9) Take time to educate the education reporters;

(10) Keep corporate leaders at the table;

(11) Be willing to consider real structural changes; and

(12) Make communications an engine of the learning enterprise."

Read the entire article here on the Education Week website (free registration required).

Math, Science Graduates Sign On to Teach
"Teach For America has again posted a record number of recent college graduates applying for its two-year teaching stints, with the added coup that nearly 20% came with coveted mathematics, science, or engineering majors.

"The group drew 19,000 applicants for the 2,400 teaching positions it has promised to fill in disadvantaged urban and rural districts across the nation, an increase in candidates of slightly more than 9% over last year.

"Almost one in five applicants had a math, science, or engineering degree, reflecting a 2-year-old push on the part of the group to better meet the demand for teachers in quantitative fields.

"In recent months, government and business leaders have sounded a clarion call to improve education in math and science so that Americans are not left behind in a global economy. Yet the subjects are perennially on the list of those that draw from a very shallow pool of teacher-candidates."

Read the entire Education Week article here (free registration required).