Education Trends

Big Thinkers on Education

January 28, 2010

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.

Credit: Edutopia
Barnett Berry
The president and CEO of the advocacy organization Center for Teaching Quality
- Barnett Berry on Education Reform
- Teacher Preparation: Learn from the Masters
Credit: Edutopia
Linda Darling-Hammond
Stanford University education professor and adviser to the U.S. Department of Education
- The Collaborative Classroom: Linda Darling-Hammond on SEL
- Linda Darling-Hammond on Becoming Internationally Competitive
Credit: Edutopia
Arne Duncan
The former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, now secretary of education for President Obama
- An Interview with Arne Duncan
- Reform Starts Now: Obama Picks Arne Duncan
Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
Elyse Eidman-Aadahl
Co-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.
- Elyse Eidman-Aadahl on Writing in the Digital Age
Credit: Edutopia
Howard Gardner
Harvard University professor and author of twenty books, best known for his theory of multiple intelligences
- Q&A: An Interview with the Father of Multiple Intelligences
- Howard Gardner on Multiple Intelligences
Credit: Edutopia
James Paul Gee
Professor of literacy studies at Arizona State University and author of What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy
- On Learning with Video Games
- On Grading with Games
Credit: Edutopia
Daniel Goleman
Psychologist, journalist, and the best-selling author of Emotional Intelligence and other books
- Daniel Goleman on Social Emotional Learning
- George Lucas and Daniel Goleman: Educating Hearts and Minds
Credit: David S. Holloway/APIX
Jane Goodall
Groundbreaking primate researcher and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute
- Kid Power: The Roots & Shoots Program
Credit: Edutopia
Mimi Ito
Cultural anthropologist studying new media use, particularly among young people in Japan and the United States
- Mimi Ito on Learning in Social Media Spaces
Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
Henry Jenkins
Media scholar Henry Jenkins describes how to boost kids' civic engagement by tapping their interests
- Henry Jenkins on Participatory Culture and Media Education
Credit: Zachary Fink
Salman Khan
The founder of the Khan Academy, a free educational video library that features over two thousand titles
- Salman Khan on Liberating the Classroom for Creativity
- Khan Academy Explores Hands-On Learning
Credit: Edutopia
George Lucas
Maker of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films and founder and chairman of the George Lucas Educational Foundation
- George Lucas at Dreamforce: Sharing His Hope for Education
- Life on the Screen: Visual Literacy in Education
Credit: Keith Major. All rights reserved.
Wynton Marsalis
Artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and winner of a Pulitzer Prize in music for his work Blood on the Fields
- Keeping Time: Music Is a Core Subject
Credit: Edutopia
Randy Nelson
Former Dean of Pixar University, which provides employees of the animation company a broad fine-arts education
- Learning and Working in the Collaborative Age: A New Model for the Workplace
Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
Nichole Pinkard
New media professor and founder of Chicago's Digital Youth Network
- Nichole Pinkard on Digital Literacy
- Digital Media Empower Youth
Credit: Edutopia
Diana Rhoten
Digital learning expert Diana Rhoten describes how out-of-school learning environments tap into kids' interests
- Diana Rhoten on Sparking Student Interests with Informal Learning
Credit: Edutopia
Sir Ken Robinson
International leader in creativity, innovation, and educational reform and the author of Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative
- Sir Ken Robinson on the Power of the Imaginative Mind
- Schools Must Validate Artistic Expression
Credit: Edutopia
Katie Salen
Executive Director of the Institute of Play
- Katie Salen on the Power of Game-Based Learning
Credit: Edutopia
Martin Scorsese
Academy Award-winning director of Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, the Departed, and many other films
- Martin Scorsese on the Importance of Visual Literacy
- Teaching Visual Literacy
Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
John Seely Brown
Innovative thinker, known for his ideas on merging digital culture and education
- John Seely Brown on Motivating Learners
Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
Constance Steinkuehler
Game-based learning scholar talks about her research on online role-playing video games and literacy
- Constance Steinkuehler on Interest-Driven Learning
Credit: Mobile Digital Arts
Kurt Squire
Game-based learning scholar explores young people's interest in gaming can create deeper connections to civic and political life
- Kurt Squire on Civic Engagement Through Digital Games
Credit: Zac Fink
David Thornburg
Award-winning futurist, author, and founder and Director of Global Operations for the Thornburg Center.
- David Thornburg on the Evolving Classroom
- David Thornburg on Open-Source Textbooks
Credit: This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic License
Alvin Toffler
Futurist and co-author, with his wife, Heidi, of Future Shock and The Third Wave
- Reshaping Learning from the Ground Up
Credit: Thomas Heinser
Alice Waters
The 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
Credit: Edutopia
Judy Willis
Neurologist turned educator with the University of California, Santa Barbara's graduate school of education
- Judy Willis on the Science of Learning
- Judy Willis' Blog for Edutopia