[2] The Education Nation summit consisted of a series of workshops, panels, and town hall meetings exploring such themes as the Common Core State Standards Initiative, personalized learning, and keeping up with global competition.
This year's summit also featured an Innovation Challenge for education technology startups, sponsored by the Robin Hood Foundation, which was won by San Francisco-based CodeHS.
In 2012, “Education Nation” deepened public engagement in a solutions-focused discussion on improving student achievement and preparedness for the workforce, giving special attention to innovation and technology.
In addition to the events, NBC News also constructed the "Education Nation Experience"—a state-of-the-art public exhibit where visitors could engage with videos and interactive tools to explore the skills, knowledge and training required to succeed in the 21st century.
Monday and Tuesday featured back-to-back panel discussions hosted by NBC News talent like Tom Brokaw, Brian Williams, and Ann Curry with contributions from U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Warren Buffett, Melinda Gates,[7] and numerous civic leaders including ten governors from across the U.S.[8] and former President Bill Clinton.