reform

Missing Eduflack?

Eduflack reform

Apologies, my edu-friends, as I haven’t posted to Eduflack in a while. My content commitments have me focused on other platforms and on other mediums. But you can still find me.

I’m currently writing and commenting for Forbes and it’s Nonprofit Council. You can find my posts here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnonprofitcouncil/people/patrickriccards/?sh=779fafb22cb4

I continue to broadcast the Soul of Education on the BAM! Radio Network weekly. You can find those shows here: https://www.bamradionetwork.com/genre/the-soul-of-education/

Eduflack regularly posts the latest on education, leadership, communications, and nonprofit management on his LinkedIn page, which you can find here: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/riccards

And I’m just as active as ever on Twitter (and somewhat active on Instagram), where I am @eduflack on both of them.

I’m also working on some new endeavors, including podcasting, which I look forward to announcing later this fall.

So I’m not neglectful here. I’m just sharing my edu-love!

No Free College for You!

Eduflack equity, higher ed, reform

Millions of Americans elected Joe Biden president last November believing that free college would be a top legislative priority. But as a $3.5 trillion package gets carved down to less that $2 trillion, it seems that free community college is being sacrificed for priorities of greater interest to the progressive community.

Over on the Soul of Education on the BAM! Radio Network, we explore the topic … and why it is so easy for education to be sacrificed on the national scene.

Give it a listen here – https://www.bamradionetwork.com/track/free-community-college-for-all/

Eduflack on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal

Eduflack American history, civics, High School, Media, polls, reform

This week, dear ol’ Eduflack had the honor of appearing on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal to discuss the state of social studies instruction in the United States today and what we can do to improve the teaching and learning of American history.

The full 40-minute segment can be found here. Happy watching!

https://www.c-span.org/video/?515363-5/washington-journal-patrick-riccards-discusses-efforts-facilitate-teaching-us-history-civics

Supporting First-Gen College Students

Eduflack Achievement gap, Coker, equity, higher ed, reform

Over at Education Talk Radio, dear ol’ Eduflack recently had the opportunity to join Coker University President Natalie J. Harder to discuss first-generation college goers and how institutions are using programs such as federal TRIO to ensure student success.

Give it a listen here – https://www.blogtalkradio.com/edutalk/2021/09/09/coker-university–meeting-the-needs-of-first-generation-college-students

Recovery for the Whole Child

Eduflack BAM, Biden, reform, Soul, Students

As states continue to explore the best ways to spend their school recovery dollars from the Biden Administration, many are thinking small and using the one-time infusion to fill holes that will just appear again.

Others are looking to think big. Over in California, policy makers are looking to make a huge investment into the mental health and social/emotional well being of their learners.

Over on Soul of Education on the BAM! Radio Network, I explore the story here – https://www.bamradionetwork.com/track/a-model-for-putting-student-mental-health-and-well-being-first-and-everything-else-second/

Give it a listen!

Wait, We Aren’t Connected?

Eduflack BAM, early childhood education, Online Education, Parents, reform, Soul, Students, technology

Based on learning over the past 18 months, one would assume that every household has high-speed internet and every learner has the devices to take advantage of it. But a recent report shows that are digital utopia is the furthest thing from the truth.

Over on the BAM! Radio Network, I sit down with Noggin’s Michael Levine to discuss the realities of connectivity in the United States and what we can and should be doing to address the very real problem.

Give it a listen here – https://www.bamradionetwork.com/track/pipes-and-people-what-the-under-connected-will-need-for-learning-post-pandemic/

Librarians Love Us!

Eduflack 21CS, American history, civics, Online Education, Parents, reform, Social media, Students, teachers, technology

Time for a little not-so-humble brag. As readers know, dear ol’ Eduflack is incredibly proud of my work in transforming the teaching and Learning of American history. I believe this work is essential to both a stronger education snd a stronger society. It’s why I have spent so much time developing the Untold History initiative. And it’s why I launched the Driving Force Institute.

This week, the American Association of School Librarians announced its list of Top Digital Tools. This is an important list, particularly when we consider how just about anyone who is anyone in education was providing digital tools during the last Covid school year.

And Untold History was on that list! I am incredibly proud of what Makematic and I have been able to do here. And I am beyond honored that we have been able to partner with organizations such as the New York Historical Society, American Battlefield Trust, Kentucky Valley Educational Collective, iCivics, and many others to create these important digital tools.

Thank you to all of those who have made this work possible. We are having real impact as we dare mighty things.

Untold History, Right from the Student Lens

Eduflack American history, arts, civics, reform, Students

If the past few years (or even just months) have taught us anything, it is how important it is that we all know our history … and how boring and irrelevant history education can be for high school students today.

The Driving Force Institute launched its Untold History initiative to change that narrative. Untold has focused on making history interesting and relevant for today’s learners, telling the stories of those events, people, places, and artifacts that are essential, but often overlooked.

To supplement this work, this week we launch the Untold Pitch Competition. Over the past six months, we have been reaching out to students, asking them to develop their own videos on the moments in history that mean the most to them. Those submissions are now in, and we are sharing the finalists … seeking your vote for some of the top videos.

Check out the full competition here – https://makematic.com/blog/the-untold-pitch-competition/

Watch the videos! Share the Pitch! Cast your vote!