Personalized Education Through Blended Learning and ESTEAM Initiative
With the help of the Tribe and with funding and support from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, Cherokee Central Schools began implementation of a Blended Learning and ESTEAM (Entrepreneurship, Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) initiative. Working with the Qualla Education Collaborative (QEC) to plan and design the initiative, CCS gathered feedback from various stakeholders before implementing the initiative in June 2017. Cohort 1 teachers began training in Summer 2017. Cohort 2 teachers completed training in February 2018, and Cohort 3 teacher training occurred in Summer 2018.
Professional development included topics on SAMR and TPACK, blended learning strategies, stations, differentiation, student engagement and tech tools. Teachers and Instructional Facilitators also worked on building stronger curriculum, using Understanding by Design principles. Secondary teachers also received Project-Based Learning training.
In addition, administrators participated in professional development around changing the learning environment and effective practices for blended learning.
Through the initial work for the Personalized Education initiative, CCS Instructional Facilitators utilized the new learning to develop the CCS Instructional Commitments and Effective Practices that defines the commitments and practices from cultural and pedagogical perspectives.
In order to tie all the pieces of the initiative together with existing programs, CCS created a map to aid understanding. Check out the CCS Personalized Education Framework (PEF).
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