This article originally appeared on Getting Smart and has been republished with their permission. Written by Vriti Saraf, Nate McClennen, & Katie Martin Key Points The SAMR model needs a…
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Rethinking SAMR in the Age of AI: Why the Model Needs a Second Axis
This article originally appeared on Getting Smart and has been republished with their permission. Written by Vriti Saraf, Nate McClennen, & Katie Martin Key Points The SAMR model needs a second axis (positive vs. negative impact) to better evaluate AI’s effect on teaching and learning. AI’s role in education is nuanced—its success depends on…
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What an 8th-Grade Defense Taught Me About Competency-Based Learning
Written by Maysa Dadmun Have you ever watched a student light up when they get to learn about something they truly love? That spark is what shaped my entire 8th-grade defense project, and now, as a freshman in high school, it’s shaping the way I approach learning every day. I attended Sussex School, a…
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Reading, Writing, and Rising: Centering Literacy in Learner-Centered Education
By Stephanie Buelow and Charlotte Frambaugh Kritzer, Professors of Literacy at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Literacy is the cornerstone of a learner-centered education—it unlocks the ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and engage meaningfully in a rapidly changing world. Few leaders embody this understanding as powerfully as Dr. Lori Gonzalez. A visionary…
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AI as my Teaching Assistant: Tools, Strategies, and Lessons Learned
By Shannon Roos, English Teacher and Instructional Coach at Hampton High School Three years ago, I sat in my classroom thinking through an overwhelming challenge our administration had just presented to the instructional coaching team: make sense of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and put together a lunch and learn session that we would present to our…
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Designing for What Matters Most: How Unit Design PD Brings Our Learner Profile to Life
By Chad Mabery, Ed.D., Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services at Laguna Beach Unified School District “Have you ever taught a unit of study that students just don’t seem to enjoy? Do you have a unit of study that you dread teaching every year? We’ll pay you to redesign it!” That’s the sales pitch through…
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Lake Living and Life Lessons: A 12th Grader’s Reflection on Learner-Centered Education in the Upper Peninsula
By Everest Orlikowski, Student at Clark Street Community School If you had the chance to learn about anything you wanted, what would you explore and how would you do it? My high school, Clark Street Community School (CSCS) in Middleton, Wisconsin, presents students with this choice many times throughout our secondary education which allows…
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A Learner-Centered Approach to Expanding Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment for Native American Students
Written by Keisha Lanier Brown, Ph.D. Student, Georgia State University Through the inaugural Learner-Centered Assessment Fellowship, Digital Promise and Learner-Centered Collaborative brought together early-career scholars, education partners, and mentors to explore the potential of collaboration and culturally responsive approaches to educational assessment. As a final reflection and celebration of their work, each of the…
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The Impact of Innovation Cohorts: A Research-Based Perspective on Educator Growth
Written by Anna Yinqi Zhang, Ph.D. Candidate at Pennsylvania State University. Through the inaugural Learner-Centered Assessment Fellowship, Digital Promise and Learner-Centered Collaborative brought together early-career scholars, education partners, and mentors to explore the potential of collaboration and culturally responsive approaches to educational assessment. As a final reflection and celebration of their work, each of…
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From Data to Storytelling: How Scorecards are Transforming School Accountability in Hawai’i
Written by Nicolas Mireles, Ph.D. Candidate at James Madison University. Through the inaugural Learner-Centered Assessment Fellowship, Digital Promise and Learner-Centered Collaborative brought together early-career scholars, education partners, and mentors to explore the potential of collaboration and culturally responsive approaches to educational assessment. As a final reflection and celebration of their work, each of the…
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Distributed Leadership in Schools: Students as Ambassadors
Written by Dr. Leighangela Brady, Superintendent, National School District. Dr. Brady is also a member of the Learner-Centered Collaborative Advisory Council. Distributed leadership offers a way to harness the collective strengths of all members of an educational ecosystem, including school staff, parents, community partners, and most importantly, students. While adults often take center stage…
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Building Community Partnerships: A Strategy for Sustaining Learner-Centered Education
Written by Danielle Delrosario Danielle DelRosario is a Community Schools/MTSS Specialist in Escondido Union School District and member of our inaugural LC Innovator cohort, where learner-centered educators come together to share bright spots and ideas around innovative practices The current research on community partnerships in education indicates tremendous benefits for students, namely: enhanced…
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How a Small School System Created Big Impacts in Learner-Centered Education
Co-authored by Stacy Penson, Director of Elementary Level at The Innovative School, and Catina Hancock, Partner at Learner-Centered Collaborative The Innovative School’s journey from a Reggio-inspired preschool to a thriving two months-5th grade program exemplifies the power of small systems to drive big changes in education. Our story is one of growth, challenges, and triumphs…
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The Power of Student Voice: My Journey on the D11 District Accountability Committee
By Carissa Rickard, Student in Colorado Springs School District 11 My name is Carissa Rickard, I’m 16 years old, and I serve as the student representative on the district accountability committee (DAC) for Colorado Springs School District 11 As a student representative, my role is to provide a crucial perspective on how district policies…
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Prioritizing Educator Belonging for Successful Learner-Centered Instruction
By Dr. Jennifer Karnopp, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, San Diego State University, and Dr. Peter Bjorklund Jr., Lecturer and Research Assistant, UC San Diego Within the education landscape, it is widely agreed upon that supporting student growth and well-being is at the heart of learner-centered instruction, yet we often overlook the well-being of…
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Discovering AI Together: Lessons from a Learner-Centered Classroom
Guest blog post by Carissa Solomon Carissa Solomon is a Senior Lead Educator at Embark Education in Denver, CO. Today, AI seems to be part of almost every conversation in education. Some people are excited by its possibilities, while others are anxious that it may usher in more cheating. Do you know what’s missing…
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Bringing Student Wonders to Life: An Interview from an Innovation Cohort
Learner-Centered Collaborative has partnered with South Allegheny and Duquesne City School Districts in Pennsylvania to host an Innovation Cohort in 2023-2024. Each cohort evolves with the needs and interests of the participants, but typically includes: Self-paced, online courses that forward and strengthen learner-centered practices Virtual Communities of Practice sessions In-person sessions to discuss learnings,…
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Great Teachers Make Innovative Solutions Possible
Guest Author: Dr. Cory Steiner, Superintendent of Northern Cass School District (ND), Learner-Centered Collaborative Advisory Council member Northern Cass is a mentor school district in the 2023-24 Learner-Centered Connections program Several years ago Northern Cass School District in North Dakota acknowledged that despite traditional markers indicating things were “good” across the district they wanted…
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Growth Through Connections
By: Dr. Leighangela Brady, Superintendent, National School District (CA) Dr. Brady shares a first-hand perspective from the Fall 2023 Learner-Centered Connections in-person convening in San Diego, CA where the cohort visited four innovative public schools and Illumina, a biotech company. Hearing directly from a student ambassador panel at Bostonia Global High School in the…