Tag / Topic: Policy and Advocacy

Expanded Learning Time Innovation in Massachusetts Schools

This video highlights the successes of schools in Massachusetts implementing an expanded day, adding up to 300 hours to the school year. Using many school examples, the narrator explores the innovations possible with an expanded day such as more personalization, use of technology, curriculum that focuses on problem solving and embraces the common core standards,… Read More ›

Learning While Working: Building 21st Century Competency-Based Apprenticeships

This framework document outlines a set of key steps the National Network of Business and Industry Associations (the National Network) developed to help employers develop competency-based apprenticeships. The approach is applicable across multiple industry sectors and at companies of any size. The National Network launched in late 2013 with the mission to improve economic opportunity and quality of… Read More ›

Snakes Are Born This Way: Illuminating Standards (Video)

This video, based on Lady Gaga’s hit song “Born This Way” is performed by a group of second graders at the Conservatory Lab Charter School in Dorchester, Massachusetts. It was created after completing extensive research on snakes, the students wrote, performed, and produced the song “Snakes Are Born This Way”. Source Organization: Expeditionary Learning

Water Quality and Future Use of Loon Pond (Video)

This video provides an overview of how a 9th grade biology class was able to provide a civic service while gaining a deep understanding of content using the scientific method, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. This example of community-oriented, anytime/anywhere, project-based learning began through a conversation between the students’ biology teacher and the City of Springfield.… Read More ›

Building Your Roadmap For 21st Century Learning Environments

This resource, developed by the Cable Impacts Foundation, the Partnership for 21st Century Learning and the State Educational Technology Directors Association, is for education leaders interested in transitioning to 21st-century learning environments. Using the Roadmap, educational leaders can determine where their system is and where they need to go in each of the topic areas,… Read More ›

Preparing Leaders for Deeper Learning

This paper focuses on program design and development for school and district leaders surrounding the creation of sustainable deeper learning environments. The paper addresses two fundamental questions: 1) As a growing body of schools and districts recognize the need for deeper, blended, competency-based learning environments for students, how must the role of leaders evolve to… Read More ›

A State Policy Framework for Scaling Personalized Learning

This report identifies strategies to support scaling personalized learning for districts. Developed by KnowledgeWorks, the report focuses on curriculum, assessment, learning environments, partnerships, and more as recommendations for successful scaling efforts. Source Organization: KnowledgeWorks Visit the Resource  

4 Ways to Scale Personalized Learning

This article focuses on opportunities to scale personalized learning. The author identifies design elements that support national, district and regional growth, and offers links to several reports from recent months that show strategies on measuring and scaling personalized learning. Source Organization: Getting Smart Visit the Resource  

The Learning Policy Institute

This organization is a national education think tank focused on K-12 learning. The Learning Policy Institute conducts, commissions, and communicates high-quality research to shape policies that support equitable and empowering learning for all children. The Learning Policy Institute’s work includes research and policy analyses surrounding the topics of early childhood learning, deeper learning, educator quality,… Read More ›

The Role of Learning Progressions in Competency-Based Pathways

This report focuses on defining learning progressions and learning progressions research, with a particular focus on how state and district leaders can begin to support transitions into competency-based practice. After a 2015 series of conversations with experts in the learning sciences, Achieve convened a set of state leaders, researchers, and practitioners in May 2015 to… Read More ›

Virtual Viewpoints Podcast: Pegah Rahmanian, Youth in Action

This episode is the fifth in our series documenting the Fuse Architect Project, a collaboration between the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, the Highlander Institute, and several other Rhode Island-based stakeholders endeavoring to design and pilot systems that promote student-centered learning. In this episode, we’re talking with Pegah Rahmanian, the Executive Director of Youth in Action.… Read More ›