Getting Real About Career Readiness: A Focus on Cross-Sector Competencies

This Paper shares learnings from the Global Learning Network 2017 Convening of World-Leading Learners, hosted by America Achieves, in partnership with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Leaders from 30 countries reflected on the changing nature of the economy and job sectors and the impact on education in the 21st century. This paper… Read More ›

What Do You Mean When You Say “Student Agency”?

This resource entry includes two articles in a series on the concept of “student agency” and the impact of the ways the term in understood and applied on equity. This is a thought-provoking series that will interest many stakeholders, from educators to researchers. In the first article, What Do You Mean When You Say “Student Agency”?… Read More ›

Arriving at a Definition of Learning

In this thoughtful article, the author, a veteran teacher, pushes the education community to define and deliver learning in a way that maximizes student agency. She defines learning as active, social, and meaningful. She encourages all stakeholders to see personalized and blended learning and differentiated instruction as interdependent components of great learning experiences that meet… Read More ›

Reading on Competency-Based Education

This article provides a great overview of key texts to help any educator or education leader better understand competency education. The author provides suggestions for stakeholders at different phases of implementation and understandings, including: Newcomers looking to understand competency education Districts moving to the commitment stage For those looking to anticipate issues and challenges Working… Read More ›

EdSurge Fusion – Personalized Learning for the Whole Learner

Personalized learning is not just about the technology. At Fusion 2018 we will bridge the gap between theory and practice—focusing not just on technology but integrating what learning sciences, community development, and social-emotional research can teach us about the holistic picture of personalized learning in schools and districts. EdSurge Fusion brings the best and brightest… Read More ›

Coming Soon: New Findings from the Student-Centered Learning Research Collaborative

Leaders in education rarely have the bandwidth to comb through technical studies in order to apply research findings in their classroom. JFF’s Student-Centered Learning Research Collaborative is cutting through the clutter to deliver useful research findings presented in actionable ways. If you’re an educator, administrator, district leader, or state-level official interested in using student-centered learning… Read More ›

Let Student Voices Ring—In and Out of School

Imagine building a bonfire in a local park—legally, of course. You start throwing in file folders filled with papers, and somehow your laptop ends up in there too. Before you know it, everything you’ve collected, catalogued, and annotated is burning in the fire. When faced with the concept of student-led classrooms, many educators visualize something… Read More ›

Pittsfield Tries New Approach On Education

This radio clip from New Hampshire Public Radio features Pittsfield schools. The small district of Pittsfield adopted an approach that flips the traditional model of teaching through student-led discussion and independent projects. To learn more about Pittsfield schools, this short case study in Pioneer magazine provides a look at the school. Also check out the… Read More ›

Leveraging Digital Depth for Responsive Learning Environments

This paper explores the potential for wearables, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to help create more responsive learning environments that: Increase student engagement Enhance the personalization of learning Increase understanding of others’ experiences and perspectives Help develop greater levels of self-awareness Foster critical thinking Increase student agency The paper presents a frame for… Read More ›

Allowing Students to Design Assessment Tools

As an educator, one would think that the point of every assessment would be clear to students. But if you are anything like me, sometimes we get so wrapped up in designing and creating the tools for students to use on the assessment (or in some cases, even the assessment itself), that we forget to… Read More ›

How Immigration Enforcement Policies Are Impacting Students and Teachers Nationwide

As immigration enforcement intensifies around the country, schools see the impacts firsthand on a variety of stakeholders – students, families, educators, and communities. While many of these impacts have been documented anecdotally through the news media and on social media, researchers at University of California, Los Angeles have recently published a series of papers with detailed… Read More ›