Welcome to edevolution, a video project thought of and created by G/T middle students in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Thank you for taking time to watch the video and visit this website! For more information about what the Education Evolution is and what it means, take a look at a quick summary of us here or head to the blog page.
Don’t know why you’re here or came here by accident? Watch the video anyway!
Have feedback? Tell us what you think
edevolution.wordpress.com 
amazing sucess this video, will change the way education will be in the future, and hopefully evolve schools everywhere hope this video becomes viral
By: azim dharani on May 4, 2011
at 10:16 pm
Love it but how do we then test as a group. Need to get rid of all the individualized evaluations (State Exams)!
By: Shell on August 5, 2011
at 1:59 pm
Individualized evaluations are not popular and could be improved, but getting rid of them is not the answer. Without them, kids slip through the cracks unnoticed.
By: Jen on August 7, 2011
at 2:24 am
yes yes i like it XD we need change!!>.>
By: Hector F. Vecchioli on May 4, 2011
at 11:53 pm
Fantastic job guys!!! Love it so much!!!
By: Kristi Parker on May 5, 2011
at 1:00 am
Fantastic job. Loved the message, the ideas and the production. I’m looking forward to sharing this with other teachers and students.
By: Nicki on May 5, 2011
at 1:05 am
Powerful message communicated in a powerful way!! I have confidence in each of you as leaders for our future!!
By: Debbie on May 5, 2011
at 1:33 am
Awesome. Very well done. I hope this helps with the changes that are clearly needed.
By: NovelHorse on May 5, 2011
at 2:16 am
Good LUCK, Guys! I’ll try my best to see that as many people as possible will see it!
By: Amoolya Paruchuri on May 5, 2011
at 3:01 am
Fabulous…. I am so proud of these students!
By: Alan Cassel on May 5, 2011
at 4:50 am
Great job Alec and friends! So proud of you!
By: Laura Hasler on May 5, 2011
at 5:07 pm
Wow! What a powerful lesson!
By: Sandi Rockne on May 5, 2011
at 5:15 pm
Explains a powerful point… I will email my cousins and friends in Virginia and spread it around!
By: Kaitlin Westbrook on May 5, 2011
at 5:24 pm
Amazing.
How long did it take to make this video?
Just curious 🙂
By: Lucas on May 5, 2011
at 5:53 pm
From the very first brainstorming stages to the final product, I’d say about 3 months. Give or take a few days, of course. And thank you!
By: edevolution on May 5, 2011
at 7:17 pm
Fantastic work! Your ideas will surely spark change in many classrooms!
By: Vanessa Drackett on May 5, 2011
at 6:07 pm
Awesome job guys! What happens here could change the world!
By: Austin on May 5, 2011
at 10:02 pm
This is great. I have always thought that we need something like this. I wish you the best of luck with your project. Hopefully you can get some good done in our education system. It needs lots of help
By: Devon Richards on May 5, 2011
at 10:44 pm
Really great job! It is obvious that a lot of thought was put into this project. Congratulations!
By: Danelle Krupa on May 6, 2011
at 3:26 am
Wonderful job! I found the blog posts more inspiring though! As a teacher, it gave me goose bumps to read students writing about how excited they were about learning! Don’t let the passion die!
By: Mrs. Sevin on May 6, 2011
at 5:53 pm
I hope that this makes its way to our college university administrations. Currently our universities are going the other way with with an anti-technological mindset. Laptops, smartphones, graphing calculators, PDAs, and other similiar technology is being banned in college classrooms in California. They are more concerned with students cheating than embracing the technology we use in today’s careers and as such students are getting degrees in fields where they don’t know how to operate the computers, software and new technology that they encouter when they start their first career.
By: Joe on May 6, 2011
at 8:24 pm
I am a teacher in Central Illinois and I say bravo to all of you!! The problems of our school systems are so entrenched and politicized that change takes a lot of work. Have you sent your video to your state and federal representatives and senators? I strongly encourage you to do so! They need to hear directly from students. Keep up the great work!
By: Mrs. Larson on May 9, 2011
at 12:36 am
Excellent job! I’m looking forward to seeing more technology in our schools next year. All of you made a very professional looking video.
By: Liz Harrison on May 9, 2011
at 6:53 pm
Fantastic! I loved it!
By: Anna Crisostomo on May 9, 2011
at 7:57 pm
As a book trailer maker, I really appreciate the thought process that went into the message you wanted to convey to your audience! The different mediums used to convey the message was just ingenious! Congratulations to you and your teacher for a job extremely well-done!
By: Sherry Thompson on May 10, 2011
at 2:15 pm
Fantastic!
By: Mrs. Davis on May 10, 2011
at 4:07 pm
Amazing project! Excellent ideas and great inspiration for everybody, especially for your teachers! I will share this with my students and the teachers at my school in Toronto! Bravo!
By: Mrs. Koli on May 11, 2011
at 2:42 am
I tell my young children the same thing my mom told me and that is “We learn new things everyday of our lives and learning really can be fun and empowering”. But, you are right that a typical classroom is NOT the optimal environment (or even close to it) for learning. It’s not fun, it’s not fresh, it’s not progressive or engaging. Thank goodness for the teachers and administrators that do all they can to make it better!! Students, keep up the good work, as you are SO right! Technology is racing forward and we all need to be on board!
By: Sheryl Randolph on May 11, 2011
at 12:46 pm
Great job and so true!
By: DeAnne on May 11, 2011
at 2:20 pm
Great job Killian kids! Love your video. This is my philosophy and my goal at Huffines MS!
By: Mr. Hill on May 11, 2011
at 11:57 pm
Great video! It is nice to forsee the future as such, provided that chances be given to all people in all places to have access to those materials.
By: Khalil Zakari on May 12, 2011
at 3:53 pm
Change is hard. And most don’t want to accept this new technological age. But it’s here and there’s no going back. I think you guys have done a great job and I plan on using these same concepts in my classroom next year. I can’t wait to see the outcome!
By: Amanda Killough on May 12, 2011
at 10:40 pm
I love this! My little sister helped with the video…I actually posted it to my blog…and all over facebook. 🙂
http://kiratsundrani.wordpress.com/
By: kiratsundrani on May 22, 2011
at 12:54 am
I have shared your message (video) on my blog. You are all an inspiration!
By: commutingteacher on May 24, 2011
at 4:57 pm
Impressive. I plan to share with my colleagues and students. Thanks for making this.
By: mrsterrythomas on May 24, 2011
at 8:10 pm
I really liked this. Posted a link on twitter.
By: Ty Crockett on May 24, 2011
at 10:20 pm
This video is awesome! I’ve shared the video on the Knewton blog — you can check out the post we wrote about here: http://www.knewton.com/blog/edtech/education-edtech/2011/05/24/middle-schoolers-demand-educational-change-we-live-in-the-problem
Congratulations on all your hard work!
By: Meghan D. on May 25, 2011
at 2:37 pm
I posted a link to your video http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/05/students-demand-change-in-their-own-education/ on http://www.quora.com, in my comment to my own rambling answer about how to improve K-12 math and science education in the USA… so I think it’ll go viral if it hasn’t already (I didn’t have time to check). I think your video answers the question way better than a zillion words of mine.
What I didn’t imagine is that you all would band together so well as to make my work as advocate obsolete. Thank goodness you did this in the nick of time, as I would love to retire from making sure that every student’s educational rights are respected. I will retire, as soon as you all tell me this paradigm shift to project-based, collaborative learning projects has occurred.
Congratulations. You’ll all go far just because you have discovered the key to leadership: focus, collaboration, perseverance, communication and excellence. Keep going, and keep on keeping on. Our nation needs you now.
By: Nan Waldman, Esq. on May 25, 2011
at 2:39 pm
I absolutely loved this video! I have shared it with colleagues, students, and peers. You did an amazing job at presenting the student perspective on what we (educators) are doing wrong in the classroom. Thank you for sharing!
Check out your video here: http://entrepreneurship.asu.edu/2011/05/25/education-evolution-young-minds-asking-for-change-in-education
AND here: http://cultivatingchangemakers.com/
By: cultivatingchangemakers on May 27, 2011
at 5:24 pm
Wow! As a high school teacher in Texas I say well done. I am always on the look out for ways to improve my classroom by using technology. Keep up the great work!!
By: Nancy Beach on May 28, 2011
at 4:44 pm
Congratulations on a very structure and interesting presentation. Well done to the students for their work
By: etazac on June 14, 2011
at 4:30 am
The opening is fantastic, as is the “Today’s questions don’t have just one answer” message. I’d love to see the kids do things, though, instead of just sitting in the classroom with computers.
How about learning-by-doing science? Outdoors? In labs? Kitchens?
Learning language by doing things cooperatively?
Learning things by enacting them? Learning by synthesizing ideas artistically? Learning things by composing music about?
Learning math by building rockets?
By: Anne Mackin on August 4, 2011
at 10:03 pm
I agree, Anne. Learning the same material on iPads instead of a blackboard isn’t innovation to me. Technology is definitely an essential tool for our students, but USING what they are learning by involving them in community is going to make the information stick and generalize.
By: Jen on August 7, 2011
at 2:28 am
That’s true. I think that they were trying to show change, but that because the tech is so apparent in each scene, people thought they were only promoting technology, I don’t think that’s the case, however. To me it seems like they saw a problem in the education system and did their best to find a solution. I’m fairly certain that they were trying for an Advancement by Achievement bit in there that most people didn’t understand as well. So in all I think that while they could’ve made that just a bit clearer, they did very well as 8th graders that saw a problem and wanted to fix it.
By: wavesilvertiger12 on October 5, 2011
at 10:45 pm
Loved it – want it, will show it to staff and get some discussion happening
By: Caroline Bush on August 4, 2011
at 10:04 pm
Awesome! May I share this with my faculty? I’d also like to share it at a workshop I’m giving in September on “Technology to Support Diverse Learners in the 21st century classroom”. Please email me and let me know, I’ll be sure to site your creation.
Suzy Travis,
Principal Assets School
Honolulu, Hi
By: Suzy on August 4, 2011
at 10:04 pm
I’m one of the students that worked on this and I think i speak for our whole class when I say feel free to spread the word and show whom ever you’d like.
By: Molly L. on August 5, 2011
at 4:07 pm
Congratulations from Spain. We NEED the change. I will share your video.
Thanks for this!
By: Rafael Terrero on August 4, 2011
at 10:05 pm
Thanks! I’m glad our video has reached that far!
By: Zehra R. on October 5, 2011
at 10:51 pm
A really powerful and creative response to a major issue in schools. I hope folk watch this and learn! As someone who teaches design and creativity in schools I think your work here is excellent. Well done to you all!!
By: David Ardley on August 4, 2011
at 10:06 pm
This video was fantastic. Thanks so much for the inspiration.
By: Playful Parenting on August 4, 2011
at 10:09 pm
amazing video, high degree of truth behind the points u raise here in the UK, too. Keep up the fine work! 🙂
By: Chris G on August 4, 2011
at 10:10 pm
Bingo!
By: Shawna Rodd on August 4, 2011
at 10:25 pm
Brilliant……. Time to change the ‘old school’ Policy makers & Education Ministers in our Education Systems!! Our Policy makers need to evolve……
By: Gaye Harding on August 4, 2011
at 10:36 pm
Hi!
My name is Adrian from the Youth Development Network http://www.ydnetwork.org. I just have to tell you that your video is inspiring and beyond true. I sent it out through twitter and facebook as well as an email attachment to all of my friends in education. YOUR ARE THE CHANGE THAT YOU SEEK!
By: Adrian on August 4, 2011
at 10:46 pm
Tan de bo canviem aviat l’educació!
By: Victòria Lozano on August 4, 2011
at 10:55 pm
Així que jo!
By: Zehra R. on October 5, 2011
at 10:54 pm
I like the video but I don’t understand this obsession with turning boards! The first one I used was K-12 Students Today ( Nesbitt). As a drama teacher I would have them playing roles and SPEAKING to get their message across…….isn’t language one of our powerful tools of persuasion? Shouldn’t we be encouraging our Sts to negotiate and persuade through expressing themselves?
Nevertheless I agree with the message and am doing my bit in Argentina to make it happen.
Susan Hillyard ( Coordinator English in Action, Ministry of Education, City of Buenos Aires)
By: Susan Hillyard on August 5, 2011
at 12:22 am
Excellent work! Keep on doing this and making your voices heard. We do need a revolution in our education system, and it needs to start with students and teachers-the people who really know what is going on in our schools. I teach at a University in Boston as well as a high school, and I support what you are doing. I’m going to re-post your video on our blog at teachingthroughthearts.blogspot.com.
By: Jeffrey Billard on August 5, 2011
at 1:49 am
What else can I add that hasn’t been said already? I teach online at a community college, and love the fact that a social media, collaborative model can work in the online format as well. I’m from Arlington, so I especially appreciated that this was from the DFW area.
Ciao!
By: J. on August 5, 2011
at 3:03 am
Well-done!
By: Matthias Heil on August 5, 2011
at 3:08 am
Amazing video! As a teacher to be I think this is really great!
By: Alexandra on August 5, 2011
at 5:23 am
I was told once that if you bring a problem to the forefront, you must also bring some possible solutions. So far, we know some of them through this video — technology, collaborative classroom set-ups, fun. I love the bean-bag chairs, and I would do it, but the question I ask myself is, would the students keep their concentration levels up. I agree learning should be fun, but how much learning would be going on when students are laying around on bean bag chairs? I know I often surf the web when laying down and I’m oftentimes zoning out after a long day’s work. And one important thing, creative classrooms means I have to tap into my own creativity and that’s scary. Creative lesson plans would have to be drawn up.
By: Susan Chardin on August 5, 2011
at 6:00 am
Y’know Susan, as the teacher who worked with these kids – now moved on to high school, alas! – I’m wondering about the answers to that same question. In about three weeks when the new year starts, though, I’ll be able to tell you the answer: due largely to all the positive feedback we’re getting all over the place, the principal and superintendent in my district have approved a “furniture remodel” of our classroom to exactly that kind of model!
Honestly, I think things will be a little rough around the edges for the first week or two, but once the novelty wears off and all that’s left is comfortable seating in a relaxed environment, it will be for the best. Yes, this model raises the bar for me as the teacher – but while scary, isn’t that what we should heading towards all the time anyhow?
-Mr.Fletcher
By: Jesse M. Fletcher on August 5, 2011
at 11:24 am
Congratulations from Shepparton, Australia. You all get the big “thumbs up” from me. This has been my focus for the past 3 years and learning heaps like you guys.
By: UnReal Learning on August 5, 2011
at 6:17 am
Great video with a deep message. I loved it.
One point for you to think about: do we really need “classrooms” for education? There is so much out in the world which serves as wonderful examples to help us learn. How would it be if I learn botany in a garden or physics in a cricket stadium? My gut feeling is that tomorrow’s classroom will not be a room at all — kids will learn from the world, directly.
That said, thanks for sharing your wisdom and inspiring others. Wish you all the best!
By: Hari on August 5, 2011
at 6:43 am
How very true the message is. It is a world paradox that educators such as myself see all this and agree. However the tremendous pressure put on leaders to respond to govt dogma destroys creativity in staff as well as children!
By: Danny. Eason on August 5, 2011
at 9:45 am
I will use this to train mid leaders in uk, it shows very clearly the changing nature of what students need in the future. It also describes the needs of industry and future world economy. Thanks!
By: Danny. Eason on August 5, 2011
at 9:55 am
We are applying for a great new ‘out of the classroom’ learning experience for young people in Norfolk UK through the ‘Free school’ route. Look at our ideas on benjaminfoundation.co.uk
It will be a paradigm shift for present ‘educators’. Back us and promote your own learning The movement needs to grow.
By: Vanessa Draper on August 5, 2011
at 11:20 am
Working in education redesign this video motivates me to continue doing what I do each day…even though it is SO HARD to change the system. Working with students from 13 different New England schools next week and can’t wait to show them this video. Change is possible with COLLABORATION and PERSONALIZED LEARNING!! Keep up the good work 🙂
By: jaymidwood on August 5, 2011
at 12:49 pm
Very creative, moving and well done video with brilliant ideas. If we want to improve this world we will need eager minds like yours. Good luck!
By: Amaya Perez on August 5, 2011
at 1:13 pm
Congratulations!! From french teacher who tries to teach with differents and original tools. Your project is a very beautiful and simple lesson, I love it!
I shared yours videos (the making of is very interesting too!) on my curation web-page: http://www.scoop.it/t/p-o-c
Thanks a lot
Lucas Gruez
By: L Gruez on August 5, 2011
at 4:33 pm
What a great video! I’ve shared it on my blog (http://applesandannals.wordpress.com) and on my Twitter feed! Hopefully educators pick up on it!
By: Laura Fraser on August 5, 2011
at 8:22 pm
Congratulations. I tell my friends they have to put out the gas lamps and throw away the buggy whips. This isn’t going away. Just like Rock N Roll
By: Sheila Schlesinger on August 6, 2011
at 2:26 am
These 7th graders make a clear, focused, and persuasive argument that our slow moving educational bureaucracies need to adopt 21st century tools and find more ways to direct and evoke student curiosity. We live in an era of exponential technological, social, and cultural change – yet our public institutions remain trapped in traditional thinking.
By: Eric H. Roth (@compellingtalks) on August 6, 2011
at 6:59 pm
Good video, we need eachother to make the change happen.
By: Hendrik Willem Flier (@hwflier) on August 7, 2011
at 12:13 pm
Love it! Inspiring! And so very true – big thank you from the UK. Will post a link on our website/blog. We train teachers/education practitioners throughout the UK and will direct them to your video. Tomorrow can be today if we all speak out…
By: Single Steps Learning on August 7, 2011
at 12:58 pm
http://www.singlestepslearning.co.uk – will post about you on our blog.
By: Single Steps Learning on August 7, 2011
at 12:59 pm
Very interesting and great to hear and see the learner voice being aired. There does, however, appear to be a heavy bias and reliance on technology as the evolutionary force. Technology undoubtedly enhances learning and can be used creatively in the classroom and beyond. I use it where appropriate in my own teaching. But…it should not be seen as the only answer. Learning will take place and education will evolve only when the rigorous testing of children is removed. Promote learning for learning’s sake and instill a sense of wonder in young people. They are human beings first and foremost and the natural curiosity they are born with is stamped out by modern education methods. Teach them a variety of investigative and evaluative skills not just “Google it!” Information technology is a tool in the toolbox not the only solution.
Unwound like to have seen more about the creativity that the students were alluding to. There wasn’t a great deal of evidence of it – bean bags and i-Pads do not equate to creativity!
These are not intended as criticisms; merely things for the students to discuss perhaps. Good luck with everything and congratulations again to all involved in the project.
By: Damien on August 8, 2011
at 1:27 pm
Congratulation !!!
Amazing experince and great job.
A message to chilean student…… keep fighting to make change.
Pablo Herrera.
Chile,
By: Pablo Herrera on August 8, 2011
at 2:32 pm
This video is OUTSTANDING!! Thank you for posting it.
By: lifecoachlandia on August 8, 2011
at 7:08 pm
Thank you! Inspiring!…
By: Patrick Gauthier (@pat_gauthier) on August 10, 2011
at 5:17 am
Impressive work!
I liked the “civil war question” part.
By: Karim AbdelMoneim on August 12, 2011
at 12:40 pm
Thanks! I’m a high school teacher in Spain. I disagree with the “ecofriendly tecnology”. It isn’t from a global point of view.
On the other hand I think your work is perfect, your ideas are great… and I have just shared your video with my pupils.
By: María Elena on August 12, 2011
at 2:34 pm
I lead an educational NGO in Bulgaria where the Education Act is being overhauled to acknowledge the rights of children to self-representation and social participation. I suspect that these concepts will be added as subjects in an overcrowded curriculum to be taught didactically for 45 minutes on a Thursday after maths.
This video is truly inspiring and thought provoking. THANK YOU.
By: David Bisset on August 12, 2011
at 4:54 pm
Many of our human problems could be resolve if we would only respect and cultivate children’s natural creative intelligence.
By: Marion Hubbard on August 13, 2011
at 11:41 am
YES!! Bravi dall’Italia! We are in a sea of stupidity….Bye
By: paola galuzi (@paolagaluzi) on August 18, 2011
at 6:11 am
Excellent video and messgae. Trouble is, educational theorists, teachers and students have known for years now that this is where education should be heading, but it still isn’t happening. Somehow the message is not getting through to administrators and politicians. Unfortunately for New Zealand, National Standards will slow us down some more, but we’ll keep trying!
By: Ellen on August 20, 2011
at 12:28 am
Awesome video! This is why my son likes going school. Allowing him to learn through creativty and technology has really helped him understand the entirety of a lesson instead of just a small part of a chapter in a book.
By: Rebecca Soldan Pass on August 22, 2011
at 4:56 pm
What if students met in homes in small groups three out of five days a week, to work on projects, that they would then present to the classroom on the other two days? Teachers may be scared of losing control, but that’s where we are right now folks. To struggle against it is to invite frustration and disinterest on the student’s part and shame on the school administration’s part.
By: Jenny Knott on August 26, 2011
at 7:09 pm
World it!!
Now!!
This way of thinking could help world’s cultures come together…
Just imagine the possibilities…
One school could be opened in each city of the world and the teacher could be only one connected per internet to all classes!
And what about educating in those poor lands…
By: Pablito on August 30, 2011
at 7:43 am
This is such a powerful message. Thank you for this project. I work at a University Library in Toronto, Canada. We are currently developing a futures plan to take us into 2020. We are working on a colloborative zone project that looks suspiciously like your new classroom. I found this video very inspiring and moving. Your hard work has paid off.
By: Mary on September 28, 2011
at 7:11 pm
I recently saw a presentation on TED Conference website by the creator of khanacademy.org and thought you might want to check it out if you have not yet.
My understanding is that some schools are using it for the lecture to be viewed at home and using class time for more interaction and collaboration.
By: Nahme Chokeir on December 1, 2011
at 6:39 am
Very nice!! I am a teacher in the public school system of Texas. I HATE the way we are educating kids. But teachers are under directives from administration to do this. We are “watched” every second of the day to make sure the “master schedule” is being followed. We don’t have the luxury of “teachable moments” or a relaxed and collaborative learning atmosphere due to the “road map” we have to follow. Sorry kids if you have a question that takes us in another direction with the lesson, because if it is not written in our well crafted lesson plans, then we can’t talk about it.
By: technosisteacher on April 13, 2012
at 3:42 am
Rest assured there are many educators who share your vision… The Learning Spaces of Tomorrow are already here, it’s just that the need to be in more places… as soon as tomorrow.
By: thecleversheep on April 13, 2012
at 1:06 pm
Sharing your video tomorrow with our administration. We’ve put together a space for this to happen and are looking for approval. Thanks for being a demo to them.
By: Amy on April 17, 2012
at 1:57 am