Serendipity35

I have been filing away some stories about K-20 collaborations the past few weeks and this week I'm planning to use them here.

I received two links in an email from a friend who attended the EDUCAUSE 2007 Annual Conference. He wanted to let me know that he attended a session with over 100 higher education CIOs and e-Learning folks who were discussing a "continuum of education from kindergarten through college," also known as K-20 and (he says) the "education pipeline."

I know that Blackboard announced its own K-20 Connection there too.

K-20 collaboration is not new, but it seems to have some gained some extra attention this academic year. The idea of K-20 would not be out of place on the agenda for a meeting of a n academic department, board of education, board of trustees, mayor, state legislators or governor.

I've seen variations (P-20, P-16, PK-20) and, honestly, the initiative I've been involved since last May between NJIT and Science Park High School is very much a 7-20 project for right now.

What is it? It depends on the specific initiative but in general:

• Initiatives and programs which involve both a school component from a primary through high school institution and a higher education school.
• Examples would include high school/college dual enrollment programs, special programs in which middle school and high school students are exposed to college courses or study (some SPHS students take chemistry at NJIT and biology at Essex County College and earn college credit).
• Some online programs which bridge a 7-12 segment and higher ed segment. This is where companies like Blackboard get interested. A number of K-12 systems are already using an LMS like Moodle or a commercial product.
• Colleges are interested in a pipeline that brings students to them earlier and better prepared. Secondary schools are often interested in having their best students involved in programs.
• Not all initiatives focus on accelerated education. Remedial education is also part of the picture, as well as reaching at-risk students and motivating them to contemplate and apply to a college.
• Retention rates in both high schools and colleges is a factor motivating some initiatives.
• Not all initiatives are far-ranging. Oftentimes, they involve a department or program and selected students.
• There are also K-20 initiatives aimed at connecting instructors at different levels. Several NJIT initiatives are focused on this professional development aspect.

Here are the links that I was sent if you want more information. Inside Higher Education - "Online Education: Tailoring, Measuring and 'Bridging" and The Chronicle of Higher Education - "Managing Learning from Kindergarten Through College"