Making Equity a First Principle of Personalized Learning

Julia Freeland Fisher

This was originally posted on the Christensen Institute on April 12, 2017 . “Racism and inequity are products of design. They can be redesigned.” These words echoed from the keynote speakers at the annual Blended and Personalized Learning Conference (BPLC) in Providence, R.I., last weekend. On April 1st, in partnership with Highlander Institute and The Learning… Read More ›

What We Talk About When We Talk About Student Voice

UP for Learning podcast features Vermont students discussing the importance of personalized learning and partnering with adults in school redesign. The podcast explains the 2013 legislation Act 77 in Vermont which was passed to create “flexible pathways” toward graduation to promote student ownership and engagement. Students discuss the impressive projects and courses they can now… Read More ›

Growing Into The Framework: A District’s CBE Implementation Strategy

This article shares five phases of implementation of competency-based education, using the Mesa County Valley School District 51‘s (D51) first year of implementation to illustrate the process. The phases include: Laying the foundation Supporting effective practices Building performance-based system Beginning personalized learning Refining our system Information tables include detailed steps to achieve the phase and outline what needs… Read More ›

Examining Cultural Relevance

This one page tool provides a set of questions to determine the cultural relevance of a given unit, learning task, or project. Many of the strategies for infusing cultural relevance focus on student-centered practices such as inclusion of choice in topics, sources for information, and ways of displaying knowledge learned as well as connection to… Read More ›

Next Gen Tools: Personalized Learning Plans and Learner Profiles

This innovation brief describes the use of Learner Profiles and Personalized Learning Plans (PLPs) at three schools and outlines the advantages and challenges of these two strategies. Learner Profiles are used to collect information about each student’s learning styles, strengths, weaknesses, and interests. Learning Plans lay out students goals. Students take an active role in the… Read More ›

Personalized Learning in New York

This report looks at early results from Education Element’s work in NY state, since 2013, to design, implement, and support personalized learning.  Education Elements provides consultation services, technical assistance, and tools to help districts implement personalized learning. At the time of this report, 16 districts and two Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) across NY have… Read More ›

Empowering Advocates for Educational Transformation

Close Up of Microphone

This was originally posted by Nellie Mae Education Foundation on Medium on April 4, 2017 . Introducing the 2017 Nellie Mae Education Foundation Speakers Bureau All too often, those most directly involved in and affected by our education system are ignored or silenced. At the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, we believe that these voices are… Read More ›

How Baltimore CPS Used Communications Strategies to Create Personalized Learning Buy-In

This article explores how Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS), prioritized and designed a communications strategy to bring together students, teachers, and families around personalized learning. By working to build authentic relationships, their communications strategy went beyond just sharing updates with families and teachers. In addition, BCPS used stories of both triumphs and failures to make communication about… Read More ›

Let’s Celebrate Personalization: But Not Too Fast

This article, from Educational Leadership Magazine, is an illuminating probe to reassesses what personalized learning truly means. It discusses what a shift to personalization will actually take in terms of mindsets, resources and time.  It explores provoking questions such as: How will old and new paradigms coexist? What supports will teachers need? What aspects of your educational… 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 ›