Solutions to Problems in Education

Blackboard and NBC Learn teamed to produce Solutions in Action, a video series about people who are making a difference through use of technology in education. Featured speakers include Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Julie Young, President and CEO, Florida Virtual School; and Marc Ecko, Fashion Designer & Founder, Sweat Equity Education.  Dr. Hrabowski discusses how technologies encourage students in mathematics and science. His UMBC leaders believe that groups of four students around a central monitor can work together to take charge of their education. Hrabowski says that we need to keep an open mind about innovative use of technologies. Young advocates virtual schools so that students can learn at their own pace outside of the traditional classroom. She believes that virtual schools not only are beneficial to students, but in addition, are a cost-effective method of delivering what students need to learn. Ecko approaches learning through design, hands-on experiences, and technology so that students can see what it is like to be a designer or an engineer. To Ecko, it’s not the technology, but the content that works with the technology, that’s important. The videos of Hrabowski, Young, and Ecko are available online.