Resources+-+Case+Studies+-+The+Hawaii+Community+Foundation—Schools+of+the+Future

**//Overview//**
"Schools of the Future (SOTF) is a five-year, capacity building initiative begun in 2008 by the Hawaii Community Foundation (HCF) and the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools (HAIS). It is designed to transform the learning environments and teaching strategies of independent schools in support of student-centered, project-based learning” (SOTF Overview). The initiative is helping educators bridge the gap between the learning environments of our schools, and the living and working environments of the 21st century. Twenty schools in Hawaii were awarded SOTF grants in 2009.

SOTF provides funding to free up time for teachers and staff to think through new learning strategies; offers professional development opportunities, upgrades participating schools’ technological infrastructure, and supports the implementation of new learning strategies in the classroom. The “Community of Learners” network grew out of HCF's review of the original SOTF proposals. Foundation staff realized schools were struggling with a shared set of issues related to behavioral change. At the time, HCF was using a network approach to connect youth development leaders across the islands. Drawing on this experience, the Foundation saw an opportunity to create a learning network through which SOTF educators could make progress on their individual problems by drawing on their collective experiences.

What they do:
 * SOTF schools to take part in a “Community of Learners” (CoL). Through the CoL, grantees take part in quarterly gatherings to address shared problems of practice. Each year one of these gatherings is a “study tour” to institutions that are pioneering 21st Century learning practices.
 * SOTF schools also use a social networking platform (futureschools.ning.com), which provides a space for schools to participate in regular online discussions and share information about learning resources. Membership in the Ning is open, and many educators from schools outside of SOTF are members.
 * HAIS supports coordination and weaving of the network.

//Results://

 * The SOTF Ning site has 542 members and has had almost 8,000 visitors from across the globe since mid-2009. In addition to resource sharing among SOTF grantees, it is serving as a space for engaging a broader network of public school educators.
 * In October 2010, HCF and HAIS hosted a conference to share learning from SOTF and more than 1,000 educators from both public and private schools attended.

//Lessons Learned://

 * //Build internal and external networks//. In addition to the CoL, some SOTF schools have created “Professional Learning Groups” – learning groups inside of their schools. Schools with PLGs are making better progress on implementing their projects; they're helping to facilitate learning and change within these schools.
 * //Let the network drive the agenda//. HCF and HAIS observed that CoL gatherings were less productive when the agenda was dominated by outside experts. Satisfaction with the CoLs went up when the schools' interests drove the agenda.
 * //Open up the conversation//. Initially, SOTF tried to engage participants through small group conversations on the Ning by dividing participants into three groups of six schools each. To open up the discussion, they’ve decided to do away with small groups and integrate all schools into one large group.
 * //Having both content area and network expertise is important for the success of the initiative//. While HAIS brings tremendous knowledge of the education field to the HCF-HAIS collaboration, the partnership lacks practical expertise in facilitating the peer learning experience and weaving the network. Going forward, they’re exploring ways to bring in more network weaving and facilitation capacity.

//Questions Addressed://

 * //How to cultivate leadership in networks?//
 * //How do networks evolve?//
 * //What are the implications for who /what to fund?//
 * //How to nurture sustainable networks?//
 * //What network infrastructure and staffing are needed?//

//Sources://

 * Schools of the Future 2-Page Overview
 * Schools of the Future 2010 Survey Executive Summary
 * Conversation with Pi’ikea Miller, March 2011