In answer to President Obama’s call for better access to higher education for those with less money, experts gathered this month at a summit called the Education Datapalooza, hosted by the White House and the Department of Education.
In a blog post on the Department of Education website, Education Secretary Arne Duncan wrote that meeting was part of the president’s plan to make education affordable for every American.
A major component of the plan is technical innovation.
“We gathered to celebrate innovative products, apps, websites and other tools to help students get to and through postsecondary education,” wrote Duncan. “Many of the tools help students and families navigate the college choice and selection process.
“Others focus on improving teaching and learning, especially in ways that leverage technology to improve online and classroom-based instruction.”
To showcase some of the most innovative products, government officials invited software developers, higher education researchers and privates sector entrepreneurs. More than 50 presentations were given of new products meant to improve higher education. Many of the products or apps use data that is free from the United States government.
That data was made more accessible via an executive order issued last May by Obama, who acknowledged that it was a critical component of innovation. The Education Department followed this by offering a new public data inventory that became available in December 2013.
One example, according to the White House, is the Student Success Academy. According to the Academy website, the service provides students with one-on-one consulting with current university students to help them with college applications, applying for scholarships and planning their careers post-high school.
The Student Success Academy was started by EJ Carrion and Michael Benko, fraternity brothers at the University of Oklahoma. The basic idea is that all teens should have a “success agent” who is working with them to map out the best possible future for them based on their interests and goals. Carrion has also written a book about the concept, called “Accelerate Your Success.”
Duncan wrote the Datapalooza conference is just the beginning “of a wider conversation. In the weeks and months ahead, the Administration will continue to the community seeking to catalyze innovation.”
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