Schools That can was represented at this year’s EduCon conference in Philadelphia! Hosted annually by Philadelphia’s Science Leadership Academy taking place this year from January 24th -26th, EduCon presents a forum for some of education’s brightest thought leaders to unite to discuss and debate the future of schools. With a lens of innovation, the sessions centered upon both theoretical and practical topics that greatly align with STC’s mission of creating quality seats in urban education. EduCon’s five guiding principles highlight this synergy:
- Our schools must be inquiry-driven, thoughtful and empowering for all members.
- Our schools must be about co-creating — together with our students — the 21st Century Citizen.
- Technology must serve pedagogy, not the other way around.
- Technology must enable students to research, create, communicate and collaborate.
- Learning can and must be networked.
In addition to these guiding principles, many of STC’s values were echoed throughout the various sessions and conversations. In the session on “Standards vs. Standardization,” participants reaffirmed the need for cross-sector collaboration in sustaining the rigor embedded in Common Core standards through potential shifts in policy. An ongoing conversation also took place around project-based learning as an effective practice in developing students holistically with the skills necessary to be successful college students and citizens in the global economy. Overall, we are looking forward to nurturing the sparks that were ignited during this conference as part of our newer 21st century initiatives and partnerships.