The NEXTschool team is excited to announce that 8 Quebec schools including 2 adult education centres have chosen to take on the EXPLORE year. With the support and enthusiasm from the Directors General of the three school boards involved, and the keen commitment of each of the principals, volunteer teams of 10-15 teachers at each school will work throughout the year as school-designers.

EXPLOREschools 2018-19

Central Quebec School Board
Three Rivers Academy

New Frontiers School Board
Chateauguay Valley Regional High School
Howard S. Billings Regional High School
Huntington Adult Education & Community Centre
Nova Career Centre

Riverside School Board
Heritage Regional High School
Saint-Lambert International School
St -Johns

Each school team will be focused on the shared challenge – When High School is the best it can be at engaging students and preparing for the world ahead… what will it look like? – and will design according to their own unique school community and context.

NEXTschool is a community initiative powered by LEARN, and as such, each EXPLOREschool will have the support of two experienced facilitators to work through an 8-step design process.

Using an adaptation of the Stanford Design Thinking model applied to the STARC systems model, by the end of the 8 labs, the school teams will have:

  • concrete NEXTschool prototypes in at least three systems (Spatial, Relational and Andragogical)
  • increased capacity to create change
  • developed competence in designing and peer learning
  • readiness to make an informed decision about next steps

EXPLORE PHASE OVERVIEW
(green indicates steps from D-Tech Design Thinking Playbook)

School design teams will have 38 hours over eight pedagogical days to collaborate through the design process as well as participate in bridging activities in between labs where they will experiment with small-scale innovations.  Teams will have time to design, test, iterate, and share learning with colleagues, students and parents.  Regular reflection is built into the learning model so that the approach remains human-centered (and focused on the student-as-user) and fosters a spirit of continuous improvement.  Resources (including a Designer’s RoadMap and the prototypes developed in the January to June 2018 Innopods and McGill Design course) will be shared as further support and inspiration.  In addition, each participating principal will have the guidance of an objective ‘critical friend’ to support them as leaders of change.

We commend all members of each EXPLOREschool team for their commitment to the process and wish them all the best and a year of fun and growth as they design for the future!

Keep updated about the 8-lab journey of the EXPLOREschools by subscribing here. And check out the Upcoming Events section for opportunities to hear more in person!  Finally, don’t hesitate to be in touch with questions, comments or suggestions at nextschool@learnquebec.ca

lizfalcoNEXTschoolThe NEXTschool team is excited to announce that 8 Quebec schools including 2 adult education centres have chosen to take on the EXPLORE year. With the support and enthusiasm from the Directors General of the three school boards involved, and the keen commitment of each of the principals, volunteer...