Making Dream Group Work an Everyday Reality
Ask math teachers what their ideal classroom looks and sounds like, and they will probably tell you about that one magical unicorn lesson where students worked collaboratively in groups and engaged in authentic mathematical debates that led to deeper learning for all. What is so special about those elusive lessons where group work…well, worked? And how… Read More ›
Assessments Can Support, Not Just Measure, Student Learning
This article looks at the work being done by The Assessment for Learning Project to recognize assessment as a positive part of the learning process. The initiative, which has awarded grants to 17 teams of education leaders at the school, district and state levels; advocates assessment systems that empower students, lead to greater equity and… Read More ›
Inquiry-Based Tasks in Social Studies
This article explores ways to foster deep learning in social studies classrooms. The author, a classroom teacher and instructional coach, discusses how to introduce inquiry-based tasks. He notes this approach can be used for explorations that are bigger than a lesson but smaller than a whole unit. Inquiry-based tasks may be a manageable way for… Read More ›
Student-Driven Restorative Justice
This article looks at the restorative justice circles established by students at Grand Mesa Middle School in Grand Junction, Colorado. Student Council members at the school decided to focus on the introduction of restorative justice circles in response to surveys they administered that indicated conflicts between students was a top concern for the student body.… Read More ›
Eastern Carver County School District Learner-Centered Resources
The resources below illustrate the work being done in Eastern Carver County School District, Minnesota to promote learner-centered education: This transcript of an interview with Brenda Vogds, (former)Leader of Personalized Learning and Innovation for the secondary schools in the district, explores how the district worked to bring educators into the process and nurture the development… Read More ›
Programming for Personalization: Using Computer Science Resources in Support of a Student-Centered Learning Environment
This e-guidebook provides a set of resources and strategies to help educators empower students to build digital literacy and computational thinking competencies across disciplines. It includes an overview of each resource, how that resource might support student-centered strategies, and examples of how to use the resource in a variety of classrooms. Resources include: Scratch Code Academy… Read More ›
Can Restorative Practices Improve School Climate and Curb Suspensions?
This report from the RAND Corporation looks at restorative practices. Many feel restorative practices can empower students by changing how discipline is enforced and by improving school climate by purposefully building relationships between students and adults as well as fellow students. This study of the implementation of a particular program which utilizes restorative practices in the… Read More ›
Critical Civic Inquiry: Student-Centered Learning
The study has concluded. Read about their data collection, findings and implications for educators and counselors in the field. Learn More Led by Rowan University and University of Colorado, this study investigated two areas of student-centered learning: “How students can be supported to take “ownership” of their learning” and “How learning can occur anytime, anywhere.”… Read More ›
Culturally Responsive Mastery-Based Education Research Project
The Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools at New York University (NYU Metro) and the Mastery Collaborative are conducting the Culturally Responsive Mastery-Based Education Research Project (CR-MBE) to understand how culturally responsive mastery-based practices influence historically marginalized students’ learning capacities, school engagement and academic outcomes. Learning capacities refer to mindsets,… Read More ›
How to Move From Digital Substitution to ‘Deeper Learning
This EdSurge On Air podcast features a discussion with Scott McLeod, Associate Professor of Education Leadership at the University of Colorado in Denver and author of Harnessing Technology for Deeper Learning. He discusses how teachers can ensure they are using technology to support deeper learning and move to more student-centered teaching practices. He focuses on… Read More ›
MetaRubric Game
This game was designed to help teachers and future teachers learn how to design and use rubrics to assess project-based and maker-centered learning. The game, which takes 1-2 hours to complete, is an excellent professional development exercise. In addition to teaching key information about quality rubrics, it is in itself and example of how assessment… Read More ›
Students Learn to Put the ‘Civil’ in Civil Discourse
This article looks at the efforts at Overland High School, near Denver, CO to help students learn to engage in civil discourse. Students in government class learn important 21st century skills as they engage in “deliberations,” a form of structured civil discourse, in which students must argue on both sides of a relevant topic like gun control… Read More ›