Introduction: Spring 2018 Converge Magazine

The definition for disruption is “disturbance or problems that interrupt an event, activity or process.” Ever since A Nation at Risk was published in 1983, we’ve been trying to disrupt education. This issue of Converge explores a variety of disruptions from instructional disruptions such as blended learning to institutional disruptions like unique mergers and partnerships. 

Although several models of disruption have been attempted in K-12, the greatest challenge consistently noted is scale. Our article, “Disruption at Scale,” looks at how three different-sized districts have successfully undergone digital transformation. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Houston Independent School District and Pickerington Local School District in Ohio have each scaled their innovative programs. We share with you their journeys and the lessons they have learned along the way. 
Our higher education community is also experiencing a call for disruption. In our winter issue we covered Purdue University’s merger with Kaplan to increase its offerings in online education. In this issue, we highlight other unique partnerships and mergers as higher education institutions compete to serve nontraditional students.

Finally, I had the chance to talk with my friend Michael Horn about where higher education is headed in the near- and long-term future. We’ll also post a podcast of our interview at www.convergemag.com.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Converge as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you. Perhaps some of the stories you see on these pages will be transferred to actions on your own campuses this spring!