A shared vision is a critical first step for any learning community seeking to take up competency design. A learning community may be a single school, a district or a state – and a shared vision at the state level unlocks possibilities for policy innovation that are not possible without it.
A shared vision:
- Unifies the learning community’s commitment toward a common purpose
- Ensures ownership through collective decision-making and accountability
- Allows everyone involved to understand their role in achieving equitable outcomes for each learner
- Is essential for alignment and coherence of the system
- Becomes the north star that anchors every design element to come
Parents, students, educators, businesses, postsecondary and community groups should all play a part in creating a shared vision. This creates a culture of belonging and shared accountability. One way learning communities can establish a shared vision is with a Portrait of a Learner (also referred to as a Portrait of a Graduate) which describes key outcomes for each graduate of the system.
