ASU+GSV2022 Dispatch—ED ON THE EDGE (Pt. 1)
How the concept of equity can be baked into any and every EdTech idea—from assessment to AI to credentials.
Looks like everything is back to normal in San Diego, at least for the moment. Last week, the ASU+GSV Summit, a collaboration between Arizona State University and Global Silicon Valley, was able to hold its annual event that brings together educators, industry leaders, investors, and entrepreneurs to take on the challenge of ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in the future. It was the second such event in six months, an impressive accomplishment! You can find my coverage of that event here:
Despite the occasional mask (no judgments) and awkward half-fist bump/shakes, the session rooms were crowded and the off-site events and restaurants were packed. Most conversations didn’t even mention the C-word.
Instead, the keynotes and (most) sessions accentuated the positive—new technologies, new monies from both the Fed and private investment, and new strategies to solve the access and equity issue.
What follows is a taste of what I discovered. While it’s always frustrating not being able to “do it all,” I’ll try to capture at least some of the thoughts and ideas that were flung about and then point you to other coverage if you want to deep dive. Over the next few weeks, I will also be adding a series of posts for paying subscribers called ASU+GSV Redux, which will be in-depth interviews with some of the most intriguing keynotes and panels. In the meantime, scroll down for some notes! Is it a blog? Is it a podcast? Call it a Blogcast? Volume up. Also, I am experimenting with how much content to dump in a single note. Is there a Goldilocks word count? Leave a comment and let me know.
Caught in the hall
A few off-the-cuff executive interviews
For more coverage of the event:
Access, equality in education part of discussion at ASU+GSV Summit
How one innovative president sees the unknown future of higher ed developing
Edtech Is Looking to Build Tools to Foster Student Engagement. Can That Scale?
(EdWeek Paywall) The Most Urgent Challenge Facing Companies Heading Into Next School Year
Edmentum CEO Honored for Leadership in Education
Last But Not Least—The THR Awards:
Best Claim-To-Fame Selfie Award—Michael Crow, President, ASU
Best Party—AWS
Best Small World Story—Alena Zachery-Ross, Superintendent of Ypsilanti Community Schools, Michigan
I interviewed Alena via Zoom during the depths of the pandemic for eSchool News, where she outlined the difficulties of securing equal access for her underserved district in Suburban Detroit. And boom, 18 months later, there she was at an IEI Superintendant Social! Good news—because of her hard hard work, federal funding, and community involvement, the digital divide is closing in Ypsilanti. Listen to her story below:
