UPCEA’s Post

Data is the New Oil, and this report is a gusher!! Higher Ed Headwinds can be answered by embracing Continuing and Non-Traditional Ed!

To truly equip our teachers for the future, we must address a critical question: Do they have the time required for collaboration, reflection, and planning? This pivotal inquiry prompts us to reconsider school schedules and policies, aiming to introduce more flexibility and avenues for professional development. By reimagining how time is utilized, from providing unassigned time for strategic planning to balancing teaching duties with other responsibilities, we can cultivate the adaptability and innovation vital in today's educational sphere. Time isn't merely a finite commodity for educators; it serves as a strategic asset that can either facilitate or impede success in teaching and learning. Across the educational landscape in the United States and globally, pioneers in education are actively exploring inventive approaches to time management, ensuring teachers have the essential room for both instructional delivery and personal professional advancement. It's imperative to embrace a paradigm shift and embark on a journey of 'Thinking Differently About Time' to propel education forward.

Do you want to know why I am excited about this picture?  FRCC sent 12 folks to the Aspire conference.  But even more exciting the group attending was a mixture of administrators, faculty and Student Affairs professionals.  You heard that right Student Affairs is an intentional partner in our scheduling for student success effort at FRCC!  If you only build a course schedule siloed to academic affairs you are missing an important piece to the puzzle and I can guarantee that puzzle will never be complete without that missing piece.  Faculty and SA staff working intentionally together is the only way to build a schedule that actually works and leads to improved retention and completion rates!

Looking forward to speaking at the upcoming Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia Leading Learning and Caring conference in a few weeks. Here is the synopsis of my talk and a quick video to give some context - https://lnkd.in/eJ4J5jfp - Traditional report cards have long been the standard measure of a student's academic performance, distilling complex learning experiences into a set of letter grades or numerical values. While these metrics do offer insights into specific academic skills, they fall short of capturing the multifaceted nature of a student's abilities, passions, and personal growth. At St. Andrew's Anglican College, we recognise that traditional assessments can overlook key aspects of a student's development—such as resilience, teamwork, curiosity, and character—which are crucial for shaping a well-rounded individual. In response, the St Andrew’s Institute of Learning (SAIL) has undertaken a transformative journey to research, pilot, and implement the Personal Capacity Transcript (PCT) for all secondary students. We will delve into the research, mechanics, and philosophical underpinnings of the PCT, a dynamic learner profile curated by students and endorsed by teachers. It will highlight how the PCT provides a comprehensive view of a student’s abilities and achievements, capturing an array of evidenced skills and talents that are endorsed online and accompanied by a coaching conversation with a member of staff. The result is a live document visualising current progress that can be viewed, shared or printed off at any time. #personalcapacity #learnerprofile

Webinar notice: With some stars convening with Territorium to discuss The Story of Student Learning via LERs. (Featuring two of my fav colleagues in this space - Ashley Finley Kelvin Bentley, Ph.D. - and others!) #HigherEducation #Learning #Work #CareerPreparation #LERs

Empowering Global Minds: The Vision of Valued Educational Services (VES) As societies become increasingly interconnected, the need for educational services that transcend geographical boundaries becomes more apparent. Valued Educational Services (VES) stands as a beacon in this regard, harnessing the expertise of a global professional team dedicated to the mission of global education. https://lnkd.in/dhTdTxu7

*NEW Program Alert* Our new Master of Education program at The University of Lethbridge opens for applications on September 1 with classes starting in July 2025. Focused on current issues: Complex Realities of Contemporary Schooling.

I've been reflecting greatly on the National Center for Education and the Economy’s latest research brief, "Thinking Differently About TIME." This powerful publication urges us to rethink various aspects of time in education, such as teaching time, school schedules, time for fostering student agency, and support for personalized learning. Additionally, this brief provides us robust examples of contexts, both nationally and globally, from which we can learn.   https://bit.ly/3zCGyny As a National Facilitator, former principal, and professional learning developer, I found the insights on Teaching Time and how education systems balance time for teaching and non-teaching tasks and opportunities particularly impactful. One of the barriers we often hear to building capacity around the science of learning and development is the lack of time. What if we could reconsider the allocation of teaching and non-teaching time, as the examples in this brief have demonstrated, and essentially remove time as a barrier? With increased time for professional learning, teacher collaboration and planning, and action research and learning, imagine the possibilities for increased teacher agency and the subsequent impact on improved student outcomes! #LearningToLeading #ImpactInAction #EdResearch

How can institutions ensure their academic programs are built for student success?🚀 Augusta University Online’s AVP for Online Education, Corey Vigdor, recently took part in an expert panel during the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET) Webcast to share insights on optimizing program alignment, academic standards, and student outcomes. Explore practical strategies, from course mapping to aligning learning objectives with assessments, that save time and drive excellence in education. 🎓✨ 📺 Don’t miss this engaging discussion—watch the full webcast here: https://lnkd.in/eU2B2GBu

At NCEE, 'thinking differently' isn't just a phrase—it's one approach we take in #EdResearch. Join us for part two of our series to explore transformative teaching and learning methods. Let's innovate together! https://bit.ly/3zCGyny #EdResearch #EducationInnovation #EdPolicy #TimeManagement #TeacherSupport #StudentSuccess #GlobalEducation #PersonalizedLearning #SchoolLeadership #FutureOfEducation