Privacy jitters derail controversial K-12 big data initiative

InBloom said its initiative would have allowed schools to offer customized instruction to students

Unrelenting privacy concerns finally derailed a controversial big data initiative that promised to deliver more individualized instruction to public school students in the U.S.

InBloom, a non-profit funded to the tune of $100 million by the Gates and Carnegie foundations, Tuesday announced that its is closing down due to public concerns over misuse of student data in its control.

In a statement, CEO Iwan Streichenberger said InBloom had been the "subject of mischaracterizations and a lighting rod for misdirected criticism" since the effort was first launchedas the Shared Learning Collaborative.

The concept of using student data to deliver individualized instruction to K-12 students is a new one, Streichenberger acknowledged. "Building public acceptance for the solution will require more time and resources than anyone could have anticipated."

Streichenberger's decision to pull the plug on InBloom comes just weeks after the New York State legislature passed a bill that prevents the state education department from sharing personal student data with companies -- like InBloom -- that store, organize and aggregate student data.

The legislation also requires that InBloom delete any data it has collected to date on public school students in the state.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9247855/Privacy_jitters_derail_controversial_K_12_big_data_initiative_?source=rss_keyword_edpicks&google_editors_picks=true

Privacy jitters derail controversial K-12 big data initiative

Privacy jitters derail controversial K-12 big data initiative

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