All Episodes
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.
Uncovering the True Purpose of Assessment
In a learner-centered classroom, assessment is not done to but rather with the learner. Assessment becomes less about determining what a student doesn’t know or can’t do, but instead the emphasis shifts to providing opportunities for students to show what they do know and can do.
Catalyst Newsletter
Catalyst Newsletter from Devin Vodicka- Learner-centered insights and resources for educators, leadership teams, and change-makers.
Bright Spots Newsletter
Bright Spots from Katie Martin- Your weekly source of learner-centered inspiration.
What’s Possible in Learner-Centered Education
As the world continues to evolve and change in dynamic ways, there is an increasingly urgent call to create schools that meet the needs of learners in our world today to equip them with the academic and social skills that are critical for success in work, life, and citizenship.
Inspiration for Co-Founding Learner-Centered Collaborative
CEO Devin Vodicka and CIO Katie Martin share what inspired them to co-found Learner-Centered Collaborative.
Peek into Our Learner-Centered Workshop Design
Researchers and practitioners alike have long advocated for the need to change traditional “stand-and-deliver” and “episodic” professional development models, ...
Introducing Learner-Centered Collaborative
First of a 3-part series from Learner-Centered Collaborative's leaders, Devin Vodicka and Katie Martin.
When Learning Is Authentic
Authentic learning experiences can feel at odds with school systems and structures, but they don’t have to. Katie Martin shares how schools are pushing the boundaries to successfully orient toward relevant, meaningful, real-world learning experiences.
Why Curiosity is Foundational to Learning
If we want our children to develop new skills, knowledge, and mindsets, it is foundational to spark curiosity. Otherwise, even through our best efforts to teach them, they may not actually learn.
Using Feedback to Build a Sense of Connection, Purpose, and Ownership
Meaningful feedback is not the same as a grade or an evaluation. Feedback is information for the learner about where they are in relationship to the goal or target to help them get there.
What Does Your Ideal Learning Environment Look Like?
Leaders commonly use strategic plans or vision statements that describe the desire to develop life-long learners, global citizens, critical thinkers, and the like, yet a misalignment often occurs between the vision, policies, and practices. The tension between what we say we want our students to know and be able to do and what we prioritize and assess often tell a different story.
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.
To Engage Students, Focus on Connection Over Content
It’s important to understand how student’s emotions impact their attention, engagement, and what they learn. Scheduling time with each student to connect, learn more about their circumstances, their goals, and ideas, created a different dynamic that built empathy and allowed for more personalization and meaningful connection. Students also recommend, reaching out via text, calling them or just checking in every so often.
Supporting Statewide Change Through Microgrants to Families
The Moving Forward coalition formed to bring together and apply the best thinking and learning from the field in a way that accounts for compliance-related constraints, provides a convenient, one-stop-shop for SEA leaders, and delivers these services at a competitive rate while engaging experienced practitioners.
Supporting Statewide Change Through New Models for Remote Education
The Moving Forward coalition formed to bring together and apply the best thinking and learning from the field in a way that accounts for compliance-related constraints, provides a convenient, one-stop-shop for SEA leaders, and delivers these services at a competitive rate while engaging experienced practitioners.
Supporting Statewide Change Through Virtual Course Access Models
The Moving Forward coalition formed to bring together and apply the best thinking and learning from the field in a way that accounts for compliance-related constraints, provides a convenient, one-stop-shop for SEA leaders, and delivers these services at a competitive rate while engaging experienced practitioners.
Supporting District Change Through Learner-Centered Leadership
The Moving Forward coalition formed to bring together and apply the best thinking and learning from the field in a way that accounts for compliance-related constraints, provides a convenient, one-stop-shop for SEA leaders, and delivers these services at a competitive rate while engaging experienced practitioners.
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.
Reaffirming Our Commitment to Racial Equity and Inclusion
Advancing equity, inclusion, and belonging for all people is foundational to learner-centered education and is critical to what we want to achieve as leaders and as an organization.
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.
How Can We Make the Most of Synchronous and Asynchronous Time in Distance Learning?
Effective distance learning blends both asynchronous and synchronous learning experiences to maximize the time together virtually to build community and learn collaboratively, while also providing autonomy for learners to engage in content, read, investigate and demonstrate mastery at their own pace.
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.
Do Your Assessments Improve Learning?
Grading and reporting of grades is one of the cornerstones of teaching but not always learning.
About This Podcast
Katie Martin, educator, author, mom and Chief Impact Officer of Learner-Centered Collaborative, explores challenges in education today and celebrates the bright spots in thought-provoking conversations with practitioners working to put learners at the center. On the Learner-Centered Collaborative Podcast, discover vetted practices and strategies that will inform, inspire, and ignite your learner-centered journey. Together we can empower all learners to actively engage in the world as their best selves.
The future of education is now because our learners can’t wait!
