Partnership Opportunities
We are creating sustainable, student-first changes at the classroom, school, district and state levels, one student at a time.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Raising student achievement
Overview
Teaching quality and school leadership are the most important factors in raising student achievement. That is why we offer professional development connected to our curriculum projects – tailored to the needs of school districts, teachers and student populations. Effective professional development enables educators to develop the knowledge and skills they need to increase student learning. Our general approach is to provide a long-term experience that is content-focused, active learning and adaptive.
Our areas of expertise are:
- Scientific modeling
- Scientific Argumentation
- Computational thinking
- Spatial Reasoning
- GIS applications across content areas
Interested in professional development for these curriculum areas? Schedule a time to learn more.
Specific Opportunities
Our professional development supports the following curriculum and tools:
- Journey to El Yunque. These professional development sessions provide teachers with a case study of using scientific modeling as evidence to construct arguments about the long-term impact of hurricane disturbances to the El Yunque rainforest ecosystem in Puerto Rico.
- ArcGIS Online. Teachers will develop the expertise to guide student inquiry on questions related to why things are where they are. ESRI provides ArcGIS online to schools at no cost.
- CODAP. Teachers engage in hands on data explorations using a free data analysis tool built around the needs of middle and high school students. The Concord Consortium provides access to CODAP at no cost.
- Sage Modeler. Teachers will bring scientific modeling to life for their students with a free scientific modeling tool. The Concord Consortium provides access to Sage Modeler at no cost.
Interested in professional development for these curriculum areas? Schedule a time to learn more.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Raising student achievement
Overview
Teaching quality and school leadership are the most important factors in raising student achievement. That is why we offer professional development connected to our curriculum projects – tailored to the needs of school districts, teachers and student populations. Effective professional development enables educators to develop the knowledge and skills they need to increase student learning. Our general approach is to provide a long-term experience that is content-focused, active learning and adaptive.
Our areas of expertise are:
- Scientific modeling
- Scientific Argumentation
- Computational thinking
- Spatial Reasoning
- GIS applications across content areas
Interested in professional development for these curriculum areas? Schedule a time to learn more.
Specific Opportunities
Our professional development supports the following curriculum and tools:
- Journey to El Yunque. These professional development sessions provide teachers with a case study of using scientific modeling as evidence to construct arguments about the long-term impact of hurricane disturbances to the El Yunque rainforest ecosystem in Puerto Rico.
- ArcGIS Online. Teachers will develop the expertise to guide student inquiry on questions related to why things are where they are. ESRI provides ArcGIS online to schools at no cost.
- CODAP. Teachers engage in hands on data explorations using a free data analysis tool built around the needs of middle and high school students. The Concord Consortium provides access to CODAP at no cost.
- Sage Modeler. Teachers will bring scientific modeling to life for their students with a free scientific modeling tool. The Concord Consortium provides access to Sage Modeler at no cost.
Interested in professional development for these curriculum areas? Schedule a time to learn more.
MEANINGFUL SCIENCE LEARNING
Engaging students in authentic science
Overview
To cultivate interest and motivation in science, we help students see how science is a meaningful part of their everyday lives. Rather than studying hypothetical systems, we engage students with authentic scientific problems in connection with specific scientific communities. That means, investigating real world issues affecting their communities and studying actual systems that are part of ongoing research by specific communities of scientists. This systems approach to studying science allows students to apply the scientific principles to culturally relevant issues in their own communities.
Interested in supporting meaningful science learning? Schedule a time to learn more.
Specific Opportunities
Journey to El Yunque: Students engage in model-based reasoning to investigate how hurricanes impact the El Yunque rainforest ecosystem. If the frequency of severe hurricanes increases due to climate change, how will the ecosystem evolve? See elyunque.net
Interested in supporting meaningful science learning? Schedule a time to learn more.
MEANINGFUL SCIENCE LEARNING
Engaging students in authentic science
Overview
To cultivate interest and motivation in science, we help students see how science is a meaningful part of their everyday lives. Rather than studying hypothetical systems, we engage students with authentic scientific problems in connection with specific scientific communities. That means, investigating real world issues affecting their communities and studying actual systems that are part of ongoing research by specific communities of scientists. This systems approach to studying science allows students to apply the scientific principles to culturally relevant issues in their own communities.
Interested in supporting meaningful science learning? Schedule a time to learn more.
Specific Opportunities
Journey to El Yunque: Students engage in model-based reasoning to investigate how hurricanes impact the El Yunque rainforest ecosystem. If the frequency of severe hurricanes increases due to climate change, how will the ecosystem evolve? See elyunque.net
Interested in supporting meaningful science learning? Schedule a time to learn more.
COMPUTATIONAL THINKING
Empowering students to become producers of technology
Overview
Computational thinking involves defining problems in ways that computers can help us solve them. It has become an essential skill for every discipline. At the heart of computational thinking are data practices, modeling and simulations practices, computational problem solving practices and systems thinking practices. We provide opportunities for students to explore the world around them using these computational thinking practices embedded in STEM disciplines.
Interested in supporting computational thinking? Schedule a time to learn more.
Specific Opportunities
Data Jam. Understanding, interpreting and presenting data are essential to raising students’ awareness of the impact data will have on their lives and opening doors to new career options that are being created by every industry imaginable. Want your students to find interesting ways to explore actual long-term ecological data together? Challenge them to creatively tell science stories using data and visualize information using computational tools. Join the partnership to help your students become our newest data jammers!
Ecological Modeling. Scientists use models to predict and describe phenomena, and to visualize what cannot be seen by the naked eye. Through ecological modeling, students will identify the most important components of a system and specify the relationships between the components. Students will use computational modeling tools to test the models against data about ecological phenomena.
Interested in supporting computational thinking? Schedule a time to learn more.
COMPUTATIONAL THINKING
Empowering students to become producers of technology
Overview
Computational thinking involves defining problems in ways that computers can help us solve them. It has become an essential skill for every discipline. At the heart of computational thinking are data practices, modeling and simulations practices, computational problem solving practices and systems thinking practices. We provide opportunities for students to explore the world around them using these computational thinking practices embedded in STEM disciplines.
Interested in supporting computational thinking? Schedule a time to learn more.
Specific Opportunities
Data Jam. Understanding, interpreting and presenting data are essential to raising students’ awareness of the impact data will have on their lives and opening doors to new career options that are being created by every industry imaginable. Want your students to find interesting ways to explore actual long-term ecological data together? Challenge them to creatively tell science stories using data and visualize information using computational tools. Join the partnership to help your students become our newest data jammers!
Ecological Modeling. Scientists use models to predict and describe phenomena, and to visualize what cannot be seen by the naked eye. Through ecological modeling, students will identify the most important components of a system and specify the relationships between the components. Students will use computational modeling tools to test the models against data about ecological phenomena.
Interested in supporting computational thinking? Schedule a time to learn more.
SPATIAL REASONING
Enhancing critical thinking to solve problems
Overview
Spatial reasoning plays a very important role in the learning and practice of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are a powerful way to develop spatial reasoning. The U.S. Department of Labor has identified geospatial technologies as one of the three fastest growing careers in the technology sectors. Despite the evidence supporting the benefits of geospatial technologies, spatial reasoning has not made significant inroads to the core subjects in K12. The Learning Partnership supports projects to promote the integration of GIS into core subject areas.
Interested in supporting spatial reasoning? Schedule a time to learn more.
Specific Opportunities
Geospatial Semester: The Learning Partnership is collaborating with the Chicago Public Schools, Northwestern University and James Madison University to supporti the development GIS lessons and units that are infused into a variety of academic disciplines, including social studies, computer science, and health sciences.
Schedule a time to learn more how The Learning Partnership can support GIS in your schools.
Case Study
Exploring Access to Healthcare: A Case Study of Spatial Reasoning
The Chicago Geospatial Semester Project is a collaboration between The Learning Partnership, Chicago Public Schools, Northwestern University, and James Madison University.
Chicago Geospatial Semester students learn how to leverage GIS, a state-of-the-art geospatial visualization tool, to learn about a variety of topics that impact their community, such as healthcare accessibility in Chicago.
SPATIAL REASONING
Enhancing critical thinking to solve problems
Overview
Spatial reasoning plays a very important role in the learning and practice of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are a powerful way to develop spatial reasoning. The U.S. Department of Labor has identified geospatial technologies as one of the three fastest growing careers in the technology sectors. Despite the evidence supporting the benefits of geospatial technologies, spatial reasoning has not made significant inroads to the core subjects in K12. The Learning Partnership supports projects to promote the integration of GIS into core subject areas.
Interested in supporting spatial reasoning? Schedule a time to learn more.
Specific Opportunities
Geospatial Semester: The Learning Partnership is collaborating with the Chicago Public Schools, Northwestern University and James Madison University to supporti the development GIS lessons and units that are infused into a variety of academic disciplines, including social studies, computer science, and health sciences.
Schedule a time to learn more how The Learning Partnership can support GIS in your schools.
Case Study
Exploring Access to Healthcare: A Case Study of Spatial Reasoning
The Chicago Geospatial Semester Project is a collaboration between The Learning Partnership, Chicago Public Schools, Northwestern University, and James Madison University.
Chicago Geospatial Semester students learn how to leverage GIS, a state-of-the-art geospatial visualization tool, to learn about a variety of topics that impact their community, such as healthcare accessibility in Chicago.
Latest Case Study
Exploring Access to Healthcare: A Case Study of Spatial Reasoning
The goal of this project is to explore how to infuse GIS, a state-of-the-art geospatial visualization tool, into Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and, secondarily, in other CPS content areas.
Latest Case Study
Overview
Exploring Access to Healthcare: A Case Study of Spatial Reasoning
Chicago Geospatial Semester Project
Through our Chicago Geospatial Semester Project, students learn how to leverage GIS, a state-of-the-art geospatial visualization tool, to learn more about healthcare accessibility in Chicago, or any other topic that impacts them or their community.
Impact on Our Partners
Our success is tied to the success of our partners. We know that the best solutions are found in collaboration, that is why teachers are heavily involved in our research and are a big part of the student-first programs we create. You can check out a few case studies below to see what’s working for us and our partners in Chicago, Puerto Rico, and beyond.
- Click on a program below to see how we’re partnering with different communities -
CAFÉCS
Overview
The mission of CAFÉCS is to provide all Chicago students with high-quality computer science education – empowering them to become producers of technology and inspiring them to pursue computer science as a field of study. With our Researcher-Practitioner Partnership between Chicago Public Schools, DePaul, Loyola and University of Illinois Chicago, we support and evaluate computer science education for all students.
Impact
- CAFÉCS has contributed to the literature on student motivation by demonstrating the positive impact of the Exploring Computer Science (ECS) course on students’ attitudes towards computer science as well as students’ choices about future computer science coursework.
- CPS students are achieving equivalent posttest performance of computational thinking in ECS across all races, ethnicities, and genders.
- As we began the 2019-2020 school year in Chicago, 92 of 111 high schools (82%) offered at least one Computer Science (CS) course. By the end of the 2019-2020 school year, it is projected that 85% of the class of 2020, 75% of the class of 2021, 58% of the class of 2022, and 49% of the class of 2023 should have met the new CS graduation requirement. Enrollment in AP Computer Science has been steadily increasing over the last several years.
History
In 2012, CAFÉCS was born out of a teacher-led initiative in Chicago. With an ‘accent’ on equity, CPS teachers, CPS administrators, educational researchers and university faculty partnered together to broaden computer science participation in CPS where a majority of students are Hispanic or African American. Its mission, initially, was to support teacher workshops for a unique equity-centered computer science curriculum, called Exploring Computer Science (ECS), which is designed to engage students in computer science around meaningful problems. With the support of CAFÉCS, what began as a voluntary offering of the ECS curriculum eventually led to the feasibility of the enactment of a computer science high school graduation requirement in 2016. The CAFÉCS partnership continues to focus on supporting a variety of professional learning opportunities, assessments, and development of new supports for teachers and students. The research we do brings new opportunities to CPS and supports continuous improvements of ongoing initiatives. Most importantly it helps to assess the impact of opportunities to explore computer science on students and their emerging identities as producers of technology.
Current Research
- CAFÉCS is engaged in rapid impacts research and development to design online professional development that will support teachers to adapt Exploring Computer Science for online remote teaching in the fall.
- CAFÉCS is engaged in continuous improvement of the professional learning opportunities available for high school computer science teachers, such as instructional coaching and professional learning communities.
- CAFÉCS is engaged in evaluating the impact of the computer science graduation requirement on the access and quality of computer science for all students in Chicago.
CAFÉCS
Overview
The mission of CAFÉCS is to provide all Chicago students with high-quality computer science education – empowering them to become producers of technology and inspiring them to pursue computer science as a field of study. With our Researcher-Practitioner Partnership between Chicago Public Schools, DePaul, Loyola and University of Illinois Chicago, we support and evaluate computer science education for all students.
Impact
- CAFÉCS has contributed to the literature on student motivation by demonstrating the positive impact of the Exploring Computer Science (ECS) course on students’ attitudes towards computer science as well as students’ choices about future computer science coursework.
- CPS students are achieving equivalent posttest performance of computational thinking in ECS across all races, ethnicities, and genders.
- As we began the 2019-2020 school year in Chicago, 92 of 111 high schools (82%) offered at least one Computer Science (CS) course. By the end of the 2019-2020 school year, it is projected that 85% of the class of 2020, 75% of the class of 2021, 58% of the class of 2022, and 49% of the class of 2023 should have met the new CS graduation requirement. Enrollment in AP Computer Science has been steadily increasing over the last several years.
History
In 2012, CAFÉCS was born out of a teacher-led initiative in Chicago. With an ‘accent’ on equity, CPS teachers, CPS administrators, educational researchers and university faculty partnered together to broaden computer science participation in CPS where a majority of students are Hispanic or African American. Its mission, initially, was to support teacher workshops for a unique equity-centered computer science curriculum, called Exploring Computer Science (ECS), which is designed to engage students in computer science around meaningful problems. With the support of CAFÉCS, what began as a voluntary offering of the ECS curriculum eventually led to the feasibility of the enactment of a computer science high school graduation requirement in 2016. The CAFÉCS partnership continues to focus on supporting a variety of professional learning opportunities, assessments, and development of new supports for teachers and students. The research we do brings new opportunities to CPS and supports continuous improvements of ongoing initiatives. Most importantly it helps to assess the impact of opportunities to explore computer science on students and their emerging identities as producers of technology.
Current Research
- CAFÉCS is engaged in rapid impacts research and development to design online professional development that will support teachers to adapt Exploring Computer Science for online remote teaching in the fall.
- CAFÉCS is engaged in continuous improvement of the professional learning opportunities available for high school computer science teachers, such as instructional coaching and professional learning communities.
- CAFÉCS is engaged in evaluating the impact of the computer science graduation requirement on the access and quality of computer science for all students in Chicago.
Luquillo LTER Schoolyard
Overview
Our partnership with the University of Puerto Rico, U.S. Forest Service and Forward Learning allows students to engage in authentic scientific experiences to gain scientific knowledge. Across three strands, students investigate the hurricanes from different perspectives to learn how the resilience in the rainforest on the northeast part of the island is affected by disturbances that happen on the island of Puerto Rico. This kind of extension learning creates a positive outlet for students to express themselves creatively and propose design solutions for their local communities in light of disturbances.
By creating a model that influences students with culturally relevant investigations, our goal is to promote their interest in pursuing Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) careers by engaging middle school and high school students in long term ecological research.
Impact
The Luquillo Schoolyard program has reached 20 schools, 50 teachers, and 650 students in the last six years. To this day, the program continues to benefit students and teachers, despite Hurricane Maria, earthquakes, and COVD-19.
History
Ten years ago, the schoolyard model began supporting teachers to create schoolyard plots that their students would study. Soon after realizing this model was not scalable, it shifted to one where students came to the rainforest to study a student plot created adjacent to the scientific plot at the El Verde field station. In parallel, Journey to El Yunque, a middle school science curriculum was designed to support the conceptual development of ecosystems and scientific practices related to modeling. 5 years ago, the Data Jam strategy was added to give students experience with analyzing long-term scientific data from the El Yunque rain forest (Luquillo LTER). This resulted in an annual data jam symposium where students share their projects with the scientists working in the rainforest, teachers and families.
Current Research
- The Learning Partnership is engage in continuous improvement of the capacity-building professional learning opportunities that support teachers in Improving the quality of students’ data-based arguments.
- The Learning Partnership is evaluating the impact of the Luquillo Schoolyard program on students’ perception of their own resilience.
Luquillo LTER Schoolyard
Overview
Our partnership with the University of Puerto Rico, U.S. Forest Service and Forward Learning allows students to engage in authentic scientific experiences to gain scientific knowledge. Across three strands, students investigate the hurricanes from different perspectives to learn how the resilience in the rainforest on the northeast part of the island is affected by disturbances that happen on the island of Puerto Rico. This kind of extension learning creates a positive outlet for students to express themselves creatively and propose design solutions for their local communities in light of disturbances.
By creating a model that influences students with culturally relevant investigations, our goal is to promote their interest in pursuing Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) careers by engaging middle school and high school students in long term ecological research.
Impact
The Luquillo Schoolyard program has reached 20 schools, 50 teachers, and 650 students in the last six years. To this day, the program continues to benefit students and teachers, despite Hurricane Maria, earthquakes, and COVD-19.
History
Ten years ago, the schoolyard model began supporting teachers to create schoolyard plots that their students would study. Soon after realizing this model was not scalable, it shifted to one where students came to the rainforest to study a student plot created adjacent to the scientific plot at the El Verde field station. In parallel, Journey to El Yunque, a middle school science curriculum was designed to support the conceptual development of ecosystems and scientific practices related to modeling. 5 years ago, the Data Jam strategy was added to give students experience with analyzing long-term scientific data from the El Yunque rain forest (Luquillo LTER). This resulted in an annual data jam symposium where students share their projects with the scientists working in the rainforest, teachers and families.
Current Research
- The Learning Partnership is engage in continuous improvement of the capacity-building professional learning opportunities that support teachers in Improving the quality of students’ data-based arguments.
- The Learning Partnership is evaluating the impact of the Luquillo Schoolyard program on students’ perception of their own resilience.
PUMP-CS
Overview
PUMP-CS is a Researcher-Practitioner Partnership (RPP) between The Learning Partnership, Marquette University, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), and AIR. The partnership is focused on building computer science pathways for all students in Milwaukee. Marquette and The Learning Partnership are partnering with MPS to bring research-based practices to Milwaukee schools while collaboratively conducting research on the impact of these computer science experiences. Marquette leads the co-design of evidence-based practices with MPS and The Learning Partnership measures the extent to which these practices lead to their intended outcomes. The PUMP-CS RPP is focused on organizing the collection of computer science courses into a systemic, cohesive, preK-12 computer science pathway that can provide high-quality courses and experiences across the breadth of MPS school contexts. The RPP is working to ensure that the pathway is robust enough for a school district with ubiquitous school choice that confounds feeder school relationships, with deep socioeconomic inequities, and with one of the highest levels of racial segregation in the nation. The PUMP-CS RPP has the diverse knowledge and experience necessary to develop the productive preK-12 CS pathways for MPS students.
Impact
Marquette and The Learning Partnership have already made significant inroads in expanding Wisconsin's CS professional development opportunities for teachers. Prior work over the last five years has provided computer science professional development to over 1,850 K-5 teachers, reaching over 67,000 school children. Exploring Computer Science (ECS) professional development has produced 89 new and reactivated high school CS teachers, across 52 districts, including many in Milwaukee Public Schools. Since 2014, 1256 students, 25 teachers and 17 schools in Milwaukee have implemented the ECS curriculum. AP Computer Science Principles courses were launched in 42 high schools in 2016-17, and over 120 middle school teachers launched Code.orgs CS Discoveries (CSD) course in 2018-19. Alternative pathways have been created for in-service teachers to add the computer science-specific license required to teach advanced computer science.
PUMP-CS has contributed to the literature on the positive impact of the ECS course on students’ attitudes towards computer science. In addition, the results in Milwaukee have shown that students are achieving equivalent posttest performance of computational thinking in ECS across all races, ethnicities, and genders.
History
In 2013-2014, Marquette computer science professor Dennis Brylow came to Chicago to observe Exploring Computer Science (ECS) professional development. He wrote a grant to bring the ECS to Milwaukee in summer of 2014. Since then, computer science opportunities have expanded to provide instruction in elementary as well as advanced placement courses at the high school level. Continuously strengthening the support provided to schools, the PUMP-CS became an RPP (Researcher Practitioner Partnership) in fall 2019. To this day, the PUMP-CS RPP facilitates the institutionalization of professional development and informs policies to enable the spread of computer science course opportunities within the district in Milwaukee.
Current Research
- PUMP is engaged in continuous improvement research to guide the improvements to the quality of professional development provided to Milwaukee Public Schools teachers.
- PUMP is evaluating the benefits of the computer science pathways by examining the added value of prior computer science experience in specific subsequent courses.
PUMP-CS
Overview
PUMP-CS is a Researcher-Practitioner Partnership (RPP) between The Learning Partnership, Marquette University, Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), and AIR. The partnership is focused on building computer science pathways for all students in Milwaukee. Marquette and The Learning Partnership are partnering with MPS to bring research-based practices to Milwaukee schools while collaboratively conducting research on the impact of these computer science experiences. Marquette leads the co-design of evidence-based practices with MPS and The Learning Partnership measures the extent to which these practices lead to their intended outcomes. The PUMP-CS RPP is focused on organizing the collection of computer science courses into a systemic, cohesive, preK-12 computer science pathway that can provide high-quality courses and experiences across the breadth of MPS school contexts. The RPP is working to ensure that the pathway is robust enough for a school district with ubiquitous school choice that confounds feeder school relationships, with deep socioeconomic inequities, and with one of the highest levels of racial segregation in the nation. The PUMP-CS RPP has the diverse knowledge and experience necessary to develop the productive preK-12 CS pathways for MPS students.
Impact
Marquette and The Learning Partnership have already made significant inroads in expanding Wisconsin's CS professional development opportunities for teachers. Prior work over the last five years has provided computer science professional development to over 1,850 K-5 teachers, reaching over 67,000 school children. Exploring Computer Science (ECS) professional development has produced 89 new and reactivated high school CS teachers, across 52 districts, including many in Milwaukee Public Schools. Since 2014, 1256 students, 25 teachers and 17 schools in Milwaukee have implemented the ECS curriculum. AP Computer Science Principles courses were launched in 42 high schools in 2016-17, and over 120 middle school teachers launched Code.orgs CS Discoveries (CSD) course in 2018-19. Alternative pathways have been created for in-service teachers to add the computer science-specific license required to teach advanced computer science.
PUMP-CS has contributed to the literature on the positive impact of the ECS course on students’ attitudes towards computer science. In addition, the results in Milwaukee have shown that students are achieving equivalent posttest performance of computational thinking in ECS across all races, ethnicities, and genders.
History
In 2013-2014, Marquette computer science professor Dennis Brylow came to Chicago to observe Exploring Computer Science (ECS) professional development. He wrote a grant to bring the ECS to Milwaukee in summer of 2014. Since then, computer science opportunities have expanded to provide instruction in elementary as well as advanced placement courses at the high school level. Continuously strengthening the support provided to schools, the PUMP-CS became an RPP (Researcher Practitioner Partnership) in fall 2019. To this day, the PUMP-CS RPP facilitates the institutionalization of professional development and informs policies to enable the spread of computer science course opportunities within the district in Milwaukee.
Current Research
- PUMP is engaged in continuous improvement research to guide the improvements to the quality of professional development provided to Milwaukee Public Schools teachers.
- PUMP is evaluating the benefits of the computer science pathways by examining the added value of prior computer science experience in specific subsequent courses.
