Disrupting Class How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the

Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns Michael Horn October 28, 2008 mhorn@innosightinstitute. org 9/17/2021 Copyright Clayton M. Christensen 1

Disruptive Technologies: A driver of leadership failure and the source of new growth opportunities Performance Incumbents nearly always win s on vati in a t s u S Disruptive innovations no n i ng e of ogical c a P nol h c Te gress Pro i customers t a th e c n a rm o Perf sorb can utilize or ab Entrants nearly always win Time 9/17/2021 Copyright Clayton M. Christensen 2

Disruptive Innovations create asymmetric competition Performance Incumbents nearly always win ns g inin a t s u S Different measure Of Performance 45% on $250, 000 60% on $500, 000 at customers Performance th sorb can utilize or ab Time ions: t a v o e Inn against v i t p u Disr mpeting ption r Co consum so r e nonm ing su m n u co ons n -c ns o N on sio N cca 9/17/2021 o tio a v o inn form r e p of Pace vement o impr 40% 20% on $2, 000 Entrants nearly always win Copyright Clayton M. Christensen Time 3

Disruption in business models has been the dominant historical mechanism for making things more affordable and accessible Yesterday • Ford • Dept. Stores • Digital Eqpt. • Delta • JP Morgan • Xerox • IBM • Cullinet • AT&T • Dillon, Read • Sony Disk. Man 9/17/2021 Today • Toyota • Wal-Mart • Dell • Southwest Airlines • Fidelity • Canon • Microsoft • Oracle • Cingular • Merrill Lynch • Apple i. Pod Copyright Clayton M. Christensen Tomorrow: • Chery • Internet retail • RIM Blackberry • Air taxis • ETFs • Zink • Linux • Salesforce. com • Skype • E-Trade • Cell Phones 4

Performance Technology can only be deployed in existing businesses in ways that sustain (and add cost to) the current model. Disruption best competes against non-consumption at the outset. Tabletop Radios, Floor-standing TVs Different measure Of Performance Path taken by vacuum tube manufacturers Time Portable TVs Pocket radios r sr o Hearing aids e g m n su mi n u co ons n -c ns o N on sio N cca 9/17/2021 o Time Copyright Clayton M. Christensen 5

The right product architecture depends upon the basis of competition Performance IBM Mainframes, Microsoft Windows Compete by improving functionality & reliability es r u ct t en d n pe ite h arc e ry eta i r op Pr rd e t n , i r Mo 9/17/2021 e n la du es r u ct e op hit c r a Compete by improving speed, responsiveness and customization Dell PCs, Linux Copyright Clayton M. Christensen Time 6

Insights from examining education through the lenses of this research 1. Conflicting mandates in the way we teach vs. the way we learn 2. Computers have failed to make a difference because we have crammed them into conventional classrooms • They must initially be deployed against non-consumption 3. Individualized, computer-based instruction requires a disruptive distribution model 4. Separation is critical. Chartered schools should be seen as heavyweight teams, not disruptive competitors 5. We have imposed disruption on our schools three times in recent history by moving the goalposts – the metrics of improvement. 6. 9/17/2021 Education research has not shown the way forward 7 Copyright Clayton M. Christensen

We all learn differently Spatial Bodilykinesthetic Musical Interpersonal Visual Written Aural Playful Deliberate Paces of Learning Logicalmathematical Learning Styles Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Fast Medium Slow Intrapersonal Naturalist 9/17/2021 Copyright Clayton M. Christensen 8

Conflicting mandates in the way we must teach vs. The way students must learn Interdependencies in the teaching infrastructure 9/17/2021 Copyright Clayton M. Christensen Paces of Learning Styles Hierarchical Multiple Intelligences Physical Customization !! Lateral Standardization !! Temporal Need for customization for differences in how we learn 9

Performance Historically, most schools have “crammed” computer-based learning into the blue space Path taken by most schools, foundations and education software companies Different measure Of Performance r sr o e g m n su mi n u co ons n -c ns o N on sio N cca 9/17/2021 o Core curriculum Time Copyright Clayton M. Christensen 10

Prime examples of non-consumption • • Credit recovery Drop-outs AP Courses Home-schooled and homebound students Small, rural, and urban schools Tutoring Pre-K 9/17/2021 Copyright Clayton M. Christensen 11

School boards have been moving “Up-Market” to focus limited resources in the “new” literature trajectory of improvement English language & Importance of program Science Math Economics Psychology Statistics German Time 9/17/2021 Copyright Clayton M. Christensen 12

Perfect opportunity to implement computer-based learning disruptively Math Political importance of program Science literature English language & Economics Psychology Statistics German Time r sr o e g m n su mi n u co ons n -c ns o N on sio N cca 9/17/2021 o sed a b r ute te Compg: Compe on in learn against n ion pt m u s con Copyright Clayton M. Christensen Time 13

The substitution of one thing for another always follows an S-curve pattern % new % old % new 10. 0 1. 0 0. 1. 001. 0001 03 9/17/2021 Copyright Clayton M. Christensen 05 07 09 11 13 14 15

Online learning gaining adoption Enrollments up from 45, 000 in 2000 to 1, 000 in 2007 9/17/2021 Copyright Clayton M. Christensen 15