credit flexibility: an overview for gifted educators

Accelerating globalization of work, education, life Automation of increasingly complex tasks (e.g. Ohio

manufacturing output and employment trends) Vertical disintegration, outsourcing of business =

decline of lifetime employment, rise of small business “Model T” to “mass customization” and “long tail”

economics Exponential acceleration of scientific discovery,

technological progress Transition from education as phase of life to learning

as unending part of life

Performance/$ of computers doubling every year. By time next year’s freshman leave college, same money buys PC 500X more powerful than today’s. $500 of computing power today will cost $1.

Virtually all of human knowledge available to everyone, everywhere, all the time, on demand

21st Century will see as much technological progress as previous 200 combined› 20th Century’s worth of change by 2025

How can we predict the content that will have value to our students in the future?

If we can’t accurately predict, how can we “future-proof” the education we provide our students today?

Students must learn how to learn› Develop self-knowledge, ability to self-

motivate, sense of personal responsibility for learning› Find, filter, and organize information› Find (or create) and work with learning

communities of mentors and peers› Skill in using existing technologies for learning› Intrepid attitude toward mastering future

technologies for learning and thinking

State level School level Student level

Ohio Core (SB 311) – Increased graduation requirements, mandates schools allow credit by demonstration of mastery beginning in 2010-2011

State level motives:› Increase graduation rate› Limit potential unintended consequences of

increasing graduation requirements Fewer graduates Narrower curriculum

› Promote “college and career readiness”

Traditional “Carnegie Unit” courses “Educational Options”› Mentorships, internships, and service learning› Online and hybrid courses› Independent studies

Demonstration of mastery› “Testing out” and portfolio/performance

based assessment Any combination of the above

Expand options and opportunities, especially for smaller schools

Better serve “outlier” students› Interests› Learning styles› Readiness

Experiment with new instructional methods and technologies (w/o seat time constraints)

Leverage community resources

Personal responsibility for learning through:› Self regulation› Self knowledge› “Habits of mind”

Develop “21st Century” skills› Collaboration› Tech literacy

Develop talents, explore interests, and gain experience in chosen areas

Learn and progress at an appropriate accelerated pace

Connect with expert mentors and advanced peers

Develop time management and study skills, positive risk taking

Gain a competitive advantage for college admissions and scholarships

Senior in CTE program

Family construction business

Diploma instead of dropout

“Late bloomer”

College aspirations

Took 5 AP tests

Managing requests and referrals Process for determining standards for

awarding credit and grading› Consider “tiering” for weighted grades

Publicizing opportunities and communicating requirements

Responsibility for developing opportunities, promoting equity

Addressing costs

February 2010› ODE guidance› 5 Case studies› Highlights from states

March 2010› Soft launch of online community at

SharedWork.org Related› Performance-based assessment› Operating Standards revision› Content standards revision› EMIS adjustments

Attendance and progress monitoring Charging fees Athletic eligibility› OHSAA› NCAA (Rules, Core Course Look-up)

Early graduation Assessment quality

Online Resources› Learning|Connective Credit Flex Site

Official documents Sample policy template Athletic eligibility information

OnlineEdOps Wiki February 23 session with Fred Bramante

on lessons from New Hampshire. See webinar details here.