In January 2016, the Vision in Practice blog was created — by Texas educators for Texas educators — to provide insight into classrooms, campuses, and districts that are transforming teaching and learning to meet the needs of students in the 21st century.

Spearheading the project and serving as its main authors are Mary Kemper, Director of Mathematics, Coppell ISD, and Catherine McGuinness, Educational Technology Trainer, Mansfield ISD. Guest contributors will include teachers and instructional technology coordinators from school districts across Texas.

“We hope to break down the barriers of physical distance between teachers and classrooms across our great state by using this blog in its digital platform to showcase and share stories of transformation,” Kemper says. “Districts, campuses, and teachers are committed to this work, and we hope share with our readers and inspire them with this evidence of the vision in practice.”

Posts provide examples from real Texas classrooms and schools where teaching and learning is being transformed to better prepare students for the future. Topics so far have ranged from student robotics programs to innovative assessment methods that allow teachers to frequently check the level of student understanding.

One post focuses on TASA on iTunes U, a library of digital resource collections, organized by course, that teachers may access for free so they can include digital learning opportunities in their lessons that are aligned with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Both Kemper and McGuinness are content leads for the TASA on iTunes U project.

All content posted in Vision in Practice supports the principles outlined in Creating a New Vision for Public Education in Texas, which guides Mission: School Transformation, including the importance of digital learning and multiple assessments.

Follow the blog (an email signup option is provided) for examples and stories of school transformation across Texas.