The GSV Big 10: Farmer Jon

Sunny Days Ahead, MEGA Universities, and the Definition of Insanity...

Charts of the Week

Source: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)

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The Big 10:

1. Op-Ed: A quiet change in Washington has just saved global education | The Washington Diplomat

   400K International college students come to America every year, 130K from India alone on F-1 Visas. Moreover, global education and global immersion is a huge and in our view, a positive trend. Due to some poor wording from the Department of Homeland Security that created a 5-month time limit to and fro for students on Visa, it put all such students at risk. Good job by the Biden Administration cleaning this up before they exit stage left.

2. The Mega-Universities Disrupting Higher Education | Forbes

   Arizona State, Western Governors, Southern New Hampshire, Purdue Global, and Grand Canyon aren’t listed in the Preppy Handbook as the schools one is to aspire to go to college…but they are changing the game and definitions of what “quality” education means. Michael Crow has the concept of the “5th Wave University” which is basically about excellence at scale so it’s no longer cost = quality, it’s cost versus outcomes = quality. Elite used to mean scarcity, it needs to mean excellence.

3. GEMS Education Launches First Schools Management to Transform Schools Globally | PR Newswire

   When you Google “education entrepreneur” my close friend Sunny Varkey pops up. As the Chairman of GEMS, the 200K-student, 200-school juggernaut based in Dubai has defined excellence at scale in K-12 education. He also is the creator of numerous high-impact and innovative initiatives, including the $1 million teacher prize. Now, he’s leveraging the 65-year track record of running high-quality schools to help other schools with the GEMS “secret sauce”.

4. Global Test Scores Show U.S. Students Still Struggling After Pandemic | WSJ

   I’m shocked, shocked that U.S. students are underperforming our international counterparts in math and science. Average U.S. math scores and the latest trends in International Mathematics and Science study reverted to 1995 levels. Covid is just the most recent excuse for the United States’ poor performance…and less known but no less consistent with our dysfunctional system, U.S. schools were closed down longer than anywhere else. With excellent education being the foundation of a thriving society…we need a Sputnik moment.

5. Why colleges are turning to institutional neutrality | Higher Ed Dive

   The pendulum is swinging back. Academic Institutions are increasingly taking the position of “no position” or “institutional neutrality” in areas where they don’t have a dog in the hunt. At the same time, need to be the promoter of free speech or in other words, be the fierce protector of the ideas of critics but not be the critic.

6. EXCLUSIVE: The Review Interviews President Levin | Stanford Review

   Terrific interview with the new President of Stanford University Jonathan Levin. Great genes helps – Jonathan’s father is former Yale President and Coursera CEO Rick Levin – but Jonathan shows his inquisitive brain that made him a hit as the former Dean of the Stanford Management School of Business. The Farm’s clearly in good hands.

7. The Trump Administration Should ‘Devolve the Ed Dept.’s Responsibilities to the States’ | AEI

   Worthwhile interview between AEI’s Rick Hess and U.S. Congresswoman Virginia Foxx…the outgoing Chairwoman of the Education and Workforce committee. Chairwoman Foxx views aren’t a surprise for anybody paying attention but she is crystal clear. The headline of devolving the Department of Education is something I don’t think is going to happen or should happen but it’s good for click throughs.

8. These Upstart Classes Hold a Woeful Lack of Civics Education to Be Self-Evident | RealClear Investigations

   There is a shift that has been going on as a counterforce to the ubiquitous progressiveness of higher education institutions. Most recently the University of North Carolina launched the School of Civic Live and Leadership. Values, virtues, and character are making a comeback. Former Secretary of Education Bill Bennett and the original Book of Virtues author has an edtech startup incorporating this that’s already in 900 schools

9. What Happens When 'Play' Is Left Out of the School Curriculum | EdSurge

   The Scrooges among us say the education isn’t supposed to fun – and in fact, playing is an unserious learning activity. You can’t learn if you aren’t engaged and people tend to get really good at things they love to do. “Invisible Learning” and “Hollywood Meets Harvard” are two of our favorite long-term themes to have scale impact. Putting chocolate on broccoli works for me.

10. Five EdTech Questions for the New Administration | RealClear Education

    Our friend and former colleague Trace Urdan lays out the five big issues for the new administration. While there is always fear of the unknown, President Trump and Secretary McMahon are unlikely to upset the apple cart for key issues such as Title 1 and Pell Grants. Moreover, it’s highly likely they will be supportive of unleashing innovation and disruptive ideas because what is certain, what’s been going on isn’t working (see above).

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This Week’s People Moves

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• NaKaiya Corbitt, M.Ed.: Children's Lighthouse Early Learning School ➡️ ABC Pathways, Head of Clinical Operations

• Gayathri Srinivasan: Wattpad ➡️ Coursera, Staff Product Manager, Search

• Kristin Lillywhite: KL Instructional Design ➡️ BrainStorm Inc., Learning Experience Designer

• Carrie Blakely: Aperture Education ➡️ Riverside Insights, Director of Community Partnerships

• Tanvi Gangwani: McKinsey & Company ➡️ Coursera, Implementation Manager