At School, Technology Starts to Turn a Corner

This New York Times essay lays out a vision for school reform through technology integration and project-based learning:

“In the classroom, the emphasis can shift to project-based learning, a real break with the textbook-and-lecture model of education. In a high school class, a project might begin with a hypothetical letter from the White House that says oil prices are spiking, the economy is faltering and the president’s poll numbers are falling. The assignment would be to devise a new energy policy in two weeks. The shared Web space for the project, for example, would include the White House letter, the sources the students must consult, their work plan and timetable, assignments for each student, the assessment criteria for their grades and, eventually, the paper the team delivers. Oral presentations would be required. . . .The project-based approach, some educators say, encourages active learning and produces better performance in class and on standardized tests.”