PLP Board Member Ann Michaelsen 'Global Hero in Education'

Norwegian educator Ann Michaelsen is a global advocate for connected learning. Ann is a member of PLP’s Advisory Board and a frequent contributor to our Voices from the Learning Revolution blog. Recently she was named an international Hero in Education by Anthony Salcito, Microsoft’s Vice President for Worldwide Education. Here’s an excerpt from a recent interview with Ann at Salcito’s blog Daily Adventures.

What conditions must change in your country to better support education?

I would open the possibility for more student choices. I think we are cramming too much into the curricula and require too many courses to graduate. We talk about innovation and creativity, but deliver the same content to all our students at the same pace. What if we opened up for more individual choices? Personalized learning is another buzzword I’ve been reading about. I think it is difficult to accomplish that if we do not change the system radically. To quote Chris Lehman from ISTE in June: “Personalization can’t mean we do the same stuff at a different pace. Anyone who tries to sell you that, call them out!” I believe that more important than remembering content is the ability to question and become a lifelong learner. We need to challenge our students and provide real problems to solve. Stop asking questions you know the answers to and open the door to communication and collaboration.

You can read the complete interview here