Jefferson Journal: Renting Private Rooms Makes Sense
The General Assembly is debating how best to allow private homeowners to rent their extra bedrooms on a short term basis. That decision may be made this year or next, but it is an important one in this changing economy. Here’s why its a good idea … and some issues that need to be considered.
Surfing the Data Tsunami
Data Crush is coming, and it gives us an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform aging and decrepit institutions, designed for the mid-20th century. As futurist Chris Surdak argues the “digital trinity” — mobile computing, social media and advanced analytics — is sweeping all before it. Digital-driven innovation is outpacing the ability of our ossified structure of government, […]
Jefferson Journal: Virginia Open for Business With Iran?
The Iran nuclear deal will soon become a reality even though a bi-partisan majority in Congress opposes it, as does a vast majority of the American people. But because the deal is an “agreement,” not a treaty, states are free to divest themselves of holdings with companies doing business with Iran, just as they did […]
Connected Vehicles and Cybersecurity
In May Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced that the federal government would be accelerating its efforts to mandate that new automobiles come equipped to communicate with one another. A regulation to that effect is to be submitted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to the Office of Management & Budget for final review by […]
Business Leaders Roundtable on Virginia’s Economic Future
The Thomas Jefferson Institute’s Business Leaders Roundtable on Virginia’s Economic Future, held June 22 at George Mason University, gathered together some of the top analysts to review the outlook for Virginia’s economy, an analysis of the state’s key industries, the obstacles standing in the way of growth, and the policy changes that should be considered. […]
The Next Role for Virginians in Promoting Internet Growth
Virginia and Virginians have a special role in the history of the Internet and a special concern for its flourishing. You can have a “Virginia Internet C@pital” license plate on your car; last year, the Washington Post suggested that Ashburn, VA was “the center of the Internet”, with 70% of the world’s Internet data passing through […]
New Technologies for Coping With Climate Change
A new study shows how technology can help America’s energy industry meet new environmental reuirements, save millions of dollars and help clean our environment. Authored by businessman and environmentalist Robert Hartwell, it details several new technologies, many of which are already working on a smaller scale.
What Is Blended Learning … and how can it help Virginia’s students?
“Blended Learning” has the potential to offer a higher quality learning experience by letting students learn at their own pace, receive immediate feedback on their performance, and capture students achievement data in real-time, so that teachers can spend more time helping to individualize learning for students. This brochure helps explain what Blended Learning is … […]
Jefferson Journal: To Grow Online Learning, Reform the Rules
Educational governance and funding was designed for a time when students learned in a bricks and mortar building closest to where they lived. They did not anticipate a digital world in which students could live anywhere in the state and learn from anywhere in the state. To encourage the growth of virtual education through digital […]
Teaching Virtually: A July 24 Webinar to Learn How Teachers Teach Online!
Today, an estimated 250,000 K-12 students in 30 states receive full-time education online, an increase of 25 percent. With online education continuing to grow, what does it take for teachers to teach when they can’t "see" their students? What kind of training do teachers need? What does the virtual school instructional model look like? These […]