Big Moves
Capstone Projects
Overview A capstone project is a culminating project, usually done in a learner’s final year at a school or in a program, that allows them to apply the knowledge and skills they’ve gained throughout a course, program, or educational experience. Typically, it is comprehensive, often interdisciplinary, and requires learners to engage in critical thinking,…
Big Moves
Developing Community Partnerships for Internships, Mentorships and Community Projects
Overview Developing a community partnership strategy for internships, mentorships, and community projects is a valuable initiative for schools and districts, as it lays the groundwork for meaningful authentic learning experiences that support learners in developing their school or district’s key outcomes as outlined in their Portrait of a Learner. Through these community-connected experiences, learners…
Big Moves
Family Engagement Strategy
Overview Families are an integral part of a successful learner-centered ecosystem; partnering with educators to ensure positive outcomes for their child/dren. In today’s modern world, family engagement goes beyond asking for room parents, volunteers on a field trip, or the number of responses on a family survey. Although those are important metrics, engagement looks…
Blog
Family Partnerships: A Key Strategy for Supporting Whole-Learner Outcomes
The Mindset That Makes Family Partnerships Possible If we view school as a one-dimensional institution with a narrow purpose—primarily focused on delivering content and measuring student proficiency aligned to narrow metrics—then the idea of partnering with families may seem like an unnecessary distraction. But if we believe learning happens within a larger ecosystem, where…
Blog
Beyond the Classroom: Cultivating Local Partnerships to Generate Real-World Learning Opportunities
In our pursuit to create learner-centered educational ecosystems, out-of-school partnerships play a crucial role. Collaborations across various sectors not only break down barriers to access and opportunity but also infuse real-world learning into the everyday learning model. By fostering diverse partnerships, schools and districts can significantly enrich the learning landscape, offering students relevant and…
Blog
A Spotlight on the UCSD + LCC Research Convening: Bright Spots and Networks
In July of 2023, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the Learner-Centered Collaborative (LCC) announced a groundbreaking partnership to unite researchers, practitioners from LCC, and regional districts in advancing learner-centered practices. Among the key objectives of this partnership is to share knowledge and resources and disseminate findings to ensure broader impact of…
Blog
Education is Everyone’s Business: Bridging the Gap Between School and Learning for Success in Life
Logan Country Schools Exhibition of Learning Every educator I have ever met wants their students to be successful. The challenge, however, is that we don’t all share the same definition of success. Some educators narrow it to their specific standards, their class, or their personal view of what it means to be successful. Others…
Blog
Indiana’s Bold Step: Empowering Students with Employability Skills
Co-authored by: Brittany Griffin, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Learner-Centered Collaborative Lauren Cole, Vice President of Strategy and Operations, America Succeeds Eric Lerum, Senior Advisor, America Succeeds In the summer of 2022, the Indiana Department of Education (INDoE) embarked on an ambitious journey with the launch of its Employability Skills Innovation and Implementation (ESII) Grant.…
Blog
Scaling the Collaboration Pyramid
Students assemble a model wind turbine they constructed. Photo by Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages Collaboration is a top skill employers look for according to LinkedIn, Glassdoor and Indeed, all job search tools that see thousands of job postings everyday. It’s not surprising then that in a review of over 50 school, district,…
Blog
5 Ways to Bring More Inclusion and Equity into Your Classroom
We all want learners to feel comfortable, supported, and valued. Yet, putting this into practice is not always a given. Let’s change that.