On January 16-18, 2019, San Diego Unified School District hosted the first Power of Pathways and Partnership Conference with University of California San Diego and ConnectED.  The convening was truly an “unconference,” with nearly 300 education leaders from across the country participating in project-based, experiential learning activities. With SeaWorld as our backdrop, we started by recreating the educational experience for middle school students—visiting the park in the future. Small groups of participants could be seen throughout the park, warming up their creative inquiry skills before coming back together as a group to share ideas.

Deep Pathway Dives

Before Leaving SeaWorld, participants chose a specific area of interest to guide their learning over the next day and a half.  Deep dives included:

  • Laying the Foundation for High Quality Pathways
  • Building the Structures for Sustainable Success
  • Students in Action: Models of Powerful Work-based Learning
  • Expanding Horizons: Interest-Driven Industry Involved Excursions
  • Rigorous and Relevant Project-based learning
  • The Big Game: Designing for Peak Moments.

We at ConnectED would like to congratulate San Diego Unified for hosting this amazing convening, including Cindy Marten, Cheryl Hibbeln, Genevieve Clark, Liz Perry, Michael Goodbody, Dean Darley, Nate Sachdev, Reuben Hoffman, Candice Fee, and the over 35 volunteers from throughout the district.   We recognize their team for not only being great hosts, but for facilitating so many opportunities to see Linked Learning in action throughout the district and in the community.  Through multiple K-12 school tours and visits to district’s partners like SeaWorld, the Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum, Rady Children’s hospital, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Training Facility, BioLabs, University of California San Diego, and several community college campuses, participants got a firsthand look at the remarkable efforts going on in San Diego Unified School District.

Even with a little rain, it certainly didn’t dampen the spirit of the participants as many commented, “this has been one of the best professional development opportunities I have ever participated in!” We wholeheartedly agree.