Unconscious Bias in the Classroom: Evidence and Opportunities
This report looks at the contribution of unconscious bias (UB) to the troubling achievement gap for women and minority students, especially in Computer Science and STEM courses. The report indicates that exposure to UB can change stereotyped groups’ behaviors to conform to the stereotype, even when it was initially untrue. It details existing research studies… Read More ›
The Student-Centered Learning Fact Sheet Series
These four Student-Centered Learning Fact Sheets discuss RI state policies that support and/or limit the spread of student-centered learning practices, highlight best practices, and provide recommendations for expanding and strengthening student-centered learning in RI. Each of the four fact sheets aligns with each of the principles of student-centered learning outlined in the Students at the Center framework:… Read More ›
Communications Planning for Innovation in Education
This guide was designed to help districts build support for personalized learning through the development of a communications plan to reach a variety of stakeholders. The guide lays out clear steps within four key phases of communications planning: planing and aligning, looking at your foundations, designing your plan, and reflecting. Each section includes short profiles of… Read More ›
RI Personalized Learning Initiative
The Rhode Island (RI) Personalized Learning Initiative was launched in September 2016 by the Rhode Island Office of Innovation with the Rhode Island Department of Education, Highlander Institute, and other partners. It supports educators and administrators statewide in the development, piloting, and growth of new models for personalized learning; and facilitates the sharing of best practices and… Read More ›
Maine: Making the Most of High-Leverage Strategies
This article provides an overview of the progress the state of Maine has made towards competency education. It outlines the steps taken to build school capacity and public and policy support for student-centered education. These steps resulted in the 2012 passage of Act LD1422, which requires districts to begin awarding proficiency-based diplomas. It reviews the implementation timeline… Read More ›
Community Learning Walks
This short 2-minute video documents a community learning walk at a high school in Meriden, CT that is implementing many student-centered approaches. It includes footage of educators interacting with business and community members as they tour classrooms at the school. It also features interviews and clips from the debriefing section highlighting key takeaways from their… Read More ›
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 ›
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 ›
Can Micro-credentials Create More Meaningful Professional Development For Teachers?
This article shares anecdotes and research to support the move towards micro-credentials for educators, a way to personalize professional development. Micro-credentials are seen as a viable shift for teacher assessment and an innovative way to help teachers learn and become proficient in relevant skills. Digital Promise, whose mission is “accelerating innovation in education,” has been a… Read More ›
Education Reimagined Website
Education Reimagined is an initiative of The Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, a nonprofit focused on solving social challenges through collaboration. Education Reimagined works to accelerate the growth and impact of the Learner-Centered Education Movement in the United States by finding and encouraging innovators, bringing stakeholders together, and educating the broader community. Educators and community… Read More ›
What’s the Deal with Proficiency Based Learning?
This whiteboard presentation gives an excellent overview of proficiency-based learning for students, narrated by students. It outlines key reasons students should be excited about proficiency-based learning. The student narrators describe the benefits of a more accurate assessment system which recognizes failure as a step in the learning process, a personalized approach, and the ability 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 ›