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New Designs for School

Personalized Learning: Turning Lofty Aspirations Into Specific District Policy

EdWeek Webinar (Archived)

"Personalized learning" seems to be everywhere these days—in the instructional goals set by school districts, in state and federal policy, and in the promises made by educational technology companies trying to do business with schools. In recent years, school officials have sought clarity on what real personalized learning looks like—in the hope that the guidance will provide more specific and useful information to the K-12 community.

This webinar examined what a growing number of school and technology advocates have identified as the core elements of personalized learning. They see the foundation of personalized learning encompassing not only instruction tailored to individual students' needs, but also a rethinking of the overall learning environment in schools. Our guests examined the core elements of personalized learning, and presented examples of what it looks like in a district trying to better meet students’ academic needs.

Webinar Date and Time: Thursday, December 11, 2014, 2:00 p.m. ET

Speakers:

Andrew Calkins, Deputy Director, Next Generation Learning Challenges
Theresa Ewald, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, Kettle Moraine School District

Moderator:

Sean Cavanagh, Associate Editor, Education Week
Why Schools Need to Change

How Next Generation Schools Define Success

Next Generation Learning Challenges asked 33 next generation educators how they define success for their students and schools, how they measure that success, and how they share their progress toward success with students, families, and others. This report summarizes what leading educators in public school redesign say today’s kids need to know and be able to do, and how they know whether their students are learning it.

Funding provided by Overdeck Family Foundation.
Enabling Change

PRESS RELEASE: Six Colorado Schools Redesign the Future of Student Learning

Denver, CO – Three Colorado school districts are on the cutting edge of redesigning the classroom of the future — better preparing students for success in the classroom, college and the workforce.
Building Community

Personalized Learning at a Crossroads

Lessons from the Next Generation Systems Initiative and the NGLC Regional Funds for Breakthrough Schools Initiative
New Designs for School

Request for Learning: Mass IDEAS Planning Grant

Released September 17, 2018.

Mass IDEAS invites applications for planning grants to support both new school designs and whole-school redesigns, so that students across Massachusetts can attend high-quality, innovative public schools focused on the knowledge and capabilities learners need to thrive in the 21st century. Applications are due November 5, 2018.
Reimagining Assessment

Five Elements for Assessment Design and Use to Support Student Autonomy

By Andrew Calkins, David Conley, Margaret Heritage, Nicole Merino, Raymond Pecheone, Linda Pittenger, Denis Udall, and Justin Wells

This brief from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Assessment for Learning Working Group presents research showing that, when the concepts of student autonomy and assessments' role in that development are explored, implemented, and measured, students will become more competent and confident learners ready to handle challenges in academics, the workplace, and civic life. The brief also offers examples of student autonomy and initial proof of viable concepts. Finally, we leave the reader with discussion questions to prompt consideration of related issues of policy and practice.

The five elements:

  1. Provide accessible and actionable information that supports further learning
  2. Be understood, embraced, and valued by students as authentic and worthwhile
  3. Align with curriculum and instruction to support knowledge transfer
  4. Create opportunities to build strong identities
  5. Promote equity

July 2018
Enabling Change

Innodoption: Next Gen Adoption Strategies for Next Gen Learning, Executive Summary

September 2018

A new 18-month, $450K grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York will support the development of what we are calling innodoption: next gen change management that leads to enduring, fundamental transformations in community mindset, school design, student learning experiences, and 21st-century outcomes. In innodoption, the change processes embody the central principle of the entire enterprise—that people of all ages do best in environments that enable agency and autonomy, honor purpose and diversity, and provide opportunities to develop mastery.
Enabling Change

Innodoption Project Summary Slide

October 2018

One-pager describing the concepts behind a next gen approach to change management developed by NGLC called "innodoption."
Reimagining Assessment

Assessment for Learning Project Knowledge Site

Educator teams in the Assessment for Learning Project network share what they are learning via this website. It is not a highly polished website, on purpose. In true assessment for learning fashion, teams are sharing learning as it happens, to reflect and receive feedback to continually deepen and expand understanding.

The site contains knowledge resources on the following assessment practices:

  • Performance Assessment
  • Formative Assessment
  • Capstone Project, Portfolios, and Exhibitions of Learning
  • Community Engaged Success Definitions

It also contains resources for driving systems change:

  • Aligning around state policy opportunities
  • Embedding blended professional learning in school/district/state systems
  • Deepening & activating networks
  • Postsecondary coherence

LAUNCH THE KNOWLEDGE SITE

Why Schools Need to Change

Webinar: Development and Use of a Robust Portrait of a Graduate

This December 2018 webinar hosted by Jenny Curtin of the Barr Foundation focused on the role of a portrait of a graduate in high school design efforts. It featured local stories from Jalen Epps, recent graduate of Duet and Matt Brunell, Co-Executive Director of the Springfield Empowerment Zone and national perspectives from Andy Calkins, Director of Next Generation Learning Challenges and Cynthia Leck, Partner at Transcend.

Recording (vimeo)

Barr Foundation Blog Post - includes archives, downloadable slides, and key resources