Education in the Balance: Tensions Affecting Education’s Future
Education leaders at all levels need to grapple with key issues and tensions as they strive to meet learners’ needs, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to understand how to support and empower school systems in tumultuous times, we explore three topics in the series Education in the Balance: Tensions Affecting Education’s Futures: leadership… Read More ›
Resource Round-Up: Teaching Jim Crow South and the Lynching Era
Many educators are trying to advance social justice in the United States, which involves a large learning curve for many White Americans who want to be allies. During COVID-19, it’s hard to travel places and resources to do so may be limited. So, we’ve compiled resources that can help anyone, anywhere, be able to visit and learn from an immersive experience on Jim Crow South. While… Read More ›
A Need to Evolve: The Impact of Strained Education Systems
Education systems’ capacity to address the complex problems they face is limited. Will new approaches and funding address looming challenges? Or will systems continue to rely on inadequate approaches and structures? KnowledgeWorks’ Lillian Pace, vice president of policy and advocacy, and Rita Pello, program manager for impact and improvement, join Jason Swanson, director of strategic foresight, to… Read More ›
Three Lessons From New Hampshire’s Effort to Expand Deeper Learning
In 2019, Aurora Institute released the new definition of competency-based learning. This seven-part definition was developed with extensive support from practitioners, researchers and leaders across the country. Image courtesy of Vander Els and Stack, 2019 This updated definition reflects a deeper understanding of key issues and developments in the field. This is certainly true for… Read More ›
Personalized Learning and Tech Equity Under COVID-19
COVID-19 and the shift to remote learning, either full-time or part-time, have made such efforts even more difficult in many places. Too many students still do not have adequate access to Wi-Fi or digital learning devices to engage in meaningful remote or hybrid learning; opportunities to engage in professional development remain insufficient; and building academic… Read More ›
EdPalooza 2020
2020 has sounded an urgent call to action on behalf of students and their future. On December 1-3, 2020, Governor Jeb Bush and ExcelinEd will host EdPalooza, a thought-provoking, action-inducing virtual convening for anyone and everyone who wants to have an impact in education. Our own organization, KnowledgeWorks, will be leading a session on the… Read More ›
State Guidance for Building Resilient and Equitable Education Systems
This guidebook was created in response to COVID-19’s disruption to help guide education policymakers and stakeholders in taking action to create resilient and equitable education systems. This guidance provides education stakeholders with important considerations for this calendar year and beyond on how to advance personalized, competency-based systems that empower students to master rigorous learning pathways… Read More ›
Tools for Scaling Best Practices: Windows, Bridges and Roadmaps
Our last two articles (here and here) explored the scaling of Work-Study Practices (WSPs, a.k.a., deeper learning competencies) in New Hampshire, the growth of this education innovation in the state and the role of a statewide, nonprofit intermediary, the New Hampshire Learning Initiative (NHLI) as a scaling agent. There is another driver of scale observed… Read More ›
Students Are Demanding Anti-Racist Curriculum and Instruction
This article from Education Week’s Teacher blog discusses the important involvement of youth in recent social-justice demonstrations, petitions and demands. The article outlines the demands made by students in several different parts of the country for their respective school districts to embrace, including demands such as more culturally diverse and explicitly antiracist curriculum. Educators will… Read More ›
Transitioning and Sustaining Competency-Based Education During School Closures
This article looks at the remote learning experience of South Bronx Community Charter High School (SBC), a school launched in 2016 with a strong competency education approach. A mastery-based approach positioned them to make a smoother transition to remote learning. The article discusses several strategies they continued to rely on strong relationships with advisors and… Read More ›
Providence Students Use Data to Participate in System Change
Beyoncé and many others have said, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” This is particularly true during the myriad crises presented by our current pandemic. But even before COVID-19, way back in the summer of 2019, it was all lemons for educators in Providence, RI. A blistering report from the Johns Hopkins Institute told… Read More ›
Policy Recommendations to Support Social, Emotional and Academic Development
This report features policy recommendations to nurture students’ connections to school to support both well-being and academic outcomes. Due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic, the quality of students’ relationships with adults and peers and their sense of connection to school are vitally important during remote and in-person learning. The report asserts that relationships… Read More ›