Digital Promise

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is a new national center created by Congress with bipartisan support to advance technologies that can transform teaching and learning. It is being launched with startup funds and support from the Department of Education as well as the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

To realize the potential of learning technology, will work with leading educators, researchers, technology firms, and entrepreneurs on three key challenges:

  • Identifying breakthrough technologies. For years, researchers have been working on developing educational software that is as effective as a personal tutor. Preliminary results from a DARPA/Navy “digital tutor” project suggest that we can reduce the time required to become an expert in IT from years to months. Achieving similar results in subjects such as math would transform K-12 education. will begin its work by partnering with technology firms and researchers to map the R&D landscape,identifying opportunities for breakthroughs in learning from the cradle through a career.
  • Learning faster what's working and what's not. Internet startups do rapid evaluations of their sites, running test after test to continually improve their services.

When it comes to education, R&D cycles can take years, producing results that are out of date the minute they're released. will work with researchers and entrepreneurs to develop new approaches for rapidly evaluating new products.

Transforming the market for learning technologies. With more than 14,000 school districts and outdated procurement systems, it’s difficult for entrepreneurs to break into the market and it’s also tough to prove that their products can deliver meaningful results. Meanwhile, the amount we invest in R&D in K-12 education is estimated at just 0.2% of total spending on K-12 education, compared to 10-20% of revenues spent on R&D in many knowledge-intensive industries such as software development and biotech. will work with school districts to create “smart demand” that drives private-sector investment in innovation.
In partnership with , leading schools, school districts, and networks are coming together to launch a League of Innovative Schools. The League will be a coalition of schools dedicated to innovation in learning technologies and significant improvements in educational outcomes. The League will explore key steps it can take to help the learning technology market, including:

  • Rapid testing of promising new technologies
  • Creating a buyers’ consortium to demand better prices and higher quality
  • Encouraging entrepreneurs to develop game-changing innovations by promising to buy them

New Investments by NSF on Cyber-learning: In support of the Administration’s initiative, the National Science Foundation will announce $15 million in new awards to support research that is developing next-generation learning environments.


Digital Promise Making a Digital Promise to our Students (White House) Obama launches 'Digital promise' (The Hill) Valve teams with White House in digital learning program (USAToday)