The ASPEN Institute Task Force on Learning and the Internet (2014). Learner at the Center of a Networked World. Washington, DC: the ASPEN Institute. Retrieved: http://aspeninstitute.fsmdev.com/documents/AspenReportFinalPagesRev.pdf
This report sets forth a vision that stems from the premise that the learner needs to be at the center of novel approaches and innovative learning networks. It argues that we need to embrace innovation to create a diverse system of educational opportunities that can help each and every child reach his or her full potential.
New learning networks allow learners and teachers alike to connect directly to resources, people and activities. Teachers likewise will utilize networking for preparing classes, connecting to students and parents, and learning from and with other professionals. A new era is expanding the possibilities for inspiring, mentoring, assessing and credentialing learning for students of all ages.
This starts with putting the focus on the student. For today’s students, learning does not start when they enter their homeroom or end when the dismissal school bell rings. Kids can attend class anytime, anywhere, in courses tailored to their own learning style and at their own pace. We can create an education system where instead of time being the constant with learning the variable, the constant is mastery of content and the variable is time. If the opportunity for personalized learning were made available to all students—and we believe that it can be—we could realize the potential for improving academic performance for all students, substantially reducing the disparities that have long been a troubling aspect of the American educational system. This is the education every student can and should receive [excerpt from the Foreword]
