Ladder and Knot Outcomes

The first step in designing learner-centered experiences, assessment systems, and structures that are competency-based is to define the desired learning outcomes—what we want students to know and be able to do.

There are two types of learning outcomes and, ideally, we are tending to both. We often think of them as Ladder and Knot outcomes. This tool provides an overview of each type of outcome and will guide you to identify and reflect on the outcomes in your current practices.

Please complete the form below to access the resource.

Blog

Measuring Impact: How Surveys Promote Learner-Centered Change

Measuring what matters and listening to learners, educators and community members are cornerstones of our work at Learner-Centered Collaborative, and in any learner-centered ecosystem. From feedback surveys in our workshops and sessions to more robust, research-backed survey processes with partners to measure specific outcomes, we have been leveraging surveys for years to help schools…

BlogWebinars

Webinar Recording: How to Leverage AI in Your Learner-Centered Classroom

In this webinar, Cherry Moore from Escondido Union School District and Shannon Roos from Hampton Township School District share how they are leveraging AI to supercharge learner-centered classrooms. With perspectives as both a principal and district leader and a teacher/coach, they illustrate how AI can serve as a thought partner for educators and students…

Blog

From Vision to Action: How Hampton Township’s School Design Teams Brought the Portrait of a Talbot to Life

By Brittany Griffin, Director Collective Learning at Learner-Centered Collaborative and Dr. John Thornton, Director of Student Services at Hampton Township School District A Clear Vision with Distributed Leadership Hampton Township School District in Pennsylvania co-created its Portrait of a Talbot: a bold, inclusive vision for the competencies all learners need to thrive, developed with…

Publications

Designing the Future: Case Studies Highlighting AI in Service of Learner-Centered Classrooms

The question isn’t if AI will play a meaningful role in education and learning, but how. Will it be used to further entrench outdated models of efficiency and compliance? Or, can we harness its potential to accelerate a shift toward something more human, more personalized, and more learner-centered? At Learner-Centered Collaborative, we believe AI…

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BlogWebinars

Webinar Recording: Let’s Talk About Competency-Based Learning

In this webinar, three learner-centered leaders share their journeys implementing competency-based teaching, learning, and assessment in their unique school systems. Melissa Olson (Spring Lake Park Schools), Wendy Fairon (Chico Country Day School), and Sharon Stanley (Compass Academy) describe how they shifted from traditional grading and reporting toward systems that elevate clarity, student agency, meaningful…

Blog

This is Our Opportunity to Create A Learner-Centered Path for AI Integration in Education

In conversations across the country, I hear a growing mix of excitement and apprehension about the role of artificial intelligence in education. Many see the potential, yet most also sense a disconnect between what today’s AI tools produce and the kinds of learning experiences we want for young people. This tension is not incidental—it…

BlogWebinars

Webinar Recording: How Districts Are Making Big Moves to Create Learner-Centered Systems

In this webinar, Dr. Jackie Removcik from Hampton Township School District (PA) and Alison Fieberg from Del Mar Union School District (CA), share how their districts are making bold, learner-centered shifts through distributed leadership, clarity of vision, and intentional system redesign. Both districts highlight how whole-learner outcomes, strategic coherence, and empowered educators are helping…