Author Archive

    A “Modern” classroom model, designed by teachers, helps students stay engaged and connected

    August 2, 2019 | by Thomas Arnett

    As a K-12 researcher, I visit a fair number of classrooms. But rarely do I walk away as excited as I felt after visiting Kareem Farah’s classroom. A few years ago, Kareem and his colleague, Rob Barnett—both of whom were math teachers at Eastern High School in Washington DC—dramatically overhauled the conventional classroom model to […]

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    The way people think about edtech misses the mark

    April 23, 2019 | by Thomas Arnett

    Does adaptive learning software improve test scores? Does a 1:1 device initiative improve learning? Is screen time good for students? Questions like these are regulars in debates about edtech. But whether you’re an edtech advocate or a critic, if you’re asking questions like these, you’re missing the mark. All of these questions stand atop an […]

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    There’s a reason why teachers don’t use the software provided by their districts

    November 30, 2018 | by Thomas Arnett

    Earlier this month, education news outlets buzzed with a frustrating, yet unsurprising, headline: Most educational software licenses go unused in K-12 districts. The source of the headline is a recent report by Ryan Baker, director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Learning Analytics. Baker analyzed data from BrightBytes, a K-12 data management company, on students’ technology usage across 48 […]

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    What does the future of teaching look like?

    October 19, 2018 | by Thomas Arnett

    Over the last few years, the Christensen Institute has written extensively on how innovation in K–12 education will impact teachers. We’ve tackled important questions such as “Will computers replace teachers?”, “How will technology change teaching?”, and “How do you develop teachers for next-gen classrooms?” Below are highlights of our key findings and insights. Technology will […]

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    Three common misconceptions that thwart school improvement

    October 3, 2018 | by Thomas Arnett

    Misconceptions are dangerous things. They shackle our visions of what’s possible and doom us to consequences we do not expect. For example, a student who believes her genes predetermine her academic abilities may avoid crucial learning experiences that are initially challenging. A student who believes his postgraduation success will flow from his intellectual prowess may […]

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    A thorn in the side of education innovation

    August 9, 2018 | by Thomas Arnett

    Innovation is the key to real and lasting progress in education, but it isn’t easy to get right. In principle, innovation allows schools to push past time and resource constraints so teachers can accomplish more with their students. But not everything pursued or passed off as innovation actually expands educators’ impact in meaningful ways. Many “innovations” have neutral or […]

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