Scenarios
Click here for the Assignment and Teamlist (.doc)
MK: I’d like to hear the top couple of items that stood out for you.
Group 1: Year Round Learning
The biggest challenge for us was how to spell. (laughter) Our three things: flexible scheduling, integrated curriculum, and we need all the stakeholders involved and see this process outside the traditional 8 to 3:30 school day. We also need community buy-in.
Group 2: Small Learning Communities
We wanted to extend the opportunities to all students and build on real-world connections.We also need humongous community buy-in and have people understand our goals.
Group3: Business Assessment
Currently businesses grade students by employability. In this model, businesses would need to drive the curriculum to have a say in the educational process. There needs to be a lot of back and forth between them.
Group 4: Personalized Learning
Every student should have a personalized learning plan based on interests. We need adult mentors and use multiple structures, programs and pathways to meet the needs of the students.
Group 5: 21st Century Mind
We want to have facilitators and not teachers to guide the students’ process. We want to be able to use the time outside the classroom. We want the student to have meaning in what they learn.
Group 6: 21st Century Tools
The initial consideration of financial support would be necessary. We also need the ownership and buy-in of all stakeholders including parents and teachers. This device would make a difference in student achievement. The whole idea of access to all would level the playing field for students of all socio-economic backgrounds.
Group 7: Idealized Design
We need different learning options incorporating online learning, distance and home schooling. We also need community learning. Multi-lingual is very important and maybe we could have global fellowships.
Group 8: College and Career
Classroom instruction would be irrelevant but we would have a personal learning plan and high participation by the close community, maybe the family. We would have options for teaching the teachers.
Group 9: Community Resources
We have to some long-term planning already done. These buildings would have a multi-disciplinary design team. This would involve a change in the funding framework. We would look for private and public partnerships. The people at the table would be determined by the community needs. Our whole intent would be that the maximum use of building space so we don’t have structures sitting empty at night or in the summer. The teachers would learn along with their students. There would be a change in the concept of school day and school year.
Group 10: Assessment
We would have more rigorous demonstrations of the 21st century skillsets. We would change the grading scale. We would want collaboration among all stakeholders.
Group 11: High School Experience
We would hire great staff that would connect with the kids. We would have students and teachers and administrators who are engaged. The programs would be connected and relevant to the kids.
Group 12: AORTA
We designed a model for what learning would look like if students were only in school 20% of the time. We show it as online, in the businesses and at school. Every student would have a personal learning plan which would determine where they’re at. These would be facilitated by teachers so that every student would be in a cohort group and in learning teams. School would be based on mastery of skills instead of duration of time.
Common Themes
MK: What were the overlaps?
- Personal learning plans
- Community involvement and buy-in
- Technology for all students
- Student-centered
- Alternative financing
- Business-driving curriculum
Scribing
