Tag / Topic: Family and Community Engagement

Why Change Schools: Section One, Module B

This module was designed to promote discussion and build support for student-centered education reform. It explores topics that can help move the participants from an individualistic view of education to a mental model which treats education as a common endeavor. It strives to leave participants with several important takeaways including the common purpose of education,… Read More ›

Guide to Protocols that Support Dialogue

This guide catalogues protocols developed by the School Reform Initiative that can be used to stimulate productive public conversations. This list provides a brief overview of the purpose, description, time needed, number of participants, and possible question prompts to begin the activities. You can also find a link to the full protocol instructions which are… Read More ›

Public Engagement: A Primer from Public Agenda

This short guide provides an overview of public engagement. It describes the differences and advantages of a capacity-building versus an event-oriented approach to public engagement. It outlines ten core principals to effective public engagement such as attending to people’s main concerns, framing issues for dialogue, and providing the right amount of information at the right… Read More ›

Resource Guide on Public Engagement

This guide outlines key practices of effective public engagement. It provides an overview of the National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation’s approach to engagement, called the streams framework. This helpful visual categorizes engagement techniques into four “streams” based on the primary intention or purpose, and shows which methods have proven to be effective in each… Read More ›

Resources for Building Public Understanding of School Redesign in Vermont

This collection of resources provides examples to help schools, districts, or states increase public support for student-centered learning. It includes talking points, FAQs, an “Elevator Speech,” and sample brochures. It also includes an overview of protocols that can be used to facilitate public dialogues. The Shaping Our Future Together statewide campaign from the Agency of… Read More ›

Highlander Institute Awarded NMEF’s Integrated Learning Systems Grant

  What is the formula for designing a statewide initiative to leverage technology for student-centered learning? Highlander Institute is testing out their plan for this over the next year and a half, thanks to the Nellie Mae Education Foundation’s (NMEF’s) Integrated Learning Systems grant. A nonprofit organization based in Providence, Rhode Island, Highlander Institute leverages… Read More ›

Making Student-Centered Learning A Reality? Nellie Mae’s Integrated Learning Systems Grant Program

  How will the vision of student-centered learning become a reality? The Nellie Mae Education Foundation (NMEF) sought to address a piece of the puzzle through their recent Integrated Learning Systems request for proposals. The implementation of student-centered learning requires fundamental changes away from traditional practices. It involves complex, data-intensive tasks like differentiating instruction for… Read More ›

Putting it Back Together Again: Reframing Education Using a Core Story Approach

This memo describes the research conducted on current public understanding of education and lays out a new storyline that can better motivate members of the public to become involved in education reform, supporting student-centered approaches to learning. It outlines the default cultural models the public holds regarding key aspects of education such as the education… Read More ›

The Brainwaves Video Anthology

This video anthology is produced and filmed by Bob Greenberg. The Brainwaves series contains short videos (5-10 minutes long) on ideas and topics of education relevant to student-centered learning in the 21st century. Source Organization: Brainwaves Video Anthology Visit the Resource

How Can Your School District Start a Podcast?

This podcast episode is dedicated to school districts across the world who are searching for ways to promote their teachers and students; the districts who are looking to build a brand in their community.  This episode looks at a school district who has successfully created not only one, but two podcasts to share their story and… Read More ›

Transformation

This three minute video discusses reshaping the classroom and system so that learning is personalized, and students have a true voice in their education. We envision an education system where learning transcends the traditional school calendar and setting. We envision a system where students progress based upon mastery of a skill or topic, rather than… Read More ›