Monday Musings: CCSS Tech Schedule

The ‘Common Core Machine’ is busy cranking out all kinds of support/resources/gadgets to promote our continued alignment as a nation.  Continue to read on to find out how the Gates Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, the New Schools Venture Fund, Graham Holdings, GSV Capital, Imagine K12, and Learn Capital are behind this effort.

The “EdSurge” Announcement:

Recently “EdSurge” (an independent education technology resource for ‘anyone’) released the 2015-16 technology education conference schedule. If you enlarge the graphic you’ll have a first hand guide to the technology companies devoted to the CCSS Machine. In my introductory paragraph I shared with you some well known pro CCSS organizations. If you’re wondering how I discovered who backs and supports EdSurge, it is on their website.
See the screen shot, then visit their website:
What’s interesting about “EdSurge” is if you read the “Ethics Statement” provided, you’ll run across this paragraph, “All our investors support journalistic independence; they do not attempt to influence our coverage. We have received grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Joyce Foundation to support the development of our website. We have received funding from GSV Capital, NewSchools Venture Fund, Learn Capital, Catamount Ventures and the Women’s Venture Capital Fund.” Okay, is it just myself, or do you question how ‘independent’ a media source can truly be with pro CCSS backing like this? Somehow I’m not ‘sold’ on this concept of ‘objectivity’. From my research, any time you run across a group so heavily supported by agenda driven money, you’re more likely to be ‘subjective’ in your efforts. Let’s move on, shall we?

If You’d Like to See the “Who’s Who” at EdSurge’s Conferences:

“EdSurge” is pretty cheeky, I’ll give them that. Why do I state this? Go back to the first screen shot. You’ll see it’s bright, colorful, and packed with information an anti CCSS Warrior can use. The ‘cheeky’ part (in my opinion) is that “EdSurge” has put this up for sale, so you the customer, can enjoy it 24/7. No! I’m not spending one dime of my money to knowingly support Common Core. I protest my tax money being used for it, but as we’ve seen, the citizens didn’t get to choose HOW our tax money has been used to undermine education.

You can also download a free 2 page pdf of the schedule of conferences, if you like. It’s free, as far as I can tell. Why the poster is worth accessing is this: you can see which cities and states are hosting. Why would we need this? If we’re going to fight the CCSS Machine, we have to mobile, we have to be ready to meet it head on. The main entities hosting the various themed conferences are a “who’s who” in the CCSS landscape. For example, one city will be hosting a conference lead by the NCEA for faith-based K-20 education leadership training; another will find the AASA gathering school superintendents to celebrate 150 years (no, that’s not necessarily a negative, but consider any time you gather to celebrate the past, the focus shifts to the future. It’s the future we need to be prepared for); another city’s conference will find inACOL hosting a blended learning ‘tell all’. This list of indoctrination grinds on! If you’re not sure how the above examples are entrenched in all things CCSS, I’ll be sure to provide links for you in the closing.
To access this all important tool:
 https://d3e7x39d4i7wbe.cloudfront.net/static_assets/Conference_Infographic_8.5x11_2.pdf

“EdSurge” Summits:

Another service “EdSurge” can provide you is Education Leadership Summits. Educators can attend for free. Companies are encouraged to foot the bill. (ie: Public, private partnerships; ask yourselves, how many times the CCSS Machine relies on P3s to carry out its mission?)  What the summits cover for you, the educator? The latest in education solutions AND technology. See the educator day parameters: https://www.edsurge.com/summits/educator and https://www.edsurge.com/summits/administrator

What about the businesses, what do they have to do to get involved? Showcasing the latest products designed to help you implement educational ‘success’. See the business requirements:
https://www.edsurge.com/summits/companies_sponsors

The “Fun” Video:

Here’s the YouTube sales pitch for “EdSurge’s” Educator Summits. Notice the vendor in yellow. Listen for the CCSS buzzwords, too.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UP1hrg6dj4&w=560&h=315]

The “EdSurge” Panel Discussion:

Back in 2012, “EdSurge” hosted a panel discussion to showcase a new initiative called the “Maker Education Initiative”. I’m providing the You Tube link for your background information. Why? Among the panelists is a U.S. Dept. of Education representative. Again, listen to the buzzwords, the rhetoric, and the ‘whole learning’ concept as it relates to CCSS (verbally admitted at about the 8:22 mark) and the heavy suggestions toward STEM (which is also absolutely tied to CCSS).

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLWbYChywaQ&w=560&h=315]

To learn more about “Maker Education Initiative”, visit: http://makered.org/
To see what groups sponsor “Maker”, visit: http://makered.org/about-us/sponsors/
From the “Makers” 2013 Annual Report, I found this one statement in the introduction, “Our flagship program, Maker Corps, exhibited the potential of an innovative online training model to empower facilitators with the confidence to lead unique, quality making experiences at their institutions. By placing trained Maker Corps Members in settings such as children’s museums, libraries, schools, and community-based organizations, we were able to reach more then 90,000 youth and families across 19 states.” To read the rest of the annual report (which is very telling of so much more): Annual-Report-Design_1.8.15_FINAL_web

Closing:

If you’re interested in finding out more about the NCEA (National Catholic Educators Association) and their ties to Common Core, please see:
https://www.commoncorediva.com/2015/04/26/rmt-have-you-heard-of-the-cccii/ (even if you are not of the Catholic faith, please consider reading this as it contains links to other faith-based CCSS tied information)

To understand more about inACOL( the International Association for K-12 On-line Learning), I offer you this resource: https://www.commoncorediva.com/2014/10/24/fom-friday-knowledgeworks-or-knowledge-quirks/

To find out how the AASA (American Association of School Adminstrators)is involved in CCSS, here is my article from last month (packed with all kinds of links): 

Warriors, we have lots of ground to cover this summer. Let’s get organized and get out there!