Learning Unboxed

Sonn Sam, the National Director of Partnerships at Big Picture Learning, advocates for a future where assessments focus on how students are smart rather than if they are smart. The discussion covers the transformative power of learner-centered assessments, emphasizing flexibility and personalization in education. Sam highlights the importance of cultural relevance and innovative assessment methods like student-created transcripts. He also touches on fostering empathy through observation and the need for educational systems to adapt to modern learners' needs.

Imagine if instead of having to cram for tests and sit through lessons, high schoolers could graduate by navigating six “passages” that prove their practical, creative, and logical skills. Fifty years ago in Jefferson County, Colorado, a group of parents and educators created a school just like that and it’s still thriving today. Melyssa Dominguez and Jenny Long from the Open School join us today to talk about their unique program.Melyssa and Jenny describe the “Walkabout” high school program. They explain each of the six “passages” and show how the model is supported by an advisory system and authentic evaluation process. Not only do Open School’s Walkabout graduates get eagerly accepted by colleges and universities, but the skills the students develop during their “passages” make them more likely to finish their diplomas than the national average. Listen in to learn what aspects of “Walkabout” you can apply to your own learning environment. To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The six “passages” Open School student must finish to graduateHow the Open School does self-evaluation and transcriptsThe Open School’s advisory systemResources:Learn more at jcos.jeffcopublicschools.org/curriculum/walkaboutRead “To Create the World That Ought to Be: Memoirs of a Radical Educator” by Arnie LangbergProduced by NOVA Media

When Jessica Fields carries a PAST Foundation Portable Innovation Lab (PILs) box into a school, kids’ eyes light up. They know they’re about to do something cool and fun. What they probably don’t realize is that they’re also going to be learning standard-aligned content that keeps them on-track with their curriculum. Jessica is a 21st Century Learning Coach for Grandview Heights Schools and she is our guest on the show today.Jessica describes how PILs helps her schools jumpstart innovative education. Just one lab can help students come alive to learning and help teachers trust this approach to teaching. Multiple labs can build a culture of inquiry-based learning.If you’re a teacher, school leader, after-school programmer, or workforce development specialist, take a listen to this episode and discover what PILs can do for your students.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How PILs help connect private partners with schools for workforce developmentWhy starting the school year with a lab-based lesson can help build a collaborative classroom cultureHow PILs better connect families to their kid’s learning Resources:Learn more about Portable Innovation LabsProduced by NOVA Media

David K. Richards, CEO of Changemaker Microschools and seasoned educator, discusses the rise of microschools as transformative alternatives to traditional education. He shares insights on recruiting passionate teachers who support self-directed learning and the vital role of family engagement in launching these schools. Richards also emphasizes the importance of community support and innovative funding strategies. With a focus on personalized, emotionally nurturing educational experiences, he highlights how microschools can reshape the modern learning landscape.

The most important part of a child’s education is developing a love of learning. That’s Amir Nathoo’s motto and what led him to co-found OutSchool. Amir joins the show today to talk about future-proofing education by allowing students to engage with what they are most interested in.OutSchool is a marketplace for live online classes for K-12 learners. It has helped over a million students explore their interests with live online classes in nearly any subject you can think of: learning social skills through Minecraft, to gaming clubs, to learning veterinary topics.As both parents and teachers are increasingly unhappy with the traditional education system, OutSchool hopes to act as a disruptive force to bring much needed change from outside the system. Tune in to hear Amir’s thoughts about the future workplace, technology, and happiness.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:How to future-proof educationWhy developing a love of learning is the most important part of a child’s educationWays to address the teacher shortageResources:Learn more at OutSchool.comFollow OutSchool on Instagram: @outschoolCheck out OutSchool’s YouTube channelConnect with OutSchool on FacebookProduced by NOVA Media

Welcome to our new mini-series on our Portable Innovation Labs (PILs). Here at the PAST Foundation, we’ve been working hard to make this offering a reality. Now we want to tell you all about it! Our own Brianna Agomessou joins the show today to give an overview of our PIL program.The PIL program is made up of over 40 labs that educators can borrow for 2-3 weeks for free. The labs come with equipment, materials, and even curricula. The best part: They’re completely free. Besides talking about the nuts and bolts of PIL, we also dive deep into topics about partnering with companies, diversity in STEM, and how to scale up this initiative.Stay tuned for the next episode where we have an educator discuss their experience with PILs!To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What Portable Innovation Labs areWho can use Portable Innovation LabsHow Portable Innovation Labs are scaling upResources:Learn more about Portable Innovation LabsProduced by NOVA Media

Dr. Keeanna Warren, CEO of Purdue Polytechnic High School, says her school is a school without walls. She means that metaphorically of course, but it did physically come to fruition through a student project at one point. Dr. Keeanna Warren joins us on the show today to explain.Purdue Polytechnic High School is a school without walls in the sense that it has strong relationships with industry partners. Industry partners are always welcomed in the school and students are always going out to industry partner sites. But it’s also a school without walls –or at least a few less walls– because a few years ago students successfully advocated tearing down some of the classroom walls that were hindering learning.That’s the essence of Purdue Polytechnic High School. They empower their students to engage in real world problems and have their voices heard. Tune in to hear all the details from Dr. Keeanna Warren.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:What’s needed for successful private-public partnershipsHow Purdue Polytechnic High School achieves diversity by designHow Dr. Keeanna Warren seeks to elevate the role of teachersResources:Learn more at pphs.purdue.eduProduced by NOVA Media

There are lots of conversations today about AI’s role in education. To help us more deeply discuss it, we have invited Ian Zhu on the show today. Ian is the co-founder and CEO of SchoolJoy.We have a conversation about SchoolJoy, an AI-powered education management platform that provides dynamically updated personal learning preference plans, as well as a comprehensive extended learning program management. We dig into issues of bias, data protection, data fidelity. Ian suggests we analyze AI’s value not by what it can do, but what it can support. In the case of his SchoolJoy project, AI supports teachers building strong relationships with students and better organizing student data. Tune in and let us know what you think about AI’s role in innovative, student-centered education.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The role of AI in EdTechHow teachers can help each other better understand individual studentsAddressing bias and data protection in EdTechResources:Learn more at SchoolJoy.comProduced by NOVA Media

There’s a good chance your state’s policies actually allow for more innovative and student-centered learning than you think. Sonn Sam is the National Director of Partnerships at Big Picture Learning and he’s our guest on the show today. He explains how they have been able to create more space for innovative student-centered over the last 30 years.Big Picture Learning’s mission is to activate the potential of schools, systems, and education through student-driven, real-world learning with a vision that all students live lives of their own design, nurtured by supportive mentors, meaningful relationships, and equal opportunities to succeed. Big Picture Learning now has 111 schools in the US and 150 internationally.Sonn explains Big Picture Learning’s emphasis on locally-infused school design, working through everyday obstacles to community-based learning like transportation issues, and helping teachers become well-connected generalists.If you’re looking for practical ways you can make student-centered learning possible in your area, be sure to listen to this episode.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The difference between a school model and a school designWhat it means to say “the student is the curriculum” Why it’s important for teachers to be well-connected generalistsResources:Learn more at BigPicture.orgRead Education Reimagined’s research, “Progress and Possibilities to Support Learner-Centered Education and Ecosystem Design.” BPL Guided ExperienceGetting to Know BPL: a document that can help explain who BPL is, what they value, and how they do their work for and with young people. BPL OARIAProduced by NOVA Media

Andrea Vescelius is a Ohio public school teacher who has eliminated homework and limited grades to just quarterly marks for her students. In this episode, we ask her how she pulled this off and what impact it has had on her students.Andrea takes us on her 24-year teaching journey. She notes when and why her thoughts on homework and grades changed. She also describes the small steps she took, and continues to take, to make her teaching more centered on student needs.If you’ve ever dreamed of making your classroom less checkbox-driven and more student-led, this episode is for you.To learn more, visit: pastfoundation.orgWe unbox:The benefits of no homework and no gradesAndrea’s journey to not assigning homework and limiting graded workHow other teachers can move in the direction of no homework and gradesProduced by NOVA Media