Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: Next Generation Learning Challenges

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation released the Next Generation Learning Challenges, a collaborative, multi-year initiative to help enhance college readiness and college completion in the United States through the applied use of technology and digital media.

According to the official release, the Next Generation Learning Challenges is guided by the belief that providing investment capital to strengthen emerging information and learning technologies, collecting and sharing evidence of what works, and fostering a community of innovators and adopters will result in a robust marketplace of solutions and a larger pool of institutional participants, which in turn will dramatically improve the quality of learning experiences and college readiness and completion in the United States.

Next Generation Learning Challenges released the first of a series of RFPs recently to solicit funding proposals for technology applications that can improve postsecondary education. This round of funding will total up to $20 million, including grants that range from $250,000 to $750,000. Applicants with top-rated proposals will receive funds to expand their programs and demonstrate effectiveness in serving larger numbers of students. Proposals are due Nov. 19 and the winners are expected to be announced by March 31, 2011.   

Next Generation Learning Challenges is led by EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association, in partnership with the League for Innovation in the Community College, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning, and the Council of Chief State School Officers. An executive committee that includes these partners as well as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other funders guide the project’s overall efforts. EDUCAUSE holds the management and fiduciary responsibility for the program.

Next Generation Learning Challenges provides investment capital through waves of funding, one every six to 12 months, each involving a select number of challenges. The first wave focused on postsecondary education. The second wave focuses on K-12 education, with an emphasis on secondary education. Future waves will likely focus on innovations at the system and delivery levels.

In a press release, Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates (News - Alert), said, “American education has been the best in the world, but we're falling below our own high standards of excellence for high school and college attainment. We're living in a tremendous age of innovation. We should harness new technologies and innovation to help all students get the education they need to succeed.”