Civic Literacy Report
We want to report more on this, but for now:
A study of 14,000 college freshmen and seniors at 50 (good) schools reveals:

• There is trivial difference between freshmen and seniors in their knowledge of America's heritage.


• At 16 of 50 schools, seniors knew less than freshmen!


• Overall, seniors failed the civic literacy exam with an average score of 53%.

Aga Khan Speaks Out on Understanding of Muslims NPR
The Aga Khan gives a rare radio appearance and talks about education. "Shallow" is a great word to use in in re our education on world history and civilizations.

"Pluralism" however is an easy buzzword. The answer is much greater efficiency of education - and much more available life-long study. Not to mention much wider education in the regions the Khan defends.

We're working at it...

Slashdot | YouTube Won't Sell For Less Than $1.5 Billion
Wow. And we're just looking for a few thou to bootstrap a national community.

NCLB Commission Webcast Aspen Institute
The No Child Left Behind Commission met in Cambridge and webcast this video. Now, an amazing amount of nothing is said by the first several speakers, so go for a walk or fast forward until... Gov. Romney gives an amazing performance. His familiarity with the details is astounding (especially for someone who just launched a politics-shattering healthcare program).

There follows a panel discussion: the mediocrity of state standards is well covered. Somebody better do something about generating higher standards before the fed bureaucrats are given the job!

Ages of English Timeline BBC
Sweet! Sound, a bit of animation, funny characters, trumpets...what more could you want? OK, yeah, story. But...
This one romps through 1500 years of English in 10 acts. Quite original.

Winners: 16th Flashforward Film Festival
Yep, the winners are in. Who create the most wonderful history education app? Well, we'll not know. The winner in the instructional category: GeeGuides, a subscription art education site.

Educational Entrepreneurship: Realities, Challenges, Possibilities AEI
We mentioned that our non-stop effort to attract friends and funders took us last week to D.C. 'Twas a short but reaffirming presentation. People with creative ideas who may be outside the system are making very positive and big contributions. They've now posted the event Video, summary, and transcript.

The 2006 Austin Game Conference OGX
Why aren't you in Austin? I mean, not only did you have a chance to see the top two football teams in the nation go to battle (Go Bucks!) you have Austin City Limits next weekend, FlashForward this week, and the Austin Games Conference last week. Who should spend September anywhere else?!

How We Dummies Succeed," Robert J. Samuelson, Washington Post, September 6, 2006
A good look at the American Learning System and how we muck along despite our problemic K12 schools.

Of course, if you're black, male, and inner city, you might need a bit more of a boost than Borders, Amazon, and the net terminal at your public lib can provide.

Fort Necessity National Battlefield
On our last trip to D.C., we finally had time to take in this gem of an historical site. Too often we forget about the earliest days of America--days when the Wild West was here in Ohio, and when marble icons like George Washington were wet-behind-the-ears scamps. The park boasts a spankin-new visitors center, and it is beautiful. Complete with a playground for the kids and a 30 minute movie, the center is the gateway to a four site park all Americans should see.

We're wondering about the funding for these long-overdue upgrades to our Nation's heritage sites. Are they part of the $100 million in history education funds? Are the parks just now making good use of user fees? Are outside donations the catalyst?

The Path to 9/11 ABC
We should start this by saying we generally dislike miniseries and docudramas. (To be fair, we don't see much else to like on the tele). Most days, we'd certainly agree with John Fund, who opines that "docudramas are the worst draft of History."

In all the hype over this show, it's worthwhile to view the movie in the context of the rest of the anniversary programming. Most all of it was quite shallow.

At the very least, The Path to 9/11 should be recognized as a tribute to all those victims of terrorism against the US--victims we way to often forget.

By the way, can you right now identify Robert D. Stetham?

God Endorses National Education Standards Thomas B. Fordham Foundation
Well, you'll just have to hear it foryourself...we can't possibly preface this one. Aug. 31 edition of the Education Gadfly Show, with an update the next week.

Amazon.com Unbox Video
Amazon.com launched its video download service yesterday. Not that you need more opportunities to watch South Park. You can, however, also find The History Channel.

Windows HS: Microsoft designs a school system CNN.com
Hard to believe they've already completed and opened this. Seems like we just reported on the announcement!

K: Erin Kissane A List Apart
Some articles on writing, and links to more.

Last day
When we last week suggested you swing by the National Museum of American History, we had no idea that TellingTheStory would make it. A last minute signup for Educational Entrepreneurship (and a wet Ohio Labor Day) had us spending the night near D.C., so why not?
'Twas a good chance to see how media new and old were mixing in the nation's central repository, and we were still amazed at the breadth of the collection. Most surprsising was Stanley, the super-computing Volkswagon that won last year's DARPA Grand Challenge. For a follower of DARPA initiatives, and a one-time tech at the lab which came in second (sniff) it's still somewhat shocking to find this years' super-high-tech already consigned to history!

Starting Too Early-- The best education reform: More sleep. OpinionJournal
"Waking teens from their deep REM sleep before 7 a.m.--which during late fall and winter is well before the rooster crows--is much like approaching a lion gnawing on an antelope carcass. "

OK, this may not help you build storytelling media celebrating the best people across time, but.... it may help if one of the little target audience yawns at you at o'dark.