EdBizWatch

How Online Education Could Narrow the Global Skills Gap

Business leaders and educators are turning to skills-based assessment practices to find and train today's workforce.

How Online Education Could Narrow the Global Skills Gap, Anant Agarwal, Fortune

Microsoft Pitches Minecraft as Classroom Tool for STEM Skills

Minecraft takes creativity, collaboration, experimentation and enhances STEM skills.

Microsoft Pitches Minecraft to Teachers as Tool for Classrooms, Molly Brown, GeekWire

Ed Tech: Your Cheat Sheet to 10 Fads, Trends, and WTFs

Because there will be a test. In education, there always is.

Your Cheat Sheet to 10 Fads, Trends, and WTFs in Ed Tech, Frank Catalano, GeekWire

Surveying the MOOC Landscape

If MOOCs from edX could be described as a city, then Computer Sci is its downtown core.

Surveying the MOOC Landscape, Carl Straumsheim, Inside Higher Ed

Who Trashes Liberal Arts?

Liberal professors have trashed the liberal arts, by converting so many liberal arts courses into indoctrination centers for left-wing causes.

Who Trashes Liberal Arts? Thomas Sowell, Real Clear Politics

Why America’s Obsession with STEM Education is Dangerous

The dismissal of broad-based learning puts US on a dangerously narrow path for the future.

Why America’s Obsession with STEM Ed is Dangerous, Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post

The New Gender Divide in Education

< 5% of 15-yr-old girls consider careers in engineering/computing. For boys, 20%.

The New Gender Divide in Education, Andreas Schleicher, Huffington Post

Ardusat Lands $1M from Space Florida, Fresco Capital, & Spire

Company aims to "make space accessible for students."

Ardusat Lands $1M from Space Florida, Fresco Capital, Roger Riddell, Ed Dive

Matific Raises $12 Million from Existing Angel Investors

Co offers K-6 math activities for students; free for teacher use, fees for home use. 

Matific Raises $12M to Expand Internationally, Charley Locke, edSurge

Number of College Grads with STEM Majors Stagnates

In 2014, 34% of college grads were STEM majors. In 2004, it was 33%.

No. of College Students Pursuing Science, Engineering Stagnates, Melissa Korn, WSJ

'Steam Engine' Gets $8M from Unannounced Investor

STEAM Engine offers the entire planet as a living laboratory, with citizen sci missions.

National Geographic's Tim Kelly Launches Startup with $8M, Chris Bing, DCInno

SkillPixels Picks Up $2.1 Million in Funding from Tekes

Finnish company's first title is SmartKid, an iOS game that teach math for PreK-2nd grade.

SkillPixels picks up $2.1 Million in Funding from Tekes, G. Anderson, Arctic Startup

Nepris Raises $550K, Led by NSVF

Co platform connects teachers with industry experts to bring careers into classrooms.

Nepris Raises $550K to Bring STEAM Experts to Classrooms, Tony Wan, edSurge

Why STEM Education Fails to Capture Students’ Imaginations

interview with Rita J. King, EVP, Science House, & Anya Kamenetz, author of DIY U.

Why STEM Education Fails to Capture Students’ Imaginations, The Economist

How NewSchools Venture Fund Picks Its Investments

We optimize for impact, not money. Investment theses include STEM, relevance, communication, tools, special ed, ELL.

How NewSchools Venture Fund Picks Its Investments, Jennifer Carolan, edSurge

The Modernization Of Computer Science Education

There aren't enough engineers graduating from college today.

The Modernization Of Computer Science Education, Jay Borenstein, TechCrunch

Stop Lecturing Me

At the college level, evidence is in: science students learn less when they listen passively.

Stop Lecturing Me, Carl Wieman (Nobel Laureate,) Scientific American

How Some Universities Get More Women into Computer Science

Does CS instruction need to be adjusted, or is it more recruitment and mentorship? 

How Some Universities Enrll More Women in CS, Clair Caine Miller, New York Times

‘Oregon Trail’ Pioneer Developing Tablet Education Apps

Dale LaFrenz helped start the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (MECC).

‘Oregon Trail’ Pioneer Developing Tablet Education Apps, Kirstin Decarr, Education News

Google Investing $50 Million to Get Girls to Code

New program comes 3 weeks after Google released a diversity report of its employees.

Google Investing $50 Million to Get Girls to Code, Josh Lowensohn, The Verge