Innovating toward new learning models: Insights from a National Convening on Blended-Personalized Learning Models

Abstract

2Rev whitepaper from a Gates-sponsored convening on blended/personalized learning models to support innovative new models as they take shape and scale. We assembled roughly 70 individuals, the majority of whom are practitioners actively experimenting with new models for learning.  While they are by no means the only innovators in the space, they represented a healthy cross-section of a rapidly developing field of new models that are experimenting with changes in school structure, technology tools and teacher practice.  Our discussions yielded several new insights and reinforced others that are not so new.

As we continue our work, we want to share with participants and the broader education community some of the insights and lessons from the convening itself, and how we hope to use these lessons to inform the broader education ecosystem.  Specifically, our goals for this white paper are to:

• Share substantive insights and questions that emerged from the convening and build demand for future efforts;
• Share process insights and lessons learned that may benefit others who seek to “convene” practitioners;
• Provide a brief summary and synthesis of field-wide efforts that are shaping the “future of learning”;
• Offer recommendations for how market participants can better understand where/how they align and might collaborate and learn together more quickly

Written by:  Todd Kern, Adam Rubin