GLEF magazine “edutopia” bills has the tagline now of “What Works in Public Education” but is the publication headed in the right direction? Some contend that the publication is light on content and heavy on advertising; others say it is a nice resource and is offered free to educators.

Show notes: I think some of us were sort of excited to be getting a magazine from the George Lucas Educational Foundation (and in the summer of 1977, I was introduced to the “creative impulse” George Lucas via Star Wars…which saw in San Francisco at the Cornet theatre). In those early issues four years ago, it look like that Edutopia was going to be a magazine that was technologically savvy for the educator. And it was and it had a great website (especially the staff development section regarding of PBL). Then, about two years ago, I got bored and stopped reading the issue even though I was getting the subscription for free. The content got a bit light (even fashion for the teacher) and it seemed to lose its focus. Now, with the most recent issue, James Daily (editorial director) refocuses the publication to be relevant again.

Most of the discussion is centered on the first 10 pages of the most current of the June/July 2008 issue of Edutopia. Specifically, I make mention of James Daily’s editor’s note: “What Works in Public Education” (10). I also make a parting pot shot at the article about plagarism (in short, teachers need better writing engagements).

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