Tom Vanderark and the Getting Smart Team shared key ideas related to Real World Learning. This session first discussed the importance of bringing together community stakeholders to determine a Graduate Profile. Several frameworks were presented for grounding this work. The Graduate Profile becomes the foundation for learner competencies which then are embedded throughout the pk-12 Real World Learning experiences.

An explanation for what constitutes Real World Learning was provided. How these experiences can be incorporated with business and industry partners was explored with specific examples provided for how this might work in a rural school district.

The learner competencies and learning experiences are foundational for creating partnerships with business and industry to create Market Value Assets. The Getting Smart Team provided several examples for how various types of school districts have engaged in this work.

The SDZ Metrics and Accountability Team have been meeting regularly to determine how best to capture metrics for the various approaches for capturing student growth. In this session, Dr. Matt Goodman explains how this SDZ defines student growth and how potentially this growth could be depicted in a reimagined accountability system.

Check out our Professional Learning web page for free recordings and content from all of the previous learning sessions. These resources are a great place to stay apprised of the work from the System Design Zone Demonstration Project Waiver. Additionally, these learning sessions can be used by district leaders as professional learning opportunities for building capacity within your districts.