Mission:
To gather and disseminate the most innovative models of K-12 teaching and learning in the Digital Age.

Background:
The George Lucas Educational Foundation was established in 1991 by filmmaker George Lucas. As a student and later a parent, Lucas found that traditional education can be isolating, with curriculum irrelevant to real life, teachers and students disconnected from resources outside the classroom, and schools operating as if they were separate from their communities. GLEF aims to use digital technology to become a Web-based multi-media resource providing its entire archive of models and stories on demand to teachers, administrators, school board members, students, parents, business and community leaders, and policy makers, in the hope that the information will stimulate involvement and guide choices in school reform.

Outstanding Feature:
GLEF's Web site, called Edutopia Online, has been redesigned, with new case studies of innovative programs in schools, told in articles with accompanying photos, video clips, slide shows, and audio excerpts. This bu30040428rgeoning site contains all of its multimedia content published since 1997. The video gallery is organized by topic, such as emotional intelligence, the digital divide, project-based learning, community partnerships, and mentoring; each clip comes with an accompanying video and audio interview with an expert in that field. Teaching modules contain video footage, prepared presentations, articles, and classroom activities. The Web site offers free subscriptions to Edutopia magazine and the GLEF Blast e-newsletter, and features links to hundreds of other sites, books, organizations, and publications.