Working At The Edge

Make School Different: Digital leadership & Transformation

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#30 of 60: How might we use film as a spark for transformation? šŸ¤”

By Randy Ziegenfuss

#30 of 60: How might we use film as a spark for transformation? šŸ¤”

In October 2020, several organizations partnered to present an online film festival, This is Our Chance film festival.Ā  Spread over a period of three weeks, with each week having a unique focus, full length and short films (mostly documentaries) were curated and followed up with rich online conversations and gatherings. While the festival is ā€œover,ā€ […]

Filed Under: #60DayChallenge

#29 of 60: Is there a place for self-directed learning in human-centered schooling? šŸ¤”

By Randy Ziegenfuss

#29 of 60: Is there a place for self-directed learning in human-centered schooling? šŸ¤”

Back in post #15 on redefining the role of teacher, group member Rachel Girman shared this article on heutagogy… The Definition of Heutagogy and Self-Determined Learning. Hoo-ta-what? Down the rabbit hole…..! šŸ‡šŸ‡ I’ve heard the word previously, but can’t say I was all that familiar with it. AND it seems relevant to our work of […]

Filed Under: #60DayChallenge, Uncategorized

#28 of 60: How do our work/learning environments support vulnerability? šŸ¤”

By Randy Ziegenfuss

#28 of 60: How do our work/learning environments support vulnerability? šŸ¤”

This past week I listened to two podcasts that got me quite energized: Taken for Granted: BrenĆ© Brown on what vulnerability isn’t – conversation with Adam Grant and Brene Brown Brene with Adam Grant on the Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know Yes…they interviewed each other on their podcasts. And it is well worth […]

Filed Under: #60DayChallenge

#27 of 60: Can students flourish if their teachers aren’t? šŸ¤”

By Randy Ziegenfuss

#27 of 60: Can students flourish if their teachers aren’t? šŸ¤”

Let’s move the spotlight to teachers, certainly one of our greatest assets! When we talk about human flourishing, we’re talking about everyone in the system. We can’t have student flourishing if our teachers aren’t also flourishing. But what might that look like? šŸ¤” Teacher flourishing. Using Martin Seligman’s PERMA framework, Zachary Herrmann shares some thoughts […]

Filed Under: #60DayChallenge

#26 of 60: What have we learned from schooling during the pandemic, and how can we use those learnings to design better for the future? šŸ¤”

By Randy Ziegenfuss

#26 of 60: What have we learned from schooling during the pandemic, and how can we use those learnings to design better for the future? šŸ¤”

Peter Gray, psychology researcher and scholar, has published a thought-provoking piece in Psychology Today: A Pandemic Lesson: Family Togetherness Makes Children Happy. He reviews some recent research from Let Grow and the Institute for Family Studies. And here is his suggestion: ā€œSo here is a lesson from the pandemic that I hope will stick: Prior […]

Filed Under: #60DayChallenge

#25 of 60: How can our education systems and operating habits best enable next generation learning, rather than obstruct and diminish it? šŸ¤”

By Randy Ziegenfuss

#25 of 60: How can our education systems and operating habits best enable next generation learning, rather than obstruct and diminish it? šŸ¤”

That’s the question at the foundation of a new research-based framework released by Next Generation Learning Challenges earlier this month. I love the way they have approached this inquiry, and the framework outcome (with its accompanying literature review) has the potential to move us more rapidly toward a tipping point in school transformation. The text […]

Filed Under: #60DayChallenge

#24 of 60: How can information from newsletters accelerate our learning?šŸ¤”

By Randy Ziegenfuss

#24 of 60: How can information from newsletters accelerate our learning?šŸ¤”

The power of the newsletter.Ā  Yes…it can be another email, but a good newsletter can scale your learning. What are some of the best newsletters with content to support the work of school transformation? Here are just five that I find very helpful. Sign up for the ones you find interesting! (if you aren’t already […]

Filed Under: #60DayChallenge

#23 of 60: Does the idea of strategic foresight seem overwhelming considering your current role in education?šŸ¤”

By Randy Ziegenfuss

#23 of 60: Does the idea of strategic foresight seem overwhelming considering your current role in education?šŸ¤”

So far in this challenge we have shared several posts on taking the longview — thinking about the future and taking action to create that future, not simply have it happen toĀ  You’re a teacher. You’re a leader. Do you have to become a futurist as wel Fortunate for us, there are people and organizations […]

Filed Under: #60DayChallenge

#22 of 60: Are we asking the right kinds of questions?šŸ¤”

By Randy Ziegenfuss

#22 of 60: Are we asking the <I>right kinds</i> of questions?šŸ¤”

In my pursuit of the idea of flourishing in education, I ran across a recent book (2020) written by educational philosopher KristjĆ”n KristjĆ”nsson (Flourishing as the Aim of Education). It seems quite relevant for our work here, so I will be sure to share more in the near future.Ā  At the very outset…in the Preface….KristjĆ”nsson […]

Filed Under: #60DayChallenge

#21 of 60: How are we challenging our assumptions?šŸ¤”šŸ¤”šŸ¤”

By Randy Ziegenfuss

#21 of 60: How are we challenging our assumptions?šŸ¤”šŸ¤”šŸ¤”

Just a quote on an image today… I think a good quote can jog our thinking, and this one will. (You can also click on the image to make it larger….) ā€œCollecting data on human learning based on children’s learning in school is like collecting data on killer whales based on their behavior at Sea […]

Filed Under: #60DayChallenge

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About Working At The Edge:

My name is Randy Ziegenfuss, and I'm a retired public school superintendent and a life-long educator with over 34 years experience developing a passion for teaching, learning, leadership and technology. <read more...>

I first came across the phrase working at the edgeĀ while learning about the work of Marzano, et al.Ā School Leadership That Works: From Research to Results.Ā In this work, the researchers define 21 responsibilities of the school leader, one being change agent.Ā A change agent is defined as one who is, "...willing to challenge school practices that have been in place for a long time and promoting the value ofĀ working at the edge of one's competence."

Randy Ziegenfuss, Ed.D.

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