Are you ready for NEXTschool?
On April 25, school boards, teachers and interested educators were invited to attend an Introduction and Orientation to NEXTschool, presented by project founders Michael Canuel and Noel Burke. Representatives from 5 English school boards and one private school, in addition to numerous teachers, administrators, professors and graduate students attended the session held at the McGill Faculty of Education auditorium.
To prime their thinking, attendees were asked to share two things they’d like to improve or change in schools. Among the ideas were:
- Enhance student voice and choice
- Create small learning groups/communities
- Facilitate authentic audiences for sharing learning/projects
- Remove standardized tests and 50-minute periods
- Redesign toward flexible spaces
- Personalize learning
- Serve the community
Each one of these suggestions is integral to the NEXTschool framework and it was reassuring and inspiring to the founders to hear that the idea of creating an environment where these (and other) aspects of schooling could be designed and then made sustainable and scalable, was supported with enthusiasm by so many across the province.
As the presenters shared aspects of the foundational philosophy of NEXTschool (OECD 7 Principles of Learning and Project Tomorrow’s student expectations) the importance of a systems approach and the use of design thinking, attendees began to see a picture of the possibilities, knowing that the Innopods and the McGill Design Lab course would be finalizing the results of their design process in the upcoming weeks.
While still a work in progress, here are some aspects of the framework that is being proposed:
What is the NEXT stage?
- The Design Strategy Group is finalizing the parameters and readiness criteria for schools to join the Exploration Year (2018-19) with a presentation to the Directors General Table of the English School Boards in late May 2018.
- Five of the 9 English school boards have already expressed an interest in learning more with the potential of each having one (or more) school(s) participate as EXPLOREschools in 2018-19. An in-school presentation to all staff is the first next step to ensure interest and readiness within each school community. Contact us to make arrangements at nextschool@learnquebec.ca
Need more inspiration?
Check out these resources that were shared at the orientation session:
D-Tech High Tour
DESIGN THINKING PLAYBOOK
The Mindset of Failing “Up”
And attend the May 25 workshop at the QESBA-AAESQ Conference:
Overview of Prototypes for High School for the Future
QESBA/AAESQ Spring Conference, Hilton Quebec, Quebec City
And be sure to mark your calendar for the NEXTschool Summer Seminars:
July 30 – August 1, 2018 – details to come!
