Thanks Mark for your positive comments and contribution here!

I have been overwhelmed by the response with many messages from people and organisations who want to participate and help set up an alliance so my next step is to facilitate the bringing together of those interested in both an online exchange and regional chapters.

My instinct is for this to be a collective that supports, shares and provides access to markets, finance and those in the teaching profession who have an interest in their craft.

Using the Star Wars metaphor I actually do believe there are a number of metaphorical “Death Stars” and these are impossible to defeat or disrupt without the solidarity of such a collective.

One of these is a structural dependency which has formed around assessment methods that are part of the privatisation movement but affect the many good public and private institutions who genuinely want to do more for their learners than get them through these tests. Another is the parent body and general public who are in collusion with the assessment industry. Keri Facer, Professor of Social and Learning Futures, University of Bristol makes a good point about “what parents want” in this interview I made with her:

Ken Robinson (for it is he) also makes the observation that the assessment industry is a $ multi-billion industry with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo:

A third, and there are more, is the financial institutions who are making the investments in EdTech start-ups who are making bets on standardisation and automation rather than transformation or to use their favourite term, “disrupting”. The collective would help some of these institutions make better bets.

From my own perspective I am absolutely up for collaborations and sharing of all kinds in regard to this nascent project so you can expect my call!