I have always been fascinated by research and it has been a privilege to be involved in a number of studies as both a practitioner and as a researcher. When I completed my doctorate I was fortunate to collaborate on a National Science Foundation project called “Exploration of a Social Capital Framework for Evaluative Studies of Technology Integration.” During my tenure as Superintendent in Vista Unified School District I worked with many partners to develop the International Center for Educational Research and Practice. One of the attractions for me to join this organization was an orientation to a research-informed approach to accelerate the shift to learner-centered education.
At Altitude Learning and now at Learner-Centered Collaborative, we have always relied on research to inform our strategy. One of our first partnerships was with West Ed who helped us to ensure that our professional learning offerings were aligned with proven practices. In addition, their researchers provided feedback on our learner-centered rubrics to help ensure validity and usability of these important resources.
We also conducted a deep, multi-year research-practice project with the University of San Diego and the Arcadia Unified School District, resulting in not only an evidence-informed approach but also in an important finding regarding the primacy of trusting relationships as the foundation for meaningful change. This journey was documented and shared in a recent article entitled “A Question of Trust: The Arcadia Unified Better Together Project.”
In addition to informing and validating our services, we have also used research to guide the development of the Altitude Learning technology platform. This approach was recently validated with recognition from Digital Promise, which recognized our platform with a “Research-Based Design” product certification. We have also compiled information regarding our research foundation as a resource to others as well.
Finally, we created a pre-pandemic report called “Evidence of Impact” which provides information compiled from our partners related to their ongoing improvement process.
As a learner-centered organization, we will continue to partner with others and to use research to guide our efforts. We are grateful for all that we have been able to achieve and excited about our collective potential for the future. We look forward to learning together.
Contact us to learn more about tapping into our learner-centered ecosystem.
