The Art and Science of Designing Competencies NME

The Art and Science of Designing Competencies

The Art and Science of Designing Competencies Download the Full PDFBack to Publications Page July 22, 2012   CHRIS STURGIS This brief, published in 2012, details what makes a “good” competency and how education leaders and reformers can begin thinking about, designing, and implementing competency-based education. Competency-based education, based on learning objectives that empower students,…

Latino_a and Black Students and Mathematics NME

Latino/a and Black Students and Mathematics

Latino/a and Black Students and Mathematics Download the Full PDFBack to Publications Page July 20, 2012   ROCHELLE GUTIERREZ AND SONYA E. IRVING Many students feel disconnected from mathematics, often taught without context or relation to everyday life. Black and Latino/a students–typically underserved groups, may struggle with math more than their peers. This 2012 report…

Students at the Center Nellie Mae Education Foundation NME

Mind, Brain, and Education

Mind, Brain, and Education Download the Full PDFBack to Publications Page July 20, 2012   CHRISTINA HINTON, KURT W. FISCHER, AND CATHERINE GLENNON Technological breakthroughs make research in human biology and cognitive science more relevant for education than ever before. The authors of this report suggest that student-centered approaches support learning in the brain—and such…

Students at the Center Nellie Mae Education Foundation NME

Motivation, Engagement, and Student Voice

Motivation, Engagement, and Student Voice Download the Full PDFBack to Publications Page July 20, 2012   ERIC TOSHALIS AND MICHAEL J. NAKKULA Teachers are constantly attempting to persuade students to participate in meaningful class activities and motivate students to achieve. When teachers are successful, classrooms come alive with exploration, discovering and learning. When they fall…

Personalization in Schools NME

Personalization in Schools

Personalization in Schools Download the Full PDFBack to Publications Page July 19, 2012   SUSAN YONEZAWA, LARRY MCCLURE, AND MAKEBA JONES Thoughtful educators personalize school every day—greeting students by name, offering academic help, checking in about serious family problems. But how can teacher-student relationships play a more formal role in personalizing education for students? This…

NESSC-Briefing-professional-learning-comms NME

Leadership in Action: What are Professional Learning Communities?

Leadership in Action: What are Professional Learning Communities? Download the Full PDFBack to Publications Page April 23, 2012   NEW ENGLAND SECONDARY SCHOOL CONSORTIUM This issue brief from the New England Secondary School Consortium’s Leadership in Action series outlines why professional learning communities may be the most effective, affordable, and sustainable school improvement strategy around.…

Assessing Learning NME

Assessing Learning

Assessing Learning Download the Full PDFBack to Publications Page April 19, 2012   HEIDI ANDRADE, KRISTEN HUFF, AND GEORGIA BROOKE Student-centered assessment is a vital part of student-centered learning approaches. This paper examines the defining qualities of student-centered assessment and underscores the importance of student-centered assessment as part of a balanced system of formative, interim,…

Curricular Opportunities in the Digital Age NME

Curricular Opportunities in the Digital Age

Curricular Opportunities in the Digital Age Download the Full PDFBack to Publications Page March 19, 2012   DAVID H. ROSE AND JENNA W. GRAVEL Neuroscience research has established the human brain as highly individualized. To achieve student-centered learning, classroom design and instruction should reflect students’ need for individualization. This 2012 report proposes universal design for…