Next Generation Learning The intelligent use of technology to develop innovative learning models and personalized educational pathways Table of Contents

The U.S. Education Landscape ...... 1

The Foundation’s Education Investments...... 1

Innovative Learning Models and Personalized Pathways...... 2

Building Blocks ...... 2

New Learning Models...... 2

Enabling Environment...... 2

Next Generation Learning Challenges...... 3

Conclusion ...... 4

Next Generation Learning Challenges Partners...... 5

www.gatesfoundation.org www.gatesfoundation.org

The U.S. Education Americans who lack a college degree system. In many high schools and Landscape not only have more difficulty finding colleges, instructional methods fail to Public education has been a cornerstone employment, but the jobs they do find engage students or help them understand of the United States’ advancement as a often do not pay a living wage. In 2008, core concepts, retain learned material, or civil society, a democracy, and a global the average wage for adults 25 and older apply their learning to real-life situations. leader in innovation and economic with a four-year degree was $60,954, Learning models are often inflexible growth. But American education is in compared to $33,618 for those with only and do not account for students’ crisis. Despite billions of dollars spent a high school diploma and $24,686 for diverse learning needs. Organizational to improve the U.S. public education those with no high school diploma. processes are too rigid to make use of system, nearly 30 percent of students do data that could improve the teaching “High school graduates and dropouts and learning environment. Too often, not finish high school. The dropout rate will find themselves largely left behind in among African Americans, Hispanics, postsecondary programs are designed the coming decade as employer demand without regard to the real-life challenges and low-income students is even more for workers with postsecondary degrees staggering—nearly 50 percent. that many students face—such as work continues to surge,” according to a recent commitments, family obligations, and Of those who do enroll in college, many report by the Center on Education and financial constraints. do not graduate. Although college the Workforce at Georgetown University. enrollment in the United States has “As the economy gets back on track over the next five years, 60 million Americans The Foundation’s grown significantly in the last few Education Investments decades, only 42 percent of young are at risk of being locked out of the people who enroll in college complete a middle class, toiling in predominantly Over the past decade, the Bill & Melinda bachelor’s degree by the age of 26, and low-wage jobs that require high school Gates Foundation has invested $5 billion just 12 percent complete an associate diplomas or less.” in programs and partnerships in the United States to address many of these degree. Among low-income students, the The impact on U.S. employers will also bachelor’s completion rate is even lower, challenges. Most of that effort has focused be significant as they find it increasingly on increasing educational attainment for at just 26 percent, while only about 14 difficult to hire qualified workers. The percent earn an associate degree. all students, low-income and minority Georgetown University study projects students in particular. The foundation’s In many other countries, meanwhile, that nearly 22 million new workers with two-pronged education plan includes a the proportion of working adults with postsecondary degrees will be needed college ready focus to ensure that high a college degree is growing. Each year, by 2018, but the U.S. higher education school students are adequately prepared millions of young people in China, India, system will fall short of that mark by 3 for success in college, and a postsecondary and elsewhere graduate from college million graduates. success strategy that concentrates on ready to embark on careers in the global Studies also reveal the impact of a helping college students complete a degree marketplace—in engineering, science, and lagging education system on the U.S. or certificate that has genuine economic business—at salaries considerably lower economy. If the U.S. had in recent years value. than those paid in the United States. closed the gap between its educational We actively supported the Common These trends have significant achievement levels and those of better- Core State Standards Initiative, which implications for the millions of young performing nations, the nation’s GDP produced a set of consistent, clear Americans who want a career-track job in 2008 could have been $1.3 trillion to standards that states can voluntarily that will allow them to support a family, $2.3 trillion higher—a 9 to 16 percent follow for language arts and math skills and for our country’s ability to continue increase. that students need to learn in high to compete in the world economy. A number of factors are contributing school if they are to succeed in college. We are investing in the development of A high school diploma was once to the stagnation of the U.S. education sufficient to obtain a middle-class job in the United States. But in recent decades, lower-skilled jobs have disappeared due The Foundation’s Education Goals to the pressures of global competition, • help ensure that 80 percent of U.S. students—particularly low-income and while the demand for higher-skilled minority young people—graduate from high school prepared for college workers has increased. By 2018, 63 • double the number of low-income young adults who earn a postsecondary percent of all U.S. jobs will require some degree or credential by age 26 sort of postsecondary education.

Next Generation Learning | 1 instructional materials that align with will enable every student to follow a more An Innovative Learning those standards, as well as assessment personalized pathway to college success. Scenario tools that provide real-time feedback to students and teachers. We are also In this paradigm of next-generation Many in the field of education have supporting bold efforts to transform learning models, students and teachers— a sense of what the future holds how teachers are recruited, developed, both secondary and postsecondary—will for students. Some, like Dr. Terry rewarded, and retained. These include have access to high-quality, relevant, Holliday, Kentucky’s commissioner Intensive Partnerships for Effective and engaging content in a variety of of education, have shared their Teaching, a $290 million reform effort forms. Class time and structure will be vision for a more engaging learning in four urban school districts that seeks more flexible, to adapt to the learning experience. Here is an adaptation to greatly improve teacher effectiveness, needs of the students. Students will from his blog: boost student achievement, and have access to multiple sources of instruction and use assessment and Alex is a member of four different dramatically increase the number of diagnostic tools to help direct the pace Learning Teams . Each of his Learning college-ready high school graduates. and format of their learning. Teachers Teams, as well as his extracurricular The program also seeks to provide will tailor their instruction and guidance activities, has a dedicated section policymakers and educators across the to ensure progress and mastery for all on his personalized class portal country with evidence-based tools to students, with a focus on those who have homepage—which includes a news improve education. historically been underserved. feed, calendar, photos, video and Our Postsecondary Success investments message board capabilities . He clicks include working with community The foundation’s education teams work on his Learning Team in the Science colleges and other institutions to better together, and separately, to accelerate the section, one of five interdisciplinary serve low-income young adults, empower creation and adoption of next-generation teams that has been hired by a students to be active participants in their learning models. Elements of this new local outdoor equipment company own success, and build awareness and a paradigm include: to analyze materials for use as the broader commitment to helping students bottom of a backpack . The company Building Blocks. Learning models that complete degree programs. For example, has provided specs, swatches and support personalized learning pathways the foundation provided $16.5 million possible designs . Each team has require some basic building blocks. in grants to 15 community colleges and one semester to use its mix of These include effective assessment tools five states to expand postsecondary science, mathematics and literacy that align with college preparation remedial education programs. We also competencies to complete its analysis standards and clear postsecondary support Complete College America, a and provide feedback to a groupnet of learning objectives, engaging digital nonprofit organization that is working to subject matter experts . content, algorithms that match student build consensus at the state and national needs with content and delivery methods, In between classes the next day, he levels for policy changes and initiatives technology-enabled professional uses his tablet to review his online that can increase the nation’s college development tools, and learning competency chart and learning map completion rate. management platforms that integrate that plots the skills and standards he and deliver these diverse components. has mastered, along with those he still Innovative Learning Examples of such building blocks include must complete . He clicks on a virtual Models and the more than 1,800 free online video quest that the system is recommending Personalized Pathways tutorials available on the Khan Academy to him based on his learning status . (www.khanacademy.com) website. We know that increasing teacher He uses the remaining time to take a Produced by a single individual, Salman effectiveness, empowering excellent challenge to determine his proficiency Khan, the engaging 10-to-15-minute teachers, and engaging and motivating level . He is assigned Novice: Level 2 videos cover a wide variety of topics students will require changes to the status and a notification is sent to his in math, science, and the humanities current system, as well as new thinking teacher and parents . Alex can see and are viewed by more than 300,000 and innovation. Building on the insights some of his classmates further ahead people per month. Another example gained from our investments and on the leader board, including his is Carnegie Mellon University’s Open partnerships in the past decade, we are girlfriend Jane . He tweets her to let her Learning Initiative (OLI, http://oli.web. focused on accelerating the development know that her score is squarely in his cmu.edu/openlearning/index.php), which and adoption of breakthrough sights . offers an array of web-based courses educational strategies that that users can access for free, or for

2 | Next Generation Learning www.gatesfoundation.org academic credit at a growing number requirements, student-teacher ratio There is growing evidence that innovative of institutions worldwide. Self-guided requirements, and charter caps—are technology-based solutions can lead to materials and activities engage learners addressed. Education entrepreneurs more effective teaching and learning and provide frequent feedback about their also need access to viable markets and models. Technology also holds the performance. OLI data also provides rich capital. The foundation is working with promise of delivering learning solutions in feedback to instructors, course designers, states, districts, colleges, and education a cost-effective manner, which is crucial in and learning science researchers. networks to aggregate demand for a time of nationwide economic challenges solutions that emerge from our building and state budget crises. New Learning Models. We are funding block and learning model investments, a network of innovators who will and we are working with partners to Although promising solutions are assemble the various building blocks to explore new financing vehicles for emerging, they remain fragmented create next-generation learning models. nonprofit and for-profit entrepreneurs. and sub-scale. Educational institutions These models will include whole-school For example, we support a new social lack the flexibility and incentives to and whole-college models as well as enterprise called Startl, which helps aggressively pursue innovations. Even more targeted approaches that focus on entrepreneurs with promising, early- when innovative solutions emerge, particular subjects. This “test kitchen” stage learning products by connecting institutions and education entrepreneurs approach will help us demonstrate how them to sources of capital and to a have few ways to find potential partners the building blocks can work together network of mentors and users. Through and collaborators. to produce results for students. The these connections, they can improve the School of One (http://schools.nyc.gov/ quality and viability of their products Next Generation community/innovation/SchoolofOne/ and their go-to-market strategies. Learning Challenges default.htm) program, run by the New To address the barriers to educational York City public school system, is one To promote markets for innovative innovation and tap the potential such experimental model. It uses a educational technologies, the foundation of technology, the foundation is learning algorithm to match students is directing its resources in three ways: committing significant resources to with activities that best suit them, based • connecting and convening stakeholders Next Generation Learning Challenges on a diagnostic assessment of their and innovators to foster collaboration (www.nextgenlearning.com), a nonprofit performance at the end of the previous and knowledge sharing partnership that aims to dramatically school day. Each student receives a daily • directly investing in promising projects improve college readiness and college customized “playlist” that might include completion in the United States through teacher-led instruction, online modules, • encouraging open innovation to the applied use of technology and digital small group work, or one-on-one spur the development and adoption media. tutoring delivered live or online. Western Governors University (www.wgu. edu) is another innovative educational Next Generation Learning Challenges seeks to pinpoint model that for more than a decade has offered self-paced online courses, with technology solutions that can measurably improve the quality of credit awarded based on what students learning experiences and improve students’ college readiness have learned, not how much time they and chances of completion. have spent in the classroom. Students who enroll in this private nonprofit program receive one-on-one guidance and support from a faculty mentor. of breakthrough technology Next Generation Learning Challenges Undergraduate tuition is a fraction of solutions (primarily through the is guided by the belief that providing what other private colleges charge and Next Generation Learning Challenges investment capital to strengthen emerging is about the same as state university partnership, described in the next information and learning technologies, tuition—and the program does not rely section) collecting and sharing evidence of what on any state subsidies. Although technology has not led to works, and fostering a community of innovators and adopters will result in a Enabling Environment. Building blocks advances in education to the extent robust marketplace of solutions and a and new learning models will take hold that it has in business, government, larger pool of institutional participants, in schools, school districts, colleges, healthcare, and many other areas, we which in turn will dramatically improve and universities only if policies that believe that it has an important role to the quality of learning experiences and limit innovation—such as seat time play in improving student achievement.

Next Generation Learning | 3 college readiness and completion in the (More information about the partner capable of many great accomplishments. United States. organizations can be found later in this But we have not yet created an education paper.) EDUCAUSE has management and system in which all students—especially Many potentially breakthrough solutions fiduciary responsibility for the program. those with the fewest resources—can are being developed and tested by attain a secondary and postsecondary educators, institutions, technologists, Next Generation Learning Challenges education with genuine economic value. and entrepreneurs, but too often they provides investment capital through waves operate as islands of innovation, with little of funding, one every 6 to 12 months, each We are optimistic that the intelligent use access to each other or to opportunities to involving a select number of challenges. of technology, in combination with new disseminate their innovations. They need The first wave will focus on postsecondary and emerging evidence-based models of more support to refine and rigorously education. The second wave will focus innovative teaching and learning, can test their solutions, to connect with on K-12 education, with an emphasis on dramatically improve college readiness other likeminded innovators, and to secondary education. Future waves will and completion in the United States— develop strategies to broaden their reach likely focus on innovations at the system and meet the standards that our students and impact. Similarly, technical and and delivery levels. deserve and our economy demands. institutional barriers need to be addressed We are especially excited about the so new incentives and practices can take Professional evaluations of the funded potential of Next Generation Learning hold. projects and the overall effort will Challenges to stimulate development provide a body of evidence about efficacy of breakthrough technology solutions, Next Generation Learning Challenges and cost-effectiveness. The initiative encourage their broad adoption, and seeks to create a healthier marketplace will also foster a diverse community establish a network of collective learning of innovators and adopters working of innovators and adopters who can among innovators and adopters. together where those who have the will to collaborate and share new ideas and dramatically increase learning quality and solutions. Some challenges may involve As Bill Gates noted in a recent interview completion have the way. teams that include an implementing on 60 Minutes, “The country is built institution, a solution provider, and a on ingenuity…. Education is the thing The initiative has multiple objectives: partner who, together, can help take a that 20 years from now will determine if • send a market signal to existing and solution to scale. this country is as strong and as just as it new innovators to encourage more wants to be.” investment in technology-enabled Conclusion solutions that improve the quality of A society thrives only when all people Next Generation learning and student outcomes for low- have the opportunity to develop their income students Learning Challenges talents. Education is the key to providing Partners • support a portfolio of solutions that have young adults with the knowledge and EDUCAUSE demonstrated early evidence of success skills they need to find meaningful EDUCAUSE (www.educause.edu)is a and potential for scalability employment and contribute to their nonprofit association dedicated to the • encourage large institutions to partner communities. intelligent use of information technology with early innovators to support broader in higher education. It helps those who adoption of their solutions The United States has proven that it is • establish a network of collective learning among innovators and adopters to Next Generation Learning Challenges seeks to answer shorten innovation cycles these questions: Next Generation Learning Challenges • How do we better engage young people in learning and demonstrate is led by EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit its relevance to—real life—and their aspirations? association, in partnership with the League for Innovation in the Community • How do we personalize learning to accelerate and deepen College, the International Association understanding and knowledge retention? for K-12 Online Learning, and the • How do we encourage persistence and completion in spite of the Council of Chief State School Officers. An competing demands of students’ lives? executive committee that includes these partners as well as the Bill & Melinda • How can institutions and educational systems afford improvements Gates Foundation and other funders in student success in light of flat or declining budgets? will guide the project’s overall efforts.

4 | Next Generation Learning www.gatesfoundation.org lead, manage, and use information a truly global organization, iNACOL technology by offering educational seeks to facilitate the sharing and Next Generation Learning resources, analysis, advocacy, and dissemination of research and resources Challenges: Wave I opportunities for collaboration. related to online learning, to advocate for The first wave of grants will focus EDUCAUSE members represent the policies that support effective teaching on strategies that seek to improve breadth of higher education technology and learning in the virtual space, college completion in the United leadership, including chief information and to develop and facilitate national States. by: officers, IT managers and staff, faculty, K-12 online learning standards. The librarians, and others who are interested organization also serves as a professional • supporting the availability of in the application of IT. The association’s network and community for online K-12 high-quality open courseware, programs include applied research and leaders, providing a place to seek and particularly for high-enrollment analysis, strategic policy advocacy, share best practices and network and introductory classes such as math, teaching and learning initiatives, offering opportunities for professional science, and English, which often professional development, print and development, such as an annual Virtual have low rates of student success online information resources, and special School Symposium and multiple monthly • increasing the use of blended interest collaborative communities. The web seminars. Through guidance and learning models, which combine current membership comprises more outreach, iNACOL will provide a link face-to-face instruction with than 2,300 colleges, universities, and between Next Generation Learning online learning activities educational organizations in over 40 Challenges and its K-12 community of countries, as well as 250 corporations. practitioners. • deepening students’ learning EDUCAUSE will implement and and engagement through use of administer Next Generation Learning The Council of Chief State interactive applications such as Challenges and will provide specific School Officers digital games, video, immersive outreach to higher education and The Council of Chief State School simulations, and social media technology audiences. Officers (CCSSO, www.ccsso.org) is • helping institutions, instructors, a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit and students benefit from The League for Innovation in the organization of public officials who learning analytics, which can Community College head departments of elementary and monitor student progress in real For more than 40 years, the League secondary education in the states, the time and customize support and (www.league.org) has served community District of Columbia, the Department interventions college students, staff, and leadership of Defense Education Activity, and five through professional development U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO opportunities, research, and knowledge provides leadership, advocacy, and sharing, including the development technical assistance on major educational of model curricula and instructional issues and has identified next-generation materials. It hosts a series of learning as one of its highest priorities. international conferences and gatherings It seeks member consensus on major dedicated to sharing best practices and educational issues and expresses its views proven models in higher education. The to civic and professional organizations, League will provide targeted outreach federal agencies, the U.S. Congress, and to its members, creating a strong link the public. between Next Generation Learning Challenges and the nation’s community The Bill & Melinda Gates colleges. Foundation The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation The International Association (www.gatesfoundation.org) works to for K-12 Online Learning help all people lead healthy, productive The International Association for K-12 lives. In developing countries, it focuses Online Learning (iNACOL, www. on improving people’s health and fighting inacol.org) is a nonprofit organization hunger and poverty. In the United States, that facilitates collaboration, advocacy, it seeks to ensure that all people have and research to enhance the quality of access to the opportunities they need to K-12 online teaching and learning. As succeed in college and career.

Next Generation Learning | 5 www.gatesfoundation.org

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. For additional information on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, please visit our web site: www.gatesfoundation.org. © 2010 Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. All Rights Reserved. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries.