The Learning & Development Group’s work will continue to be anchored in several key principles for improving the educational experiences of young people, as we evolve in partnership with communities of students, families, policymakers, and practitioners committed to positive youth development:
Engage students as active agents in shaping their learning environments
- Youth deserve to be in educational spaces in which they have trusting relationships with adults, are seen as partners in their education, and are respected as thinkers and people. We are working in collaboration with educators to facilitate the development of educational environments in which adults engage students as co-constructors of their classroom learning, culture, and climate—ultimately enhancing students’ academic success and well-being.
Build adult capacity for asset-based instructional approaches
- We are advancing understanding of how asset-based educational approaches—those that leverage the knowledge, strengths, and skills each student brings to the classroom—shape student development. Our efforts focus on improving scientific and practical knowledge about how these promising practices influence student growth and outcomes, as well as what matters for supporting meaningful shifts in educators’ asset-based pedagogical practice.
Focus on levers for systems-level change
- To drive systems transformation toward equity in education, we are working with a diverse range of stakeholders to foster cultures of inclusivity, responsiveness to student needs, and data-driven decision-making. In service of these efforts, we are collaboratively developing research, resources, and learning opportunities. Our work is pioneering a new model for research-practice partnerships, one that not only strengthens coherence in the educational system but also creates a model for similar transformative efforts.
In alignment with these principles, we recently launched a new chapter of our Chicago-rooted work to deepen collaboration with youth, families, communities, school support organizations, teachers, and leaders. Central to this effort is the application of resources from the Cultivate Framework, designed to guide schools in partnership with youth as they elevate student voice and experience. Learn more about the Cultivate Framework and Survey.
Cultivate Framework
In educational spaces, learning conditions—structures, norms, and practices—shape students’ beliefs and have significant impacts on their learning and well-being.
We shortened our name to the Learning & Development Group. Our work will continue to drive toward systems that elevate student voice, view students' cultures and cultural knowledge as assets to learning, are responsive to the diverse needs of students, recognize and disrupt the decentering of students from marginalized communities, and ensure that young people have the opportunities, resources, and experiences needed to support their learning and well-being. Put simply, we remain committed to transforming systems toward equity.
