George Lucas Educational Foundation

{{Short description|American nonprofit publisher}} {{Infobox organization | name = The George Lucas Educational Foundation | full_name = | logo = | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = | image = | image_size = | image_alt =  | caption = | abbreviation = | nickname = | pronunciation = | pronounce_ref = | pronounce_comment = | named_after = [[George Lucas]] | predecessor = The Media Tree | merged_into =  | successor = | formation = {{start date and age|1991}}{{efn|This date has been widely reported, but is debatable. See {{section link||Organizational history}} for details.}} | founders = {{unbulleted list|[[George Lucas]]|[[Steve Arnold (venture capitalist)|Steve Arnold]]<ref name="Riddell 2019" />}} | founding_location = [[Marin County]], California<ref name="Riddell 2019" /> | dissolved =  | merger =  | type = [[Nonprofit organization|Nonprofit]] | tax_id = {{EIN|68-0065687}} | registration_id =  | status =  | purpose =  | headquarters = [[Skywalker Ranch]]<br/>[[San Rafael, California]] | coordinates = {{coord|38.063534|-122.652402|display=inline,title}}<ref>{{cite web | date=10 December 2024 | title=The George Lucas Educational Foundation | language=en | publisher=D&B Hoovers | id={{ProQuest|1860789698}} | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/1860789698 | url-access=subscription | access-date=29 January 2025 | page=1}}</ref> | origins = | region_served = [[United States]] | products = {{unbulleted list|Edutopia.org|Edutopia magazine}} | services = | methods =  | fields =  | leader_title = Chairman | leader_name = George Lucas | leader_title2 = Vice Chairman | leader_name2 = Steve Arnold | leader_title3 = Executive Director | leader_name3 = Cindy Johanson | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | board_of_directors = | key_people = | main_organ =  | publication =  | subsidiaries = | secessions = | affiliations = | ror_id =  | budget = | budget_year = | revenue = | revenue_year = | disbursements = | expenses = | expenses_year = | endowment = | endowment_year = | funding =  | num_staff = | num_staff_year = | num_volunteers = | num_volunteers_year = | num_students = | num_students_year = | awards = | website = {{URL|https://glef.org/}} | remarks = | former_name =  | footnotes = {{notelist}} | bodystyle = }}

The '''George Lucas Educational Foundation''' is a nonprofit [[publishing company|publisher]] that documents and publicizes exemplary K-12 education practices and programs, especially through video.<ref name="Ash 2012" /><ref name="Tech Directions 2006" /><ref name="Block 2012 pledge" /> It does this primarily through the '''Edutopia''' website.

== Organizational history == An organization named "The Media Tree" was founded on 4 August 1983 in [[Mill Valley, California]] by [[John Korty]] and others. It engaged in public relations for media content creators to the public of [[Marin County]].<ref>{{cite web | last1=Dorr | first1=Christopher | last2=Korty | first2=John | author-link2=John Korty | date=4 August 1983 | title=Articles of incorporation of The Media Tree | url=https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/api/report/GetImageByNum/116072181024079150156093026126079215000191033212}}</ref> On 4 September 1990, the organization was renamed to "The George Lucas Educational Foundation".<ref>{{cite web | last1=Korty | first1=John | last2=Mendelson | first2=Dorothy | date=4 September 1990 | title=Certificate of amendment of The Media Tree | url=https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/api/report/GetImageByNum/066022023012197076088250247037190223093181062085}}</ref> The George Lucas Educational Foundation is widely reported to have been founded in 1991<ref name="Neil 2004">{{cite press release | last=Neil | first=Alissa | date=September 22, 2004 | title=George Lucas Educational Foundation launches Edutopia, a new magazine for a new world of learning | publisher=The George Lucas Educational Foundation | work=PR Newswire | id={{Gale|A122354177}}}}</ref><ref name="Pondiscio 2010">{{cite magazine | last=Pondiscio | first=Robert | date=2010 | title=Edutopian vision | magazine=Education Next | volume=10 | number=3 | issn=1539-9664 | url=https://www.educationnext.org/edutopian-vision/}}</ref> by [[George Lucas]] and [[Steve Arnold (venture capitalist)|Steve Arnold]].<ref name="Riddell 2019">{{cite web | last=Riddell | first=Roger | date=May 23, 2019 | title=Common Cents: George Lucas Foundation details strategy of exploring innovation without being prescriptive | website=K-12 Dive | url=https://www.k12dive.com/news/common-cents-lucas-foundation-details-strategy-of-exploring-innovation-wit/555269/ | access-date=January 29, 2025}}</ref> Lucas originally planned for the foundation to develop technology for schools, but soon determined that schools were not interested or able to use this technology.<ref name="Ash 2012" /> The foundation was one of the first philanthropies to invest in digital learning technology.<ref name="Ash 2012">{{cite magazine | last=Ash | first=Katie | date=November 13, 2012 | title=George Lucas' promise to invest in education prompts speculation | magazine=Education Week | volume=32 | number=12 | page=10 | id={{ProQuest|1197616487}} | url=https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/george-lucas-promise-to-invest-in-education-prompts-speculation/2012/11}}</ref>

The foundation does not usually provide grants.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}} In 2006, Lucas donated $175 million to his alma mater the [[University of Southern California]] through the foundation.<ref name="Block 2012" />

In 2010, the foundation had a $6 million annual budget and eighteen full-time staff.<ref name="Pondiscio 2010" /> In 2012, the Foundation significantly increased its assets when it received the majority of the proceeds from the $4.05 billion sale of [[Lucasfilm]] to [[The Walt Disney Company]]<ref name="Ash 2012" /><ref name="Block 2012">{{cite news| last=Block | first=Alex Ben | title=George Lucas will use Disney $4 billion to fund education | work=The Hollywood Reporter | date=October 31, 2012 | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/disney-deal-george-lucas-will-384947/ | access-date=January 29, 2025}}</ref>

== Publications == === Print publications === About 1994, the Foundation began publishing a [[newsletter]] entitled ''Edutopia''.<ref>{{cite book | title=Edutopia : the newsletter of the George Lucas Educational Foundation (33233451) | oclc=33233451 }}</ref><ref name="Riddell 2019" /> In September 2004, the foundation launched a free glossy [[magazine]], also titled ''Edutopia''<ref name="Colford 2004">{{cite news | last=Colford | first=Paul D. | date=September 16, 2004 | title=Lucas rings bell for education mag | work=New York Daily News | page=62 | id={{ProQuest|305911061}}}}</ref><ref name="Neil 2004" /><ref name="Riddell 2019" /><ref name="Tech Directions 2006">{{cite magazine | author= | date=February 2006 | title=Free for the asking | magazine=Tech Directions | volume=65 | number=7 | pages=30–31 | id={{ProQuest|218558695}}}}</ref> with educators as the [[target audience]].<ref name="Riddell 2019" /><ref name="Freedman 2005">{{cite news | last=Freedman | first=Samuel G. | date=August 31, 2005 | title=Like Aristotle with a light saber, Lucas urges hands-on learning: Taking a light saber to tired old teaching | work=The New York Times | id={{Gale|A135634517}} | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/31/education/taking-a-light-saber-to-tired-old-teaching.html | access-date=January 29, 2025}}</ref> From its inception, the print magazine had 85,000 subscribers.<ref name="Colford 2004" /><ref name="Freedman 2005" /><ref name="Neil 2004" /> By 2006, it has 100,000 subscribers.<ref>{{cite Q|Q131936156}}</ref><ref>{{cite Q|Q131936191}}</ref> The print magazine was discontinued in Spring 2010. but the website continued as an [[online magazine]].<ref name="Riddell 2019" /><ref name="Ash 2012" />

=== Edutopia.org === The Edutopia.org website was started in 2002.<ref>{{cite web | title=edutopia.org archives | website=[[Wayback Machine]] | url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://edutopia.org/ | access-date=January 29, 2025}}</ref> In 2009, the foundation launched an advertising campaign, leading the website to receive 300,000 readers per month in 2010, a 70% increase from 2009.<ref name="Pondiscio 2010" /> Robert Pondiscio described Edutopia.org as an inspirational resource for teachers, exuding "unabashed idealism and cheerful optimism".<ref name="Pondiscio 2010" /> The website features a video series titled "Schools That Work" of in-depth profiles of specific schools.<ref name="Pondiscio 2010" /> Edutopia.org includes interactive features including [[Comments section|comments]], [[blog]]s, and [[internet forum]]s.<ref name="Sherry Tremmel 2012" />

== Advocacy == The Foundation has sometimes included in its mission spreading [[best practices]].<ref name="Tech Directions 2006" /> However, in practice, Edutopia is a nonprofit [[media company]] focused on satisfying and increasing its audience, not an [[educational reform]] advocacy organization strategizing to change educational systems.<ref name="Pondiscio 2010" /><ref name="Block 2012 pledge">{{cite web | last=Block | first=Alex Ben | title=George Lucas' 2010 philanthropy pledge | website=The Hollywood Reporter | date=October 31, 2012 | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/george-lucas-2010-philanthropy-pledge-384948/ | access-date=January 29, 2025}}</ref> The foundation has endorsed as its core principles: "comprehensive assessment, [[integrated studies]], [[project-based learning]], [[social and emotional learning]], teacher development, and technology integration".<ref name="Sherry Tremmel 2012">{{Cite Q|Q131935163}}</ref><ref name="Pondiscio 2010" /><ref>{{cite web | title=edutopia.org home page | url=https://www.edutopia.org/ | access-date=May 30, 2015}}</ref> Robert Pondiscio has been critical of Edutopia's tagline "what works in public education" given the lack of [[evidence-based practice|empirical support]] for these recommendations and uncertainty about how they were developed.<ref name="Pondiscio 2010" />

== Research findings ==

Edutopia increases teachers engagement with educational best practices by packaging it in an appealing multisensory video format.<ref name="Malin 2020">{{cite journal | last=Malin | first=Joel R. | title=Mediated, Evidence-Informed Practice as Impact | journal=International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership | volume=16 | issue=8 | date=June 1, 2020 | issn=1555-5062 | doi=10.22230/ijepl.2020v16n8a955 | doi-access=free | url=https://journals.sfu.ca/ijepl/index.php/ijepl/article/download/955/259 | pages=3–4}}</ref> Edutopia disseminates scientific/factual knowledge, technical knowledge, and practical wisdom, with a greater emphasis on practical wisdom, which includes judgments, values, and beliefs.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Malin | first1=Joel R. | last2=Brown | first2=Chris | last3=Trubceac | first3=Angela St | title=Going for Broke: A Multiple-Case Study of Brokerage in Education | journal=AERA Open | volume=4 | issue=2 | date=2018 | issn=2332-8584 | doi=10.1177/2332858418769297 | doi-access=free | article-number=2332858418769297 }}</ref> Many of the tips and strategies on Edutopia have not been systematically researched.<ref name="Malin 2020" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

== Further reading == * {{cite AV media | last=Perry | first=Steve | author-link=Steve Perry (educator) | date=May 14, 2011 | title=George Lucas: Improving education | department=Perry's Principles | work=[[CNN]] | url=https://archive.org/embed/CNNW_20110514_190000_CNN_Newsroom?start=1402.0&end=1527.7}} [https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/cnr/date/2011-05-14/segment/08 Transcript]. * [https://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2011/05/13/perry.edutopia.cnn?iref=allsearch "George Lucas Takes on Education"] [[CNN]], May 13, 2011 * [https://www.forbes.com/sites/luisakroll/2011/09/21/george-lucas-on-the-best-fix-for-k-12-education/ "George Lucas On The Best Fix For K-12 Education"] [[Forbes]] September 21, 2011 * [http://www.oprah.com/own-oprahs-next-chapter/How-George-Lucas-Is-a-Teacher-Video/ "How George Lucas is a Teacher"] [[Oprah]]'s Next Chapter January 22, 2012 * {{cite book | editor-last1=Chen | editor-first1=Milton | editor-last2=Armstrong | editor-first2=Sara | date=March 20, 2002 | title=Edutopia: Success stories for learning in the digital age | publisher=Jossey-Bass | isbn=978-0-7879-6082-7}}

==External links== *{{official website}}

[[Category:Organizations based in Marin County, California]] [[Category:Non-profit organizations based in the San Francisco Bay Area]] [[Category:Organizations established in 1991]] [[Category:Educational foundations based in the United States]] [[Category:George Lucas]] [[Category:Project-based learning]] [[Category:1991 establishments in California]]