The New Learning Compact: A Systemic Approach to a Systemic Problem
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Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Abstract
To meet looming challenges, higher education must focus more strategically on
learning— student learning, faculty and staff learning (professional learning), and
institutional development as adaptive learning organizations.
Research has demonstrated the value of evidence-based pedagogies and professional
learning “done well” in advancing learning-centered adaptive change. Yet higher
education has not focused the systemic attention needed to scale these approaches.
The New Learning Compact (NLC) Framework identifies evidence-based strategies to
address this problem, offering design principles for professional learning that is systemic,
coconstructed, equity-focused, and personally empowering for students and educators.
The NLC authors and Achieving the Dream (ATD) guided community colleges and
historically Black colleges and universities in field testing the NLC Framework and related
resources. Using NLC and ATD tools, campus teams developed and implemented strategic
professional learning action keyed to institution-wide priority needs.
Preliminary results are encouraging, demonstrating changes in professional learning
strategies and the institutional adoption of more systemic approaches to learning, equity
and change.