But, will it get my classroom thermostat under control? Will it fix the copy machine?
Story at Federal News Rado’s Dorobek Insider:
The Department of Education is trying to foster innovation in a new and unique way.
They’ve created an innovation portal and are crowdsourcing ideas to try and improve education across the country.
Jim Shelton is Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement at the Department of Education.
He says the idea for the portal came about after they held a competition with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
The Education Department held a contest, funded by ARRA, to highlight good work being done by educators across the country.
They soon realized that there would be an even greater benefit if people weren’t simply competing with each other, but sharing ideas.
“In the run up to the competition and afterward [we realized] that there would be great benefit to all of the education community being able to hear about and see these ideas, for people to share information, find opportunities for partnership, [and] . . . for teachers and entrepreneurs to be seen by people who have funding and might be interested in supporting their work.”
Thus, the Open Innovation Portal was created.
More, there.
Well I remember when Information Services at OERI had most the department’s automation innovation, and it was in an unlocked room with a 386 computer running a toll-free telephone bulletin board. Have we come a long way?
The true innovation was how Ned Chalker beat OPM at put a lock on the door to keep the computers from walking away.
Millard Fillmore's Bathtub 
Nice article! We track all kinds of education statistics on our site.
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Damn. Rip out, not ripe out. Sorry.
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On innovation in the classroom:
Many many years ago, one summer, I was teaching a summer institute for high school history teachers. On a break chatting over coffee, I asked them if they could make one — one — change that wouldn’t cost their schools any [or much] money but would significantly improve their classrooms, what would it be?
One woman piped up immediately: “Rip out the god-damned PA system.” [Yes, her exact words.]
The rest applauded. Loudly.
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