Maker Ed
The mission of Maker Ed is to provide educators and institutions with the training, resources, and community of support they need to create engaging, inclusive, and motivating learning experiences through maker-centered education, particularly in under-served communities. Maker-centered education encourages students to create, take apart, fix, and tinker. It encourages creativity and a type of thinking… Read More ›
Black History Month Resources for the Classroom
This compilation brings together 20 lesson plans and resources created by PBS NewsHour Extra to help teachers quickly find high-quality materials for any classroom to engage in authentic student-driven learning about Black History Month. Topics include historical civil rights events and current events. They include descriptions of the targeted grade-level, materials needed, national standards covered,… Read More ›
An Overview of Personalized Learning for Schools, Families & Communities
This report provides an overview of student-centered learning for families and community members, using parent-friendly language, short explanations, and many examples. The report first outlines the need for and the basics of personalized learning. It explores, through five short case studies, personalized learning in action and how it differs from traditional learning environments. It also… Read More ›
How Do We Ensure Personalized Learning is a True Equity Initiative?
This article discusses the importance of addressing equity as schools embrace personalization. The authors assert that while personalized learning has great potential, ensuring equity, especially for students with disabilities (SWDs) and English Learners (ELLs), requires a lot of work and an ongoing commitment. The authors pose five questions the field should address including whether adequate teacher training and student support systems… Read More ›
Can Blended Learning Improve Equity in One of Nation’s Most Diverse Districts?
This article details the shift of New Jersey’s Morris School District (MSD) to a blended-learning model in an effort to meet diverse student needs. MSD hopes to increase gains for student populations, such as English Language Learners (ELLs) and low-income students, which continue to see slower growth despite overall district improvement. So far, the district has found results at… Read More ›
Making Learning Personal for All: The Growing Diversity in Today’s Classroom
The report makes the case for the need to shift to personalized learning to serve growing numbers of diverse learners. It asserts that current models that drive personalization are often overly simplistic and not based on research. The report expresses concern that these over-simplified models risk driving personalization in a way that actually perpetuates achievement gaps… Read More ›
Designing for Equity in Next Generation Learning
This toolkit was created to provide support and inspiration to educators and community members who wish to have more meaningful, transparent and transformative conversations about equitable learning. The toolkit was developed by Next Generation Learning Challenges (NGLC), an initiative of Educause Learning Initiative, a nonprofit community of higher education institutions and organizations committed to the advancement of… Read More ›
Bronx Arena High School Multimedia Monograph
This multimedia monograph features Bronx Arena High School, an innovative, competency-based school serving historically marginalized youth in New York City. The school’s mission is to empower over-age under-credited students to graduate ready for college or a career. The multimedia monograph is an interactive case study that features video interviews with students and staff. It brings… Read More ›
See How States Plan to Approach Equity
This article summarizes recommendations from the report “Leading For Equity: Opportunities for State Education Chiefs”, released by The Council of Chief State School Officers and the Aspen Institute Education and Society Program. The recommendations were created by state chiefs, district leaders, civil rights advocates, and other stakeholders. The article outlines 10 areas state leaders can focus on to… Read More ›
Flexible Pathways to Graduation: Six Vermont High School Students
This video, created by UP for Learning as part of their Communicating School Redesign efforts (partnering with Ned), features six Vermont high school students describing how they have used multiple pathways to personalize and direct their own learning. The students in the video are using a combination of community/work-based learning, virtual and blended learning, dual enrollment, early… Read More ›
Case Stories From One Middle School’s Efforts for Partnership
This article is written by Students at the Center Distinguished Fellow Dr. Frank LaBanca, principal of Westside Middle School Academy Magnet, as part of volume 10 of the educational journal LEARNing Landscapes. The article highlights his successes and challenges as principal of a start-up urban magnet middle school committed to a student-centered inquiry-based learning environment that values extended… Read More ›
LEAP Personalized Learning Framework
This tool, created by LEAP Innovations, is an interactive framework for personalized learning geared towards educators ready to embrace new teaching methods. LEAP Innovations set out to translate personalized learning concepts into concrete strategies. The framework, includes a deep dive into four key components of personalized learning; learner connected, learner focused, leaner demonstrated, and learner led. Also… Read More ›