KSDC Commitments—A Message from KSDC’s President

Grasping the Power of the 21st Century for Learning

The Kansas Staff Development Council (KSDC) is sending forth a “Call to Action” to all professional learners! Professional learning must be the priority in every planning and instructional conversation. KSDC challenges educators to reflect on current practice and job embedded professional learning in your school or district. We invite you to join or renew your KSDC membership and talk with KSDC board members/members about our Action Plan for the coming year.

KSDC, an affiliate of NSDC, is active and growing. We have members connecting with each other, with NSDC and taking part in the NSDC Academy.

The KSDC Action Plan has a two-pronged focus on 21st Century Skills and Measuring Impact. Our 21st Century Skills learning days, held during June 2010 in Topeka, were exciting. Educators came together to work through what a 21st Century framework looks like in a school or district. At our most recent Leadership Conference, held in April 2010 in Wichita, KSDC members worked on refining strategies for measuring impact with Joellen Killion, NSDC Deputy Executive Director.

In the upcoming months, KSDC members will utilize KSDC’s online publication, Direct Connection, this website, and our new Facebook group page as avenues for sharing information, research and progress regarding 21st Century learning and measuring impact in Kansas schools and districts. These articles or notes will offer reviews of current research, real school and district scenarios, and learning tools.

Ultimately, KSDC’s “Call to Action” aims to clearly show and share how teacher learning is linked to student learning and how to provide the evidence for evaluation of professional learning, all in the midst of grasping this new world of digital learning.

Come join us in the journey! You will find a membership application in the Membership section of this website.

Jan Neufeld, KSDC President