Disruptive Innovation

I attended Michigan Virtual University's Online Learning Symposium at MSU yesterday.  Michael Horn, one of the authors of Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns.  He was introduced by a high school student, Amanda, who is enrolled in an online class.  She spoke about how taking an online class let her learn at her own pace and in her own way.  She said: "We need a disruptive force to change the US educational system.  That disruptive force is on-line learning."

Michael Horn has a business background and studies the reasons businesses have come and gone over the years.  He explained how initially products that seem to have no merit (“disruptive”) grow to take over markets; thereby pushing out older established companies.   He argues that our educational system needs to find a way to reach students according to their interests, needs, learning style, and pace.  He believes that online learning will be used first to help keep kids in school and to provide assistance when they flunk a class.  Then, once it is proven that online learning can help students in danger of dropping out of school, then it will be explored for all students.

The number of online course registrations has increased at a steady pace over the past few years.  Only time will tell if Mr. Horn’s predictions will come true.  In the meantime, I’ll be working with teachers and administrators in my district so that we are ready!  Thinking outside of the box is in order.

I'll be buying his book.