The Kentucky Division of Innovative Learning has been pivotal in advancing practices that promote deeper learning in classrooms. In the second episode of season 3 of the "Growth Over Grades" podcast, host Jordan Lewis speaks with Rob Collins, Innovative Programs Consultant. They discuss the essential role of fostering a reciprocal relationship between schools and communities to effectively develop the Portrait of a Learner through robust, deeper learning practices.
Advancing Education Through Competency-Based Approaches
Rob Collins, a former English teacher, now works with Kentucky's Division of Innovative Learning, which is dedicated to advancing education through personalized and competency-based approaches. He explains, “It's all centered on enhancing the student experience and engaging diverse communities in co-creating the future of education.” Their initiatives include the Kentucky Innovative Learning Network (KY ILN), which connects forward-thinking district leaders to collaborate on learner-centered projects. The United We Learn vision further amplifies this mission by emphasizing vibrant learning experiences, innovative assessments, and strong community collaboration.
Episode Highlights
- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:00:24 - Guest Introduction
- 00:08:55 -Understanding Deeper Learning
- 00:15:10 -Connecting the Portrait of a Learner to Deeper Learning
- 00:21:05 -Overcoming Resistance to Deeper Learning
- 00:25:35 -Effective Strategies for Assessing Competencies
- 00:34:33 -Reimagining Documentation for Deeper Learning
- 00:41:55 -Innovating Accountability through Community Collaboration
- 00:52:00 - Shaping the Present and the Future
Understanding Deeper Learning
Rob emphasizes that the future of education lies in deeper learning, which moves beyond traditional teaching methods by focusing on the practical application of academic concepts—such as using geometry skills to build a flower box at home. As Rob puts it, “It’s just education that matters.” By making education relevant and engaging, deeper learning empowers students to become effective citizens, thinkers, and human beings. Rob highlights the need for pedagogy to evolve, incorporating community involvement and problem-solving. He shares that, to support this shift, most regional education cooperatives now have deeper learning teams or specialists dedicated to helping teachers achieve these goals.
Connecting the Portrait of a Learner to Deeper Learning
The Portrait of a Learner outlines key community-valued skills such as empowerment, critical thinking, and effective communication. Co-created with local input, it reflects community aspirations for students. Rob explains, “It’s a way of saying this is what we want to enable in our students; these are the skills we wish for them to develop.” Innovative assessments and Exhibitions of Learning support Kentucky’s commitment to deeper learning, which connects skills to real-world contexts. Rob emphasizes that engaging with the community is crucial, providing these relevant contexts and allowing students to address real community issues.
Overcoming Resistance to Deeper Learning
A common misconception about deeper learning is that it is too time-consuming and demanding. Rob argues that moving away from traditional methods can be transformative, making teaching more rewarding and manageable. He explains that “traditional assessment structures create anxiety and have completely misappropriated the spirit of feedback and the relationship between teacher and student.” Rob emphasizes that new approaches celebrate and enhance the work, rather than being punitive. Feedback plays a crucial role in supporting student growth through the teacher-student relationship.
Effective Strategies for Assessing Competencies
Kentucky has played a key role in developing guidance for measuring learner competencies and student growth. Rob explains that exhibitions and defenses of learning are central to rethinking assessment. Exhibitions, akin to an elevated science fair, involve community engagement with students' work, enhanced by protocols for discussing their learning and its community relevance. Defenses of learning require students to present a body of work demonstrating their competencies according to the Portrait of the Learner. Rob notes, “It not only showcases students' skills and passions through their work, but it also fosters a reciprocal connection between students and adults—whether parents, teachers, or community members.”
Reimagining Documentation for Deeper Learning
A culture of documentation is essential for developing the Portrait of a Learner through deeper learning. Documentation creates a continuous narrative of learning, as competency development is a gradual process emerging from deeper learning through high-quality, project-based work. Rob explains, “We often try to separate the Portrait of a Learner from academic standards, but these elements are so intertwined that it’s difficult to extricate them.” The goal is to integrate documentation of competencies seamlessly into the learning experience, ensuring it enhances rather than burdens the process.
Innovating Accountability through Community Collaboration
As part of the United We Learn initiative, the Local Laboratories of Learning have created and shared prototypes for Portraits of a Learner for local assessment and accountability models to drive state-level policy changes. Interestingly, the prototypes vary between different communities, reflecting their unique values. The focus is now on defining the reciprocal relationship between community and school. Rob emphasizes, “The challenge is to prevent this from becoming static. The framework must remain iterative—a living process that evolves with community involvement.” To support this, the Local Laboratories of Learning meet monthly to discuss prototypes and promote cross-community collaboration, involving community members such as business owners and faith leaders. Co-creation, inclusion, empathy, and reciprocity are key to nurturing a vibrant partnership.
Shaping the Present and the Future
Rob advises schools seeking to promote deeper learning to start by developing their Portrait of a Learner. He cautions, “If you don’t co-create that vision with community members and educators, it’s difficult to secure top-down buy-in.” He recommends partnering with districts that have already made progress in this area. Rob believes personalizing education will be crucial over the next decade, stressing the importance of keeping students at the forefront, empowering them to use their voices, and maintaining flexibility to address future challenges.
The shift to deeper learning is a necessary evolution in education. By prioritizing personalized, competency-based approaches, teachers transform classrooms into spaces where students acquire and apply knowledge meaningfully. For further insights on how to measure this learning, our blog Digital Portfolios: Transforming Education Through Personalized Learning and Assessment offers strategies to capture real-world skills without overburdening teachers. Embracing deeper learning strategies ensures that education remains relevant and impactful, empowering students and educators to thrive in an ever-changing world.
