ERIC Number: ED607124
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Jun
Pages: 41
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Big Claims, Little Evidence, Lots of Money: The Reality behind the Summit Learning Program and the Push to Adopt Digital Personalized Learning Programs
Boninger, Faith; Molnar, Alex; Saldaña, Christopher
Commercialism in Education Research Unit
Virtual learning and personalized learning have been at the forefront of education reform discussions for over a decade. Backed by almost $200 million philanthropic dollars from the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, the Gates Foundation, and others, Summit Public Schools has aggressively marketed its Summit Learning Platform to schools across the United States since 2015. As a result, the Summit Learning Program is now one of the most prominent digital personalized learning programs in the United States. Its rapid spread--despite a lack of transparency and the absence of convincing evidence that it can deliver on its promises--provides a powerful example of how policymakers are challenged when faced with a well-financed and self-interested push for schools to adopt digital personalized learning programs. There is now an urgent need for policymakers to move quickly to protect the public interest by establishing oversight and accountability mechanisms related to digital platforms and personalized learning programs. [Seven appendixes as well as the authors' reply to T.L.P. Education's blog response to this research brief are available on the publisher's web site.]
Descriptors: Individualized Instruction, Electronic Learning, Charter Schools, Instructional Effectiveness, Academic Achievement, Career Readiness, College Readiness, Marketing, Educational Finance, Private Financial Support, Educational Change, Privacy
Commercialism in Education Research Unit. Available from: National Education Policy Center. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309. Tel: 303-735-5290; e-mail: nepc@colorado.edu; Web site: http://nepc.colorado.edu/ceru-home
Publication Type: Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice
Authoring Institution: University of Colorado at Boulder, Commercialism in Education Research Unit (CERU)
Identifiers - Location: California; Washington
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A