Authentic Lessons for 21st Century Learning

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Shayna Pond's Profile

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Shayna Pond

Adult Learning Designer

K20 Center

About Me

Recent Publications

This brief explores the impact of The Degree Project (TDP) promise scholarship on high school students' college financial knowledge and choice. Despite early awareness of the scholarship, students had limited understanding of how to finance college, highlighting the need for additional academic and... Read more »

This brief examines the impact of career courses and group counseling on high school students' career decision-making self-efficacy and difficulties. The study found that career courses increase self-efficacy, while the addition of group counseling significantly reduces decision-making difficulties. Read more »

The Qball is a throwable, wireless microphone wrapped in durable foam, designed to engage students, amplify their voices, and encourage active participation. Read more »

Tech Tool
Hot Potato

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Preschool - Secondary

The Hot Potato strategy is an interactive, quick-paced activity that encourages participants to reflect on and discuss various topics or strategies. Participants pass a ball. Whoever has or is nearest to the ball when time runs out must answer the posed question. By incorporating an element of unpredictability,... Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Large Group (at least 30), Medium Group (at least 10), Small Group, Small Group (at least 4), Whole Class

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening, Explore/Learning Activity, Explain/Closing, Extend/Additional Learning Activity, Evaluate/Assessment, Engage

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • 10 - 20 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Activate Prior Knowledge, Brainstorming, Conversation Starter, Elaborate, Evaluate, Reason, Reflection, Review, Self-assessment, Speak & Listen, Summarize, Synthesize

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Preschool - Secondary
Symphony of Sentences

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 1st - 12th

Use this strategy as a warm-up for deeper analysis or conversation to ensure that all voices are heard and to create a cohesive and reflective discussion. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Individual, Large Group (at least 30), Medium Group (at least 10), Small Group, Small Group (at least 4), Whole Class

Copied To Clipboard Placement In Lesson

  • Engage/Opening, Explore/Learning Activity, Evaluate/Assessment, Engage

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • 20 - 30 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Active Engagement, Conversation Starter, Review, Speak & Listen, Summarize, Synthesize, Text analysis

Grade Level Grade Level

  • 1st - 12th
Inquiry Toolbox

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Preschool - Secondary

This collection offers professional learning and strategies designed to support the Inquiry Cycle, a research-driven framework that empowers instructional leadership teams to pursue continuous improvement through data-driven practices. Schools and classrooms that embrace this process consistently demonstrate... Read more »

Lesson Collection

This strategy guides students to reflect on an experience or reading by identifying key takeaways, points of confusion, and areas of disagreement or discomfort. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

PACT works well for long-term goals that have deep significance to an individual or community. Using the PACT Pyramid enables us to define our goals and to identify actions that move us toward the goal. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy
SMART Goals

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Undergraduate - Secondary

By following the SMART goals criteria, students, teachers, and schools can set actionable, clear, and realistic goals that increase the likeliness of achieving desired outcomes. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy

User Group Group Size

  • Individual, Large Group (at least 30), Medium Group (at least 10), Small Group (at least 4), Whole Class

Time Frame Time To Complete

  • 10 - 20 Minutes, 20 - 30 Minutes, More Than 30 Minutes

Tag Intention Or Purpose

  • Action Plans

Grade Level Grade Level

  • Undergraduate - Secondary

OKRs are a goal-setting framework that aligns a clear and ambitious goal with measurable outcomes that indicate achieved results. Read more »

Strategy Instructional Strategy