Researchers tell us, and employers confirm that individuals who demonstrate the 21st-century skills of self-direction, communication, creativity and collaboration excel in post-secondary and career experiences. So the more schools can support the development of those crucial skills, the more we’ll be ensuring our graduates are successful in both the workplace and college. Figuring out how…
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For the full roadmap visit Students at the Center Hub. The BEST Self-Direction Toolkit is a collection of resources for teachers to use in the classroom for instruction and assessment that focuses on self-direction. The toolkit includes the self-direction rubric, self-direction activities and targeted resources for teachers. All tools are designed by teachers and tested in the classroom. Who is the…
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Check out our newly released Self-Direction Toolkit to support instruction and assessment in K-12 classrooms. A Roadmap to the toolkit can be found at the Students at the Center Hub. The rubrics and tools in this toolkit are designed to support teachers in K-12 classrooms, with particular focus on grades 6-12, who are interested in…
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Our last two articles (here and here) explored the scaling of Work-Study Practices (WSPs, a.k.a., deeper learning competencies) in New Hampshire, the growth of this education innovation in the state and the role of a statewide, nonprofit intermediary, the New Hampshire Learning Initiative (NHLI) as a scaling agent. There is another driver of scale observed by JFF staff: a competency-based learning…
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There has always been a clear recognition of the importance of the critical competencies of communication, collaboration, creativity, and self-direction for success in the “real world” by teachers, parents, community members, and local business leaders. The “why” has never really been a question. However, providing opportunities for application of these skills in real-world situations that…
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Since 2014, New Hampshire educators can meet academic accountability requirements through a statewide Performance Assessment for Competency-based Education (PACE) system. Aimed at capturing a more authentic assessment of content knowledge, educators have developed and scored performance tasks with levels of reliability and validity comparable to state level standardized tests. As part of a William and Flora Hewlett Foundation funded…
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Our practice partners in New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Learning Initiative along with Motivis Learning, have been talking to teachers and system leaders about the lessons they are learning as they deal with the Coronavirus. Essential skills (aka Work Study Practices) are being put to the test as are student-centered learning, competency-based learning and teacher…
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reposted from Students at the Center Hub It’s fall 2017 in New Hampshire. The state’s Performance Assessment for Competency-based Education (PACE) system is entering its third year. Using this alternative state accountability system, 150 teachers in nine school districts have created 14 performance assessment tasks in mathematics, English language arts (ELA) and science. The tasks have been…
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Creating a system that can accommodate a wide range of learning contexts across a state can be difficult. Teachers and leaders in New Hampshire share how they are tackling the integration of essential skills (aka Work Study Practices or deeper learning) into their classrooms. Building Essential Skills Today (BEST) for the Future is an effort to elevate the teaching and assessment…
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Employers, colleges and families may not agree on much, but they tend to agree about this: our K-12 students need to develop essential skills like self-direction, collaboration, communication and creativity to successfully navigate college, career and community life. Trouble is, standardized tests and traditional assessments do not adequately capture whether students have developed these deeper…
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