4 Ways to Increase Inclusion and Engagement When Allocating Resources
If allocating resources is part of your job, keep these 4 learner-centered ways to increase inclusion and engagement in the process handy.
5 Tips for Implementing Learner Profiles
As school leaders, one of our most critical tasks is to balance coherence and flexibility in our educational institutions. Coherence refers to a unified vision and shared understanding among stakeholders, while flexibility allows for adaptability and responsiveness to individual student needs. A valuable tool for achieving this balance is the implementation of a learner profile, also known as a portrait of a graduate. This blog post explores the benefits of using learner profiles and offers practical advice for school leaders on how to effectively incorporate them into their educational systems. The Power of Learner Profiles A learner profile is ...
How to Get Started Developing a Learner Profile
Learning communities across the country are asking an important question right now: what does success look like for our learners? Educational leaders are recognizing that clarity of desired outcomes is an important element in promoting coherence and connectedness. As a result, there is an increasing interest in the development of learner profiles that define an aspirational vision for learners in a visual, easily-communicated manner. In brief, the learner profile establishes the whole-child outcomes and it provides a catalyst to transform systems, processes, and structures necessary to support students in developing and demonstrating the outcomes. How is a learner profile different ...
The Power of Networks
Learning is social. We are all learners and adults need social learning experiences as well. We know that relational trust is foundational for meaningful growth and change in learning communities and that communities with strong connections and social capital are more likely to be effective. Unfortunately, the prevailing Industrial model of education promotes isolation through specialization. Our assembly models have led us to organize into “self-contained” classrooms and schools that operate with limited interaction with one another. Many teachers have never seen their neighbors down the hall in action and many principals have never seen the schools down the ...
Catalyst Collection
Catalyst is a now monthly newsletter from Devin Vodicka featuring learner-centered insights and resources for educators, leadership teams, and change-makers. In each edition of Catalyst, Devin shares insights, learnings, and resources about the learner-centered education movement. Browse this collection to read past editions of Catalyst and explore what you missed! Join the conversation! Get the latest newsletter and new editions of Catalyst delivered directly your inbox sign up here. May 2023: The promise of a Both/And approach in education April 2023: Let's build upon what we've started TOGETHER Winter 2023: A Framework to Come back To Time and Time ...
Remote vs. Classroom Instruction: Are We Asking the Right Questions?
Post-remote learning test scores are in. Are we asking the right questions?
Rethinking College and Career Readiness in a Hybrid World
The shift to more flexible, hybrid models in both college and career is happening at the same time as our education system is reverting back to a rigid, seat-time based system that was designed for a different era. Explore how we can best prepare students to be flexible, self-directed learners and contributors to society.
A Learner-Centered Take on Homework
This learner-centered perspective on the age-old homework debate reframes the question away from what, when, and how much and brings us back to our why and imagining the possibilities of homework from there.
The Four Elements of Trust
Research reveals that there are four elements of relational trust: consistency, compassion, competence, and communication. The balance of these four elements leads to relational trust. Every leader has to determine their own mix to develop the trust that is key for success in a community of change.
Now Is the Time for Learner-Centered, Whole-Child Education
Measuring whether a school is supporting interest-driven, whole-child development, or not, will be imperative as we evaluate the progress of individual learners and of our collective system.
Catalyst Newsletter
Catalyst Newsletter from Devin Vodicka- Learner-centered insights and resources for educators, leadership teams, and change-makers.
There has never been a better time for OER
Shifting to learner-centered experiences for all students is going to require many shifts, including the ways in which we think about outcomes and assessments, and providing flexible and open learning resources will be an important part of the change journey.
The connection between anti-racism and learner-centered education
A learner-centered paradigm, which begins with a respect for the jagged intersectionality of our unique identities, is required if we are to achieve our aspirations of reducing systemic inequalities in education and beyond. Explore how learner-centered education empowers learners to develop their unique identity through exercising agency in pursuit of real-world problem-solving.
Moving Forward Together: An Unprecedented Coalition for an Unprecedented Time
Moving Forward Together. Altitude Learning's Devin Vodicka and Getting Smart's Tom Vander Ark are leading a groundbreaking coalition to support support SEAs, districts, and schools paving a new path forward in service of all learners.
Our Research-Informed Approach to Product Development
We are pleased to share a summary of our research-informed approach to the development and refinement of the Altitude Learning platform.
Learner-Centered Leadership Introduction
It’s time for the education establishment to acknowledge that the world is changing too quickly and too completely to know, today, what every student should learn for tomorrow. It’s changed so much that even the notion of all students seems too reductive and liable to erase the experiences, interests, and potential of too many students. It’s time to find an education that can respond to each student. A truly learner-centered education. Let me give you an example.
Leading the Way to Authentic Learning
When students are engaged in solving real-world problems they are engaged in authentic learning. Gain strategies and examples for leading the way to authentic, learner-centered experiences.
How Learner Agency Impacts a Learning Ecosystem
School systems are interconnected communities of learners, and shifting to learner-centered models is a complex and humbling journey. In schools that are designed for standardization, tensions can arise very quickly when you begin to promote agency and innovation.
