Creating Pathways for Success
“WeThinkBig believes in the right for all learners to enjoy accessible and relevant learning opportunities that build confidence, expand competencies and create pathways to success.”
— Kathe Crowley Conn, CEO, WeThinkBig
In today’s connected age, the possibilities for learning are endless.
There has never been a more creative time for education. When WeThinkBig heard about the promise of competency-based hybrid learning, we knew bringing it to Badgerland was our next big idea.
WeThinkBig continues to partner with thought leaders, local schools, employers, organizations and agencies to find the right partnerships, alignments, approaches and resources needed to create meaningful learning experiences that fit learner, employer and community needs. Together, we are building strategies to provide learning and work opportunities for everyone from high school students to working adults.
WeThinkBig has worked with partners to identify key needs and opportunities, create community partnerships, and co-design community-supported career pathways. Here are just a few examples:
WISCONSIN ACADEMY OF GLOBAL EDUCATION & TRAINING‘s Bridge & Build Initiative
Working with community partners City on a Hill in Milwaukee and Beloit Memorial High School in Beloit, WTB’s work with WAGET and its partners forged collaborations, created opportunities and provided exciting and accessible on-ramps to life and career success. The initiatives feature experiential, employer-validated life and workforce experiences that build knowledge, confidence and capacity to seek careers and strong futures in their communities.
Take a look at just a few highlights:
Introduction to Construction Careers
WTB worked with WAGET, its partners and the construction industry to provide meaningful preparation, career experiences and connections for youth in Milwaukee, including blended curricula to integrate career skills and on-the-site learning, and digital badges to certify credentials. Watch this short video on why this co-design approach was so important. Find out more here.
Introduction to Culinary Careers
Recognizing student talent, career and business opportunities in an urban community, WTB partnered with WAGET, City on a Hill and a locally-owned restaurant to introduce and train youth on the fundamentals of the hospitality industry, including food safety, business development and community service through a specifically tailored academic- and industry-aligned curriculum, blending online, in class and on-site authentic learning experiences. See more here.
Empowering Youth Voice
With Emerald-City-like belief in the power of Lambeau as ‘community’ and instructional support from WTB, Beloit youth developed and shared their voice with Green Bay Packers CEO Mark Murphy and State leaders to bring greater attention to needs and opportunities in their community. Take a look at how empowering youth voice can make a difference!
HENDRICKS CAREER TEK’s Career Micro-Badges
Hendricks CareerTek and WTB worked with local employers, area school districts, and other specialists to create over a dozen work- and career-prep playlists and pipelines, using an approach that blended the best of in-class, on-site and digital learning experiences.
In this co-design process, WTB worked with educators and employers to define and shape needed skills and competencies, resulting in a blended sequence of career- and knowledge-based online and in-community learning experiences. Integrated as ‘playlists’, students learned content, application and skills, and shared evidence of their competencies along the way. Successful learners earned digital badges and micro-credentials that certified their success and career readiness. Badge earners were also invited to job shadow with professionals at local places of employment, providing an important next step of their career journey.
WeThinkBig’s work with CareerTek was recognized by the global innovation organization HundrED and the Grable Foundation as “one of 16 innovations that are remaking learning across America.” Read an excerpt from the “Learning Forerunners Across America” report released by the global innovation leader HundrED here.
CESA 2 Digital Badging to Empower Teachers
Watch and hear how educators at CESA 2 and local school districts used an early pilot project to engage and empower teachers by incorporating digital badging into their professional development experiences.
WHAT ARE DIGITAL BADGES & MICRO-CREDENTIALS?
Highly engaging, blended, and learner-centered educational experiences – created and integrated with and for the local community — are designed to foster life-long learning skills and better prepare young learners for the 21st Century.
- What are Open Digital Badges? Watch this short video.
- How can they be used? Read the Alliance for Excellent Education and the Urban Institute’s reports on how digital badging and micro-credentials can be used to expand education and workforce goals.
- What’s next? Read articles from the Getting Smart Collective about digital badges and micro-credentialing.