This talk was given to a group of Michigan educators.

1. The Future of Education is Flexible Dr. Brian J. Dixon director, High Tech High Flex

2. Quick Overview High Tech High's Design Principles Questions? The Vision of High Tech High Flex Questions? The Future of Education Questions?

3. High Tech High's Design Principles: Personalization Adult World Connection Common Intellectual Mission Teacher as Designer

4. Facilities are tailored to individual and small-group learning Students pursue personal interests through projects Each student has a staff advisor Create a personal digital portfolios Full inclusion model Personalization hightechhigh.org

5. Some of the best learning happens outside the school walls: Community service projects Guest speakers “power lunches” 9 th and 10 th grade “job shadow” Juniors complete a semester-long academic internship Seniors develop substantial community projects Adult World Connection hightechhigh.org

6. N o distinction between "college prep" and "technical" education Enrollment is non-selective There is no tracking at HTH Rigorous curriculum Performance-based assessment All students develop projects, solve problems, and present findings to community panels. All students are required to complete an academic internship, a substantial senior project, and a personal digital portfolio. Common Intellectual Mission hightechhigh.org

7. Teachers work in interdisciplinary teams: -meet daily for an hour -develop curricula and programs -infuse personal interests Teaching staff includes: -experienced master teachers -recent university graduates -professionals from work world Hiring process is collaborative Teacher as Designer hightechhigh.org

9. High Tech High Flex is an independent learning program based on the design principles of personalization, adult world connection, and a common intellectual mission. Flex blends home-based independent study, online learning, and face-to-face experiences. Flex Overview

10. Built on an outdated “teacher-centered” model Read the screen, take the quiz No real-world connection No flexibility or social connection Lack of current social technologies HTHFlex: -personalized -innovative -real-world connection -uses current technologies Challenges of Online Education

11. HTHflex stretches the academic experience beyond the walls of the conventional classroom. A typical school day in the life of a Flex student consists of the following activities: A Day in the Life ● Real-time small group project activities ● One-on-one coaching between teacher and student ● L ive online class session ● Tutoring sessions with intelligent software ● Independent project work and research ● Self-paced posting/ commenting ● Peer coaching and critique

12. Flex students take advantage of self-paced online intelligent tutoring systems. Online research, traditional reading, and independent writing are core components of any successful learning program. Finally, students in Flex contribute to an interactive online social network, posting their work, responding to others, and frequently providing collaborative feedback. Independent Activities

13. Students will collaborate on group projects in real time, both online through Instant Messaging or video conferencing, and face-to-face at a students' home, local library, or coffee-shop. Group Projects

14. Each day, students will participate in real-time, online class meetings. These daily check-ins will allow students to discuss the class content, practice core concepts, and share their learning experiences. Teacher Led Sessions

15. Each flex student will engage in regular one-on-one coaching with their teachers and peers. These coaching sessions assess individual progress, address concerns, and challenge students to deepen their knowledge and application of class concepts. These conversations occur online through video and voice conferencing as well as face-to-face. Coaching Sessions

16. Education does not stop on the weekends, but extends into students real world experience. Each week, students will engage in a connection encounter focusing on the four C's: College, community, career, and culture. Connection Encounters

17. Service learning immersion Each student will partner with a local non-profit or community organization in a monthly hands-on experience to make an impact on the local community through service learning. Connection Encounters

18. Job shadowing Every Flex student will intern in multiple career fields over the course of their high school experience. Internships allow students to walk in the shoes of practitioners in the field, trying out the occupation for themselves, while creating connections with local businesses and corporations. Connection Encounters

19. Arts/Cultural experience Once a month, the entire flex community will participate in or attend an arts or cultural experience. These will include gallery shows, arts and cultural festivals, and live theatre performances. Connection Encounters

20. College encounter In addition to participating in college preparatory courses, flex students will visit university campuses, partner with university professors in research, and make connections with college admission counselors. Connection Encounters

21. Flex students will engage in High Tech High's unique learning experiences including: Project-Based Learning Student Led Conferences Presentations of Learning Exhibitions Community Meeting A High Tech High Education

22. Project-Based Learning Students will create personalized, authentic projects in collaborative teams, making real-world connections and presenting their learning. A High Tech High Education

23. Student Led Conferences Instead of parent/teacher conferences, High Tech High students take part in mid-semester student-led conferences where they discuss their learning progress and define areas to improve as they finish the semester. A High Tech High Education

24. Presentations of Learning At the end of each semester, instead of final exams, students present their major projects to a panel of community members, parents, and fellow students. A High Tech High Education

25. Exhibitions Publicly displaying students projects is an important component of the learning process. Students display their projects on their online digital portfolios, as well as presenting them to the community during exhibition. A High Tech High Education

26. Community Meetings Once or twice a month, the entire school community meets together to present projects, discuss important issues, and build the school culture. A High Tech High Education

27. Advisory Program Each Flex student will have an advisory who will serve as the first point of contact with High Tech High Flex. This connection starts with a personal home visit over the summer, allows the student and advisory to connect, set up the home study space, and establish an individualized support system. Throughout the year, the advisor will continue to monitor both academic and personal progress with weekly check-ins through instant messaging, video chats, and face-to-face time. Personalization at Flex

28. Personalized Learning Plans As an independent study program, Flex partners with parents to offer students an individually tailored educational plan. The advisor will serve as the “Teacher of Record” to support students in their language, art, and other exploratory courses by establishing learning goals, benchmarks, and authentic assessments. Personalization at Flex

29. Truly Personalized Education At High Tech High Flex, our strategies and tools for personalization result in Flex students receiving extended individualized teacher conference time each week. These interactions occur both face-to-face and through video conferencing, instant messaging, and personal phone calls. Personalization at Flex

31. What does the future hold? personalized -knowledge collaborative -process

32. The Future of Education is Flexible Dr. Brian J. Dixon director, High Tech High Flex