Professional Learning

NGLC joins the Innovative Learning Expert Hub!

NGLC Services has been invited to join a new pilot project developed by Catalyst:Ed and The Learning Accelerator (TLA). Through the Innovative Learning Expert Hub (ILEx), these two national nonprofits are working to unlock collective expertise to help the education sector innovate, improve, and scale. The ILEx offers education leaders committed to exploring and scaling innovative learning models a way to find high-quality consultants to work with and learn together.

According to Rachel Klein, partner, strategic initiatives at Catalyst:Ed, the idea for the Expert Hub arose from observations of the challenges schools face as they engage with the complex work of shifting to personalized, mastery-based learning to support whole-child development. Given that there is no one right implementation pathway, it can be difficult for schools and districts, especially smaller ones, to juggle the day-to-day challenges and still maintain momentum for a long-term, sustained effort.

The ILEx, says Rachel, is designed to support “schools that may not be seeing the progress or outcomes they’d expected, and may not have a set of consultants they can turn to for support.” Schools that are interested in learning more can reach out to Catalyst:Ed through the ILEx for a short scoping call. Catalyst:Ed will help them quickly diagnose the challenges that they're facing, then zero in on the project goals and expertise required to move their implementation along.

Catalyst:Ed will then draft up the consulting RFP and work with their pool of vetted expert providers, including NGLC Services, to ensure a strong match. Through this process, Rachel explains, schools can “find a partner at the right size and scale” or one who can provide “the just-in-time expertise in the particular area they need to unblock.”

One key project area supported by the ILEx is professional learning: putting in place adult-level learning experiences that support practitioners to build skills and mindsets for transforming practice. For example, NGLC Services would be a strong match for schools working on implementing teacher-driven, job-embedded, and experiential professional learning that allows teachers to both learn about and experience student-centered learning for success in education, career, and life.

As an added incentive during the pilot phase (now through March 2020), education leaders who list projects on the ILEx will also have access to learning resources and partnership from The Learning Accelerator and become part of a network of other top-notch educators leveraging external support to meet their goals.

To get started, check out the Innovative Learning Expert Hub at ilexperthub.org or contact Rachel Klein with any questions.

Photo courtesy of Da Vinci Schools