Classroom walls are thick. It’s all too common for students to feel disconnected from the real world beyond school.
That’s why 12 school districts from the League of Innovative Schools have been collaborating since the spring of 2018 to research and develop a set of tools that catalyze and support Real World Learning. Here’s a look at the way these research-backed materials can engage students in authentic and relevant problems, projects, and experiences that develop career awareness and readiness.
Real World Learning occurs at the destinations where educators and real-world partners meet. The Roadmap provides turn-by-turn guidance to help educators bring these life-relevant experiences to students.
Use the Roadmap for guidance, checklists, and resources to plan, implement, and reflect upon Real World Learning activities.
Educators and community partners need the support of school administrators to make Real World Learning happen. The Builder helps leaders create a strategic framework to implement Real World Learning school- and district-wide.
Use the Builder to develop a Real World Learning strategy and implementation plan in seven key areas.
Real World Learning means something to everyone. This is useful because it can bring together diverse stakeholders who want to make learning more relevant for students. But it can also be difficult when those stakeholders don’t share a common vision about what that means. Dig into our resources for classroom examples, a glossary of terms, a maturity matrix, and more.
These materials were created in partnership with members of the League of Innovative Schools. Digital Promise extends special thanks to the following team of core districts that participated as co-designers throughout the research and development process:
View the case studies for first-hand accounts of what Real World Learning looks like in these school districts.
Digital Promise also thanks the pilot districts that participated: Elizabeth Forward School District, Freehold Regional High School District, Mentor Public Schools, Mineola Union Free School District, Pascack Valley Regional High School District, Piedmont City School District, and South Fayette School District.
What does it mean to co-design tools and resources with core and pilot school districts from around the country? Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post on Challenge Collaboratives—our model for bringing together practitioners, researchers, and developers to address key topics on the Digital Promise Challenge Map.
As an educator, an administrator, or a local community member, how can you bring authentic, life-relevant learning experiences into school? Use the new tools and resources to bring Real World Learning to life, and show us on social media how you #MakeItReal.
Download and print the Real World Learning signs below to share what Real World Learning looks like in your school community. Snap a photo in an environment where Real World Learning takes place, or fill-in-the-blank to tell others what Real World Learning means to you. Remember to tag @DPLeague and include the #MakeItReal hashtag!
