Synopsis
It’s inevitable: Customized Teaching and Learning presents practical and powerful next steps on the road to Mass Customized Learning (MCL), the compelling 21st Century vision for schools put forward by the co-authors of the recent and highly-regarded book titled inevitable. Co-authors Schwahn and McGarvey challenge the decades-old status quo of familiar school structures such as grade levels, bell schedule, desks in rows, and class periods. They put forward a vision which restructures schools and maximizes current technologies for a learner-centered approach to education. Now comes the fieldbook, or how-to guide, with a rich collection of practical resources and insights to support school leaders with implementation of the vision. The fieldbook empowers school leaders to “ramp in” to the vision of customization by capitalizing on initiatives with momentum already happening in their respective schools. The fieldbook work, led by James Parry in collaboration with Schwahn and McGarvey, empowers school leaders with tools and processes to guide and facilitate implementation activities productively. A comprehensive yet succinct rubric for customized teaching and learning serves as a self-assessment tool as well as a discussion tool for building shared understanding about the vision. A book study tool provides provocative and insightful questions for each chapter of inevitable. A description of a robust technology infrastructure positions school leaders with essential information for planning. Or, a sampling of schools pursuing customization demonstrates a range of entry points for making progress with the MCL vision. Subtitled “A Fieldbook For and From the Field,” It’s inevitable: Customized Teaching and Learning is authored and edited by a team of respected education leaders and practitioners with K-16 experience. The fieldbook resources are designed to equip school leaders for responding productively to the opportunity presented by the vision of customization. Also, each fieldbook resource includes a “story” which reflects firsthand experience from the field. Thus, the fieldbook projects the views of knowledgeable and skilled practitioners via a friendly, practical, hands-on approach. The fieldbook is organized around four crucial and interconnected topics: Leadership, Teaching and Learning, Human Resources, and Technology Resources. Importantly, the fieldbook includes numerous resources for each topic. Efficiently, the resources are presented in a consistent format so users can readily note the purpose, audience, rationale, and content. A “readiness” for It’s Inevitable: Customized Teaching and Learning is reflected in the observation of Rob Monson, Past President of the National Association of Elementary School Principals. He states: “For good reason, inevitable has captured my attention and the attention of other leaders on the national scene. The vision of MCL is profound in that it is so obvious and logical. Foremost, it responds to the needs of learners. Crucially, the vision offers direction for education stakeholders. As a result, the premise and timing of the fieldbook are ideal for taking meaningful next steps with implementation.” A similar theme is echoed by inevitable co-author Chuck Schwahn: “Inevitable has proven the MCL vision to be most desirable. It’s Inevitable: Customized Teaching and Learning shows it to be doable. Desirable and Doable make the MCL vision an obvious “go” for schools.”
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