
Professional Learning and Leading Collaborative
The Professional Learning and Leading Collaborative promotes pedagogical shifts that engage educators at all levels, providing research based, job-embedded models and approaches for strategic planning and professional development with the belief that students deserve access to equitable personalized learning experiences. The members of our dedicated team are educational leaders who have extensive experience in strategic planning, leadership support and development, data-driven decision-making, and professional development planning and design that is customized and responsive to the needs of today’s schools.
Upcoming Events
Events Series
Updates
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The Irony of Teacher Appreciation
Melissa Rasberry, director of the Professional Learning and Leading Collaborative at the Friday Institute, dives into what truly appreciating teachers should be about this Teacher Appreciation Week.
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North Carolina’s Computer Science Professional Development Program Opens for Registration for Statewide Trainings
North Carolina’s Computer Science Professional Development Program provides free professional learning opportunities for North Carolina educators using Code.org’s computer science curriculum.
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Let’s Really Unpack That: Why Equity is the Driving Force for Backwards Design–Part Two
In part two of this series, Research Scholar Amy Walter explains how equity is the driving force behind backwards design.
Selected Resources
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Access to Opportunities: A Student-Centered ApproachCase StudyThe Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at NC State University’s College of Education conducted site visits at four schools (Ed Tech High School, Washington High School, P.S. Jones Middle School, and John Small Elementary School) in Beaufort County, North Carolina. Beaufort County Schools (BCS) is a rural school district located in the southeastern part of the state with 14 schools and 6,673 students. Our team interviewed teachers, students, and administrators in Beaufort to learn how BCS are providing equitable learning opportunities for all students.
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Breaking Systemic Barriers to Careers in Teaching Post-COVIDJournal ArticleDespite decades of school reform initiatives focused on closing the racialized achievement gap, Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students continue to experience systemic barriers to a…
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Building Capacity and Expertise in Rural AreasReportThe Friday Institute for Educational Innovation (FI) is providing professional learning opportunities for district leaders, principals and teachers in rural districts, recognizing that rural educators need professional learning opportunities that may differ from their suburban and urban counterparts.The FI’s work in Wyoming and Tennessee highlights how the creation of a professional learning cohort, professional learning networks (PLNs) and coaching can help rural schools and districts support principals and teachers to positively impact teaching and learning.
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Effective Coaching: Insights From the FieldCase StudyAcross the state of North Carolina, there are educators whose role goes beyond improving learning experiences for K-12 students, including the teachers of those students. Some educators have titles like Instructional Technology Facilitator or Library Media Coordinator. Some educators have a full slate of classes they teach, using their planning periods to work with their peers and colleagues, while some educators devote their full day to working with teachers, and yet others are somewhere in between. From August to June, their presence is seen and felt on the campuses they serve. These teachers are instructional coaches and they are one of the greatest influencers of change within their respective districts.
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Engaging Your Latino Families During This Time of CrisisWhite PaperMethods, suggestions and ideas to better reach and engage your Latin families during the COVID-19 crisis
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Improving Professional Learning Opportunities in Rural SchoolsFI Education BriefDue to high rates of poverty, low levels of educational attainment and unemployment, many rural school districts face significantly different challenges in educating students than their suburban and urban counterparts. The Professional Learning and Leading Collaborative at the Friday Institute has worked with and across rural communities to address the needs of schools and districts. In this brief, the authors share practical suggestions for improving professional learning opportunities at a school.
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Insight into Contemporary Professional Growth Needs for North Carolina EducatorsReportThe COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the suspension of face-to-face instruction in schools around the globe, requiring schools and educators to begin teaching online with little to no time for professional development to aid them in the transition. Literature nationwide reveals that while educators transitioned quickly from traditional face-to-face learning to digital platforms for remote teaching, many were ill-prepared, and in too many instances educational experiences were deficient in best practices for online learning (Foulger et al., 2020). This study (Insight Study), an exploratory qualitative study, was conducted to better understand the classroom, school and district-level challenges North Carolina educators were facing one year into the pandemic. A total of 18 educators participated in the study, including classroom educators across nine disciplines, representing seven of the eight educational districts in North Carolina. Data were collected from 60-minute semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups facilitated virtually via Zoom during fall 2021. Overwhelmingly, study participants wanted more support for themselves and their colleagues concerning engaging with their students given their “new normal” of COVID-19. They shared their current areas of growth, ways in which they believe the current political landscape is impacting these areas of growth, and which online professional development design features they feel are most impactful to their growth and development.
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Instructional Design Principles for Remote Teaching and LearningWhite PaperThe Instructional Principles for Remote Teaching & Learning provide guidance to schools and districts during the COVID-19 crisis.
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Middle School Girls and STEM: Using digital tools to close the gender gapFI Education BriefAlthough female and male students perform equally well on standardized math and science tests, the middle school years prove to be a pivotal time when girls lose confidence and interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Nevertheless, these challenges present middle schools with an opportunity to intentionally change the tide and promote STEM to middle school girls in newfound ways.
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Nine Key Lessons from the Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School Learning Differences ProgramFI Education BriefThis brief highlights nine key lessons from the case study “Becoming Embedded In What We Do” The Implementation and Impact of the Learning Differences Program at Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School in Raleigh, North Carolina. In analyzing the data, the Friday Institute found nine key lessons from CCMMS Learning Differences program implementation that may help future schools and districts as they design their implementation strategies, namely:
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Prioritizing Personalized Learning: District RecommendationsWhat does it take? What do District leaders need to do to prioritize meaningful steps forward toward personalizing learning? Personalized learning seems such an overwhelmingly distant vision. It can be difficult to see (and plan) the steps forward. The future vision is so far off that often all we see are today’s barriers right in front of us. The personalization vision appeals to us. We want to get there. But we need some practical paths to pursue. What are some organizing principles that District leaders can use to begin to negotiate those barriers and guide everyone closer to the vision? In 2016, the Personalized Learning Summit hosted by the Friday Institute in partnership with Digital Promise and the Oak Foundation, brought students, teachers, district leaders and industry experts together to address these hard questions. Over the course of three days participants created a vision for personalized learning and outlined organizing principles that can provide practical steps forward. This paper provides a pathway district leaders can follow to move forward with personalized learning in their schools.
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Rocky River Elementary School Case Study – An Implementation of a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum and Sensory Integration Tools for All StudentsCase StudyThere is growing attention to the positive impacts of implementing social and emotional learning and sensory integration techniques in schools. The authors intend for this case study to showcase the design thinking and continuous improvement process at Rocky River Elementary school and the keys to success.
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The Opportunity to Dream: How an Early Learning Network Implemented the Liberatory Design ProcessCase StudyThis case study examines in-depth the participating districts in Cohort 3 of the 2021 Early Learning Network (ELN), an inter-district network focused on redesigning learning environments to better address the early learning needs of vulnerable children. Over the course of the 2021 calendar year, The Innovation Project (TIP) and The Friday Institute developed and implemented this network and provided individual coaching for district leaders.
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What’s the Value of a Learning Differences MOOC-Ed?Massive Online Open Courses for Educators (MOOC-Eds) provide a new form of professional development for educators that balances research-based practices for high-quality professional development with new types of social learning. In this paper we consider the value that educators find through their participation in a Learning Differences MOOC-Ed and examine the design elements of the MOOC-Ed that supported their growth and impact on practice.
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“A Constant Conversation” The Implementation and Impact of the Learning Differences Program at Manning Elementary School in Roanoke Rapids, North CarolinaCase StudyThis case study details the implementation and impact of the Learning Differences program at Manning Elementary School (MES) in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Section one provides an overview of the Learning Differences program. Section two describes how the Learning Differences program was implemented at MES and how data were collected. Section three draws on qualitative and quantitative data to illustrate the program’s impact on MES teachers and students. Section four discusses the seven key lessons learned from the implementation process. The authors intend for this case study to be a practical resource that schools and districts can reference as they implement their own learning differences initiatives.
Selected Projects
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Changing the Tide: Supporting and Retaining Residency Licensed Special EducatorsThis project focuses on the continuing education needs of special education teachers licensed through a residency program in NC; in particular, the supports that are needed for them to effectively work with exceptional children.
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Educator Learning OpportunitiesProfessional development that is timely, relevant, and models expectations is essential to any school or district initiative.
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Implementation of the Learning Differences ProgramDuring the 2019-20 academic year, the Friday Institute established a modified research-practice partnership with Manning Elementary School (Roanoke Rapids, NC) and Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School (Raleigh, NC).
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Instructional DesignThe PLLC team has extensive knowledge and experience in instructional design and application of adult learning theory.
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Integrating Computer Science for All (iCS4ALL) Online Professional LearningThese two self-paced online professional learning modules are designed to get educators thinking about computer science and computational thinking strategies that apply to their content area and teaching practice.
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Leadership DevelopmentJob-embedded professional development for administrators that enables the planning and implementation of learning initiatives.
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Learner Agency Online Professional LearningThese three free self-paced online learning modules for educators and leaders build understanding of learner agency and how put it into practice in the classroom.
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Making Computer Science (CS) STICK: Systemic Change for TeachersThe Friday Institute will create and develop a sustainable community of elementary teachers to support ongoing integration of computer science (CS) concepts into core content areas.
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Strategic PlanningCustomized and responsive coaching and strategic planning support for schools and districts implementing new programs.
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Trauma Informed Practice Support (TIPS) in Schools and Communities: Collaboration Between Education and Social WorkThe core of the project focused on conducting focus groups that explored teachers’ and social workers’ experiences with the dual pandemic of racialized violence and COVID-19 using a trauma-informed framework and an interactive design method.
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Virtual Academies in North Carolina: Examining Profiles, Issues and TrendsThe purpose of this project is to develop a North Carolina Virtual School Profile and examine the opportunities, needs and challenges of virtual academies. As…
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Virtual Schools NetworkIn January 2022, the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and North Carolina Virtual Public School launched the Virtual Schools Network (VSN) to connect and support the myriad virtual schools in the state. The network will be designed in a responsive, innovative and sustainable manner to ensure the needs of stakeholders are paramount.
People
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Dr Melissa A RasberryDirector, Professional Learning and Leading CollaborativeTeam Lead/Leadership Team
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Emmy ColemanSenior Research Scholar
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Ms Kendall Hageman-MaysGraduate Research Assistant
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Krista HollandResearch Scholar
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Keith LindsayStudent Worker, Enrolled@NCSU
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Brittany Palmer MillerResearch Scholar
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Carrie RobledoResearch Scholar
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Jaclyn Bell StevensResearch Scholar
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Russell I Strand-PooleResearch Scholar
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Amy Renee WalterResearch Scholar