Archive
component:what.learning-progressions
10 Design Choices of Competency-Based Schools
The shift from time to learning changes everything. Most obviously it changes how students move through an education system and earn credentials. But it also changes how learning opportunities are structured and supported by educators.
4 Essential Attributes of Personalized Learning
The architectural shift competency-based environments where students progress based on demonstrated mastery isn’t really the goal, it’s just a better way to personalize learning.
Takeaways and New Questions from EAA School Visits
I encourage you to take the time to put a team together or even a cross-district or cross-state team to go visit Nolan Elementary, Phoenix Multicultural, Brenda Scott Academy for Theatre Arts, and Southeastern Technical High School sooner than later. Michigan and Detroit have a lot of volatile political dynamics (i.e things change), and I’d hate for people to miss the chance to see what can happen when you integrate personalized, mastery-based, and blended into a “student-centered” model of learning.
Common Choice: Thin Test Prep or Deeper Learning
Higher expectations and engaging learning experiences are compatible. New college and career ready expectations will yield better preparation for American students if education leaders value deeper learning rather than resorting to stifling test prep.
How Can We Prevent High School Seniors from Dropping Out?
Although the numbers indicate that these students leave during senior year, studies show that dropping out of school is often the result of a long, cumulative process and is not a decision students make overnight. The National Dropout Prevention Center/Network notes there is no single risk factor to accurately predict who is at risk of dropping out, but when multiple risk factors are considered, the accuracy of dropout predictions increases.
Preparing Teachers for Deeper Learning
A system of teacher development linked to the needs of hiring entities that awarded licenses based on demonstrated competence would provide personalized development pathways for teachers and ensure well-trained teachers for schools.
Preparing School Leaders
It's exciting and encouraging to see some of the folks training high performing leaders thinking about blended personalized learning for leaders--not just students. It suggests the potential for more efficient and effective replacements for the system of courses, credits, and credentials. However, enacting these ten attributes at scale would require new state policies governing licensure.
Deeper Competency-Based Learning
We found a handful of schools that ask the big rather than the small questions. They don't just ask students to turn in a test, they demand public demonstrations of learning.
Best Practices in Alternative & Competency-Based Learning
In short, Edvisions wants to change the school day to change the learning life. They transition from spoon feeding (traditional public education) to showing students they’re able to start feeding themselves with choice about their education based on their interest.
Achieve Releases State Framework For Competency-Based Education
Achieve, the leading advocate for college- and career-ready standards, posted an important policy resources this week: Advancing Competency-Based Pathways to College and Career Readiness: A State Policy Framework for Graduation Requirements, Assessment and Accountability. Competency-based education has been part of Achieve’s strategic plan for a few years, but this report is the most important action to date.