Expanding to system
Many districts are choosing to implement multiple New Tech Network K-12 schools to increase student engagement and broaden future success. New Tech Network supports districts in this work through alignment, visioning, and coaching.
District Innovation Support
New Tech Network (NTN) supports the implementation of quality, transformed schools centered around deeper learning. The ceiling for the level of NTN school quality and continued improvement is directly related to the capacity of the district system to fully support these schools. Consequently, NTN has developed services targeted to support district learning teams focused on ensuring that the structures, policies, and practices at the district level encourage and allow for the development of innovative learning environments.
Expected outcomes:
District Learning Teams will develop and/or strengthen the capacity to:
- Monitor NTN school progress and learning needs
- Monitor the degree to which district structures, practices, and policies support NTN school implementation of deeper learning environments
- Develop effective strategies to support NTN school implementation
- Better align district structures practices, practices, and policies to NTN school implementation of deeper learning
- Create structures for ongoing improvement and strategy development
District Innovation Alignment
In the spirit of innovation, districts often employ a range of approaches to instruction and school transformation in addition to Project-Based Learning (PBL) and NTN. Many districts pride themselves on being able to offer their students a wide variety of K-12 pathways from which families can choose. Even in single-pathway districts, there are often multiple curricular initiatives at play across the system. NTN recognizes the operational complexity this might create for district leadership, and offers support in ensuring that these pathways and initiatives are all aligned to the district mission, and in furthering the effective communication of this alignment throughout the system.
Expected outcomes:
- Clear structures for system learning that can continue to deepen the understanding of the district mission and how a multitude of pathways and initiatives are intended to support it.
- The development of a broader base of system stakeholders who can support the identification and customization of prospective pathways and initiatives.
- A movement toward a system-wide ability to articulate the connectedness of district pathways and initiatives to the district mission.
Visioning for System-wide Innovation
Many districts with one or more New Tech Network school implementations recognize the need to spread deeper learning practices throughout their system in various ways. NTN has developed a service to support the development of a district-wide vision for spreading innovative practices leading to deeper learning for students across the system. Through on-site workshops and virtual team planning, NTN supports district learning teams in the development of a system-wide vision for deeper learning and a process for building understanding and ownership of that vision across the district and with the community.
Expected outcomes:
- A clearly articulated vision for achieving deeper learning outcomes across the district.
- Strengthening of district leadership to lead a system-wide instructional focus on deeper learning.
- System-wide understanding of the deeper learning outcomes necessary for student success in an ever-changing world.
- Engagement plan to build parent and community understanding of the need for focusing on deeper learning outcomes
Coach Development Program
The New Tech Network Coach Development Program develops local capacity to provide basic support for teacher practice in NTN’s PBL/PrBL instructional model within the district. The learning of this two-year program is primarily structured within a national cohort approach, with limited virtual support for individual coaches or coaching teams.
Expected outcomes:
Through the completion of the NTN Teacher Certification Process, participation in cohort learning experiences and one-on-one support from NTN CDP Facilitator, participants will acquire the following:
- Understanding of the basic tenets of high-quality PBL/PrBL
- Ability to provide effective tools and resources to teachers engaging in NTN PBL/PrBL practice
- Facility in using the NTN learning management system as a tool for supporting teacher practice
- Articulated philosophy for supporting adult learners who are learning and implementing PBL/PrBL instructional practice.
- Ability to provide basic training in PBL/PrBL to small groups of teachers and/or coach individual teachers in their PBL/PrBL practice