Community Partnership in Education

One of India's most powerful ideas in education didn’t come from Delhi. It came from Tamil Nadu, right after COVID left the country devastated. To address the massive learning gap created by the pandemic, the TN govt launched the 'Illam Thedi Kalvi' program. Millions of kids who had fallen behind were offered after-school remedial classes. To achieve this, 2 lakh women were hired to deliver the classes. This project proved to be a massive success on multiple fronts. Learning outcomes improved by 30% and the program impacted 30 L kids. Not just that, it also provided 2 Lakh women with dignified employment and increased female labour force participation in the state, all while utilizing a mere 2% of the education budget. It’s a shining example of what happens when governments think local, act fast, and care deeply. No wonder other states are looking to replicate it. If there’s a roadmap to rebuilding India’s learning crisis, it might just start from the South.

Collaborating on Credentials The future of the workforce and the future of education lie in collaborative models where industry and academia work together to create relevant, practical learning experiences. Whether through advisory boards, design challenges and projects, or comprehensive microcredential programs, these partnerships are reshaping how we prepare talent for tomorrow's workforce. On a recent podcast, sie.ag/443UxN, I connected with Michael J. Readey and Christy Bozic, PhD, PMP, CPEM to discuss the transformative power of industry-academia partnerships. Together, we have been collaborating on credentials and sustainability to improve the circular economy digital mindset. Here are some insights we discussed that every education and industry leader should consider: The Traditional Model is Evolving: The "degree-only" mindset is shifting as we recognize the growing importance of continuous, skills-based learning. With the majority of credential-seekers being full-time professionals, the demand for flexible, targeted upskilling is clear. Industry-Academia Partnerships Matter: We must continue to invest in partnerships that bridge the critical gap between classroom theory and rapidly changing workplace demands. Together, we can enable faster identification of emerging skill needs and create timely real-world learning opportunities through immersive experiences. This provides learners with early and direct industry exposure. The Rise of Microcredentials: We're seeing a trend of professionals who actively seek, learn, and collect badges and microcredentials for career progression. Agile learning formats offer just-in-time education and experience for quick adaptation to industry needs, and flexible learning paths can address immediate and targeted skill application. Learn more about what hiring managers look for, how to build industry-relevant learning pathways, and what the future holds for collaborative academic-industry relations. I remember when I started in this industry, the focus was on how we could break down the walls between CAD and CAM. There are still walls between academia and industry we must break down. The collaboration we experienced with Michael, Christy, and the University of Colorado Boulder gives me hope for a new path forward. Listen to the full episode and share your perspective below: sie.ag/443UxN.

You talk about sustainable development. But when local knowledge shows up, it’s told: “You don’t fit.” We praise “community-led solutions” in speeches. We reference “grassroots expertise” in proposals. But too often, when it’s time to decide what counts as evidence, What gets funded What gets published The pieces that don't sound, look, or measure like Global North knowledge get quietly pushed aside. What we call a knowledge gap is sometimes just a gap in recognition. Local knowledge isn’t missing. It’s being filtered. This isn’t about adding a token voice to a panel. It’s about changing the frame entirely.... So that what communities know by living, is valued alongside what professionals know by training. Until then, the puzzle will always be missing something essential. Here are 5 ways to redesign for knowledge equity: 1. Co-define what counts as “evidence” → Include stories, oral histories, and lived experience as valid forms of data. 2. Budget for translation, not just language, but meaning → Translate indicators, methods, and outputs across cultural ways of knowing. 3. Hire community researchers as co-investigators → Not assistants. Not footnotes. But as decision-makers in the process. 4. Use participatory tools like Outcome Harvesting or Most Significant Change → They’re designed to surface change from within, not just top-down. 5. Rethink how funding proposals are structured → Many grants require academic English and technical jargon that can exclude grassroots organisations. Push for formats that welcome diverse ways of expressing ideas, like storytelling, diagrams, or even video pitches. Otherwise, we end up funding those who know the language, not necessarily those doing the work. Until local knowledge fits by design, not exception, we’re just solving half the puzzle. #KnowledgeEquity 🔔 Follow me for content related to inclusion and equity

Do we still need public schools? Karen Pittman’s essay, Why Does Public Education Require Public Schools?, dives deep into the critical role that public education plays in shaping a future society – and why schools must lead the way. Pittman underscores how schools are more than just buildings; they’re anchors for community, equity, and opportunity. She highlights how the pandemic showed us both the strengths and limitations of schools taking on extended roles like public health and social services. Her take is that schools can’t (and shouldn’t) do it all alone. Instead, they should operate as community learning hubs, collaborating with other local resources to meet students' academic, emotional, and social needs. This “learning hub” model envisions a more sustainable system where schools focus on their core mission while partners offer wraparound support. By sharing responsibility across community institutions, this model aims to make education more efficient, effective, and equitable. The takeaway? If we want students to thrive, we need a collaborative approach that builds from the strengths of both schools and communities. Schools alone can’t carry the weight of societal change – but they can, and should, lead the charge. I know public schools get a bad rap but that's been a systemic failure on the part of policy and funding. What do you think -- How can we advocate for educational equity for all students? #PublicEducation #CommunitySchools #EquityInEducation #LearningHubs #YouthDevelopment #EducationPolicy https://lnkd.in/eC5AaZpG

Too often, “community” in #edtech is built as an afterthought. A marketing channel. A ticked box. A place to post announcements. But here’s the thing: the best #communities don’t just support your product, they help shape it. I’ve spent the last 20 years building platforms and programs that put teachers at the centre. From my early days building Moodle community, launching Canvas LMS in APAC to growing Quizizz across the region, one pattern has always held true: when you invest in genuine educator communities, adoption isn’t something you chase. It’s something that follows. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way: - Real community starts long before your first post. It starts when you show up without an ask. - It grows when teachers see each other, not just your brand. - And it thrives when educators are given space to lead, share, and shape the direction alongside you. While at Quizizz, we grew an engaged APAC community from zero to 600+ by doing exactly that—turning up, amplifying teacher voices, and creating reasons for them to connect with each other. Not just with us. Because teacher communities aren’t built to make your metrics look good. They’re built to make teachers feel seen, heard, and supported. And when that happens—when teachers feel ownership, when they’re trusted to lead—it’s no longer your community. It’s theirs. And that’s where the real magic starts. So here’s what I’m still thinking about...If you’re trying to build community in education, what does success actually look like for you? #TeacherCommunity #GrowthMarketing #CommunityStrategy #TeacherEngagement #ProductMarketing #K12Education #EducationStrategy #EdTechGrowth #UserEngagement #CommunityLedGrowth #LearningInnovation #EducatorVoices #BuildingInEducation

🤔Every time I attend educational events, I can’t help but get frustrated or even feel sad. ⁉️Professionals like myself, who’ve walked the challenging path of career growth, often find ourselves out of the education ecosystem. 🚨I don’t feel that the next generation are prepared for ever changing job market and on top of that us the professionals our insights, lessons learned, and lived experiences seem undervalued or even overlooked. This really frustrates me and it’s personal. I’ve faced struggles throughout my career that might have been mitigated with better integration between real-world expertise and educational frameworks. Unfortunately, I see similar struggles continuing for others, and it is disheartening. But it doesn’t have to be this way. I’ve been fortunate recently to collaborate with forward-thinking organisations focused on bridging the gap between education and the realities of work, careers, and the future. This experience has reinforced my belief that ✨collaboration is key ✅Integrating Professionals We need to bring industry experts into classrooms—not just for guest lectures, but for active involvement in curriculum design and mentorship. ✅Practical Experience & Soft Skills: Institutions should collaborate more deeply with industries to offer hands-on experience, case studies, and soft skills training that align with current market demands. ✅Open Forums & Policy Influence: Creating open platforms for dialogue between professionals, educators, and policymakers can help align educational programs with workforce realities and emerging trends. ✨I share these thoughts not to criticize but to shed the light on what needs attention. Change is possible when professionals, educators, and institutions come together to build inclusive, future-ready education systems that reflect the demands of the modern workforce. ⁉️How can we foster collaboration, break barriers, and create education systems that truly prepare the next generation for the future of work? Let’s keep pushing for change—together. #EducationReform #futureofeducation #FutureOfWork #Collaboration #BreakingBarriers #CareerGrowth

Parents are a child’s first and most important teachers – but not every family starts from the same place. The latest NAPLAN results prove just that. 1 in 3 students from low socioeconomic backgrounds need additional support to meet basic literacy and numeracy standards. For students from high socioeconomic backgrounds, it’s just 3 in 100. A child’s education doesn’t happen in isolation – it’s shaped by every facet of their life. For young people whose families are struggling with housing, healthcare, a lack of support networks or the costs of school essentials like uniforms and laptops, the barriers quickly stack up. These challenges affect not just their academic outcomes but their wellbeing. Positive connections between home and school environments can make a key difference, and strong school–community partnerships can provide vital support for families facing hardship. But those things alone are not enough. School funding must be directed to the students who face the greatest barriers – barriers that their more advantaged peers simply don’t. The Better and Fairer Schools Agreement commits to fully and fairly funding all public schools by 2034. Now delivery is critical. Those funds must reach the students and schools with the greatest needs and be invested in evidence-based strategies, early intervention and targeted support. https://bit.ly/3IRW1EX

Starting in community today? Here’s the map I wish I had. No fluff, no hype—just what actually helped me build context, confidence, and real connections. 📚 BOOKS: Read like it matters You can’t design for belonging if you don’t understand it. Start here: → The Art of Community – Charles Vogl → The Art of Gathering – Priya Parker → Belong – Radha Agrawal These books give you the frameworks, language, and depth most people skip. 👀 PEOPLE: Inspiring people to follow You learn a lot by watching how the right people think and work. These are the ones I’ve learned most from: → Anamaria Dorgo – Living systems thinker, community in action → Fabian Pfortmüller – Principles-first community building → Jasmine Bina – She’s a cultural futurist. And if you’re not tracking culture, your community won’t land. 📬 NEWSLETTERS: Stay close to thinkers, not trends These newsletters will keep your mind growing while everyone else is posting hot takes: → Group Hug – by Elise Granata → Community Manager Breakfast by – Evan Hamilton → The Art of Gathering – by Priya Parker 🤝 COMMUNITIES: Choose your communities wisely You can’t join everything. Choose 1 of each: → A community for community builders – CMX, The Community Collective, or Led by Community → A community in a field you love – Pick something you actually care about. The only way to learn how it works is to participate. Time and presence matter more than volume. 🌀 EXPERIENCE: Learn through embodied experience This is what shaped my practice more than anything else: → Art of Hosting – Dialogue-based facilitation taught in an immersive setting, transformative for your work and your practice. → Volunteer in real life – Do hard things with people you care about. Join AIESEC or LALA if you’re young—but do it as a learning lab. → Host a local hub – Step into responsibility. If your community offers this opportunity, grab it, challenge yourself, it’ll change how you see community from the inside out. 🧠 FRAMEWORKS: to anchor your thinking → Community Weaving – Community Canvas reimagined: relational, emergent, human. (Soon in Spanish and Portuguese.) → People Magic – Free Mighty Networks masterclass with tactical advice for building real online spaces. The best community builders I know didn’t rush. They paid attention, stayed curious, and kept showing up. That’s the work. If you’re on this path too, I’d love to hear what shaped you—or what you wish you had when starting out.

Like many Kenyan families, I straddle two worlds: my rural home in Migori and urban life in Nairobi. Since taking a break from formal employment, I’ve been spending more time in both places. On one of my recent trips from Migori, I encountered a man—clearly struggling with mental health—who loudly proclaimed: > “If your child is not learning in Nyabisawa, Kakrao, or Kadika, you owe the county six million shillings! If they are learning in Meru, Nairobi, or Kericho, you’re not benefiting Migori.” It was easy to dismiss his rant—until I realized how much truth was hidden in his words. When students attend schools within their home counties, school fees stay local; supporting goods and services that benefit the local economy. But when they study outside, that economic benefit shifts elsewhere. From a local development standpoint, this is a missed opportunity. However, the answer is not to discourage cross-county education entirely. Instead, we need a balanced approach—retaining local students, encouraging outbound experiences, and attracting inbound learners from other counties. This will both support local economies and advance national cohesion and Integration During my time in school, prestige and opportunity were tiered—and we all aspired to move beyond our immediate environments. Whether for academic excellence, cultural exposure, or career pathways, going to school away from home broadened our horizons. These benefits continue to be relevant today First, learning outside one’s county promotes social adaptability, broadens perspectives and fosters appreciation for Kenya’s cultural diversity. Secondly, some counties host schools with better facilities and academic outcomes. Attending such institutions opens doors to higher quality education. Thirdly being far from home often forces students to be more disciplined. With fewer local distractions, they focus more on academics and develop self-reliance, time management, and responsibility. Lastly, cross-county education helps build national networks that endure beyond the classroom. Counties can partner with the Ministry of Education to attract students and improve local schools as follows; Equip schools with modern facilities—labs, libraries, ICT hubs, and safe, well-maintained dormitories. Create centers of excellence in science, agriculture, sports, arts, or technology based on county strengths. Strengthen Co-curricular Programs to attract national attention and enrollment. Promote Safety and Well-Being to appeal to both students and educators. Collaborate with universities, NGOs, and private sector partners to offer mentorships, competitions, and exposure pograms Final Thought: Cross-county education should not be viewed as a drain on local economies, but as an opportunity to build bridges. With intentional investment and collaborative policy-making, we can foster educational excellence and national unity—all while keeping counties economically vibrant.

At a time when schools nationwide are grappling with chronic absence and widening achievement gaps, the Learning Policy Institute has issued a new report with encouraging findings from research on community schools. Early participants in the California Community Schools Partnership Program—the nation’s largest community schools initiative serving 2500 schools—saw significantly reduced chronic absenteeism, lower suspension rates, and improved math and ELA achievement after just one year of implementing the strategy. The largest improvements were experienced by black students and English learners. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gAP3Wjs6