Why do athletes who struggle in the classroom succeed on the playing field? Could it be because the coach is there to guide them every step of the way? What if that same approach was applied to academics? That's what Clintondale's Flipped program did - with remarkable success.

A study by CEOs For Cities found that 58 percent of a region's economic health comes from the educational attainment of its residents. So, how does our region cultivate a culture that properly educates, trains and retains its talent? That's the focus of several local initiatives and a conference next week at Oakland University.

Oxford Community Schools superintendent Bill Skilling sees the coming century as one that will be dominated by China's economic and political interests. With that in mind, he has become a strong advocate for teaching our kids both Chinese culture and language. It's a vision shared by many in Metro Detroit. But how do you make it a priority in an era of shrinking educational resources?

Catheryn Cheal, Ph.D. has some big ideas about technology and education. Which is fitting since she's the Assistant Vice President of e-Learning and Instructional Support at Oakland University. She'll be writing this week about the evolution of learning and technology, and its potential impact on SE Michigan.