With sights set on the White House in 2016, Hillary Clinton’s stance on hot-button issues like health care, immigration, and education are under scrutiny. And, thanks to concern surrounding the newly-adopted Common Core standard, politicians have been forced to take a closer looks at what’s working and what isn’t when it comes to education.
In a speech given at the 2007 meeting for the National Education Association of New Hampshire, Clinton publicly denounced the current No Child Left Behind law. Never mind that she voted for the law in 2001; she’s now concerned that it stifles individuality as teachers struggle to help their students conform to nationwide standards.
“How much creativity are we losing? How much of our children’s passion is being killed?’ It’s Clinton’s battle cry just two years before the election in which, for all intents and purposes, she’s expected as the Democratic nominee for President. But while Clinton rallies against heavily standardized testing and requirements, she inadvertently becomes a champion for one of the simplest and most effective ways of personalizing education: eLearning.
Clinton’s Education Position
If you were to distill Clinton’s overall opinion and position on education reform, it might be hard to find: Clinton has never released an official position on the current Common Core program being adopted by most states. She has, however, spoken out against holding children and teachers to the same standards and utilizing testing as a baseline for proficiency. She has also publicly denounced the high cost of post-secondary education, as well as revealed plans for a $600 million dollar female education initiative to encourage female students to attend post-secondary schools.
A push for more personalized, creative, and inclusive education? Sounds like eLearning to us. After all, not only is eLearning highly accessible and low cost, it can be adjusted for an adaptive learning experienced based on the learner’s level of understanding, areas of weakness, and preferred learning style.
eLearning: A Political Power?
Adding eLearning to the current curriculum might be a way to satisfy both sides of the argument. While Clinton prefers a more personalized approach, others know that testing is necessary in establishing guidelines for higher educational standards across the board. Adding eLearning resources, like in-class eLearning style gamification, kids’ coding software, online homework resources, and casual testing could make all the difference in a personalized and inclusive experience that still operates on a state-wide baseline.
What’s more, eLearning could effectively reduce areas of weakness for kids that are struggling. Software and eLearning programs can correctly identify areas where a child may need extra help, and then display the necessary resources to help that child catch up to his peers. Meanwhile, children who are ahead of the class can add additional resources which to challenge and engage.
Therefore, we contend that although she hasn’t stated it specifically, Mrs. Clinton is a supporter of eLearning in the classroom through her current position on education in America. After all, if anything can bridge the gap between standardized testing and creative individuality (and Democrats and Republicans) it’s edTech.
