Big Thinkers on Education

Some of the most compelling visionaries in the world -- from Sir Ken Robinson to Jane Goodall to Martin Scorsese -- are focusing their attention on how to improve education. From innovative classroom concepts to suggestions on how to foster creativity and collaboration, they share their valuable insights for teaching and learning and illuminate new solutions to old problems. Get inspired by their big ideas.
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Credit: Edutopia
Barnett BerryThe president and CEO of the advocacy organization Center for Teaching Quality
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Credit: Edutopia
Linda Darling-HammondStanford University education professor and adviser to the U.S. Department of Education
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Credit: Edutopia
Arne DuncanThe former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, now secretary of education for President Obama
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Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
Elyse Eidman-AadahlCo-director of the National Writing Project Elyse Eidman-Aadahl describes how the craft of storytelling is evolving, as new digital tools and communications technologies enable connections for content creators around the globe.
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Credit: Edutopia
Howard GardnerHarvard University professor and author of twenty books, best known for his theory of multiple intelligences
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Credit: Edutopia
James Paul GeeProfessor of literacy studies at Arizona State University and author of What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy
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Credit: Edutopia
Daniel GolemanPsychologist, journalist, and the best-selling author of Emotional Intelligence and other books
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Credit: David S. Holloway/APIX
Jane GoodallGroundbreaking primate researcher and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute
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Credit: Edutopia
Mimi ItoCultural anthropologist studying new media use, particularly among young people in Japan and the United States
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Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
Henry JenkinsMedia scholar Henry Jenkins describes how to boost kids' civic engagement by tapping their interests
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Credit: Zachary Fink
Salman KhanThe founder of the Khan Academy, a free educational video library that features over two thousand titles
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Credit: Edutopia
George LucasMaker of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films and founder and chairman of the George Lucas Educational Foundation
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Credit: Keith Major. All rights reserved.
Wynton MarsalisArtistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and winner of a Pulitzer Prize in music for his work Blood on the Fields
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Credit: Edutopia
Randy NelsonFormer Dean of Pixar University, which provides employees of the animation company a broad fine-arts education
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Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
Nichole PinkardNew media professor and founder of Chicago's Digital Youth Network
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Credit: Edutopia
Diana RhotenDigital learning expert Diana Rhoten describes how out-of-school learning environments tap into kids' interests
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Credit: Edutopia
Sir Ken RobinsonInternational leader in creativity, innovation, and educational reform and the author of Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative
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Credit: Edutopia
Katie SalenExecutive Director of the Institute of Play
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Credit: Edutopia
Martin ScorseseAcademy Award-winning director of Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, the Departed, and many other films
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Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
John Seely BrownInnovative thinker, known for his ideas on merging digital culture and education
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Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
Constance SteinkuehlerGame-based learning scholar talks about her research on online role-playing video games and literacy
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Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
Kurt SquireGame-based learning scholar explores young people's interest in gaming can create deeper connections to civic and political life
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Credit: Zac Fink
David ThornburgAward-winning futurist, author, and founder and Director of Global Operations for the Thornburg Center.
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Alvin TofflerFuturist and co-author, with his wife, Heidi, of Future Shock and The Third Wave
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Credit: Thomas Heinser
Alice WatersThe founder of the Chez Panisse Foundation, which promotes healthy school-lunch programs and runs the Edible Schoolyard projects.
- Learning Curves: Alice Waters
- The Edible Schoolyard Yields Seed-to-Table Learning
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Credit: Edutopia
Judy WillisNeurologist turned educator with the University of California, Santa Barbara's graduate school of education