District leaders face a dual challenge: maintaining student engagement in a distracted world while also supporting teachers as they adapt to ongoing changes in classroom practices to meet evolving real-world demands and expectations for college and career readiness.

To accomplish this task, there must be a shift to incorporating the durable skills that will set students up for success, no matter what their path. “With technology changing faster than ever, and the added factor of artificial intelligence in the workplace, transferable skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication, have become the currency for future success,” says Doug Ferguson, curriculum developer and former AVID Senior Learning Designer.

Embracing these new realities introduces exciting possibilities for instructors eager for a more dynamic classroom environment. Yet incorporating standards-based learning across a broad range of academic content can be challenging. That’s where immersive professional development comes in, helping teachers design purposeful, student-centered lessons that inspire curiosity, build academic mastery and prepare students for their futures.

Empowering educators leads to higher retention and stronger instructional quality, creating classrooms where both teachers and students are engaged.

What Future-Ready Learning Looks Like Today

Project-based learning and integrated STEM instruction provide students with opportunities to apply rigorous academic content in real-world contexts as they build future-ready proficiencies. 

While the emphasis was previously on acquiring capabilities such as programming, Ferguson points out that the emerging focus is on practicing and applying underlying skills, such as computational thinking. “When students can recognize patterns, understand algorithms and identify key information, they are able to solve complex problems of any type—whether they’re applying artificial intelligence in new and unique ways today or eventually using as-yet-imagined technological tools.”

But students don’t need elaborate technology tools to acquire these competencies. Instead, schools can turn to project-based activities, such as paper bridge-building or cardboard egg-drop experiments. The key is to ensure there’s some level of integration of science, technology, engineering and math.

AVID^® offerings support these learning goals through the consistent integration of the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework, which closes the opportunity gap by providing access to unique experiences that improve students’ overall background knowledge, awareness and application of these capabilities.

“An emphasis on establishing effective instruction, systems, culture and leadership sets the foundation across our trainings and resources,” Ferguson says, pointing to offerings such as:

• AVID Future Lab. A free, 10-lesson project-based unit that invites high school students to use design thinking to address the real-world challenge of social media’s impact on mental health, identity and digital citizenship.
• AVID’s Math and Science Summer Bridge. This program offers high-engagement math and science content designed to accelerate readiness by enhancing students’ critical thinking, reasoning and problem-solving skills through interactive and collaborative lessons and activities.
• AVID Professional Learning Communities of Practice. Topic-focused groups designed to be collaborative and role-specific, deepening educators' expertise in evidence-based strategies, such as WICOR^® (an AVID methodology that stands for Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization and Reading) and inquiry-driven instruction.
• AVID STEM Connections^®. Teachers can access lesson plans and ancillary materials and incorporate STEM experiences into any classroom, across subjects and grade levels.

How Professional Development Brings Learning Alive

While educators understand the “why” behind these fresh types of learning, they might struggle with the “how.” Recognizing why educators may feel underprepared with STEM instruction, whether because of the pace at which technology is changing or a lack of exposure to hands-on project-based learning during their own education, is easy.

Robust professional development can help bridge the confidence gap while simultaneously reigniting the spark of curiosity and excitement that can inspire teachers toward more energized classrooms.

Recent independent research reinforces this connection. Studies of AVID Elementary and AVID Excel^®. found that when educators engaged in sustained professional learning and implemented strategies with fidelity, teachers reported higher confidence, stronger inclusive classroom cultures and noticeable improvements in student behavior and performance. In schools with strong implementation, these shifts were accompanied by improved literacy outcomes in elementary grades and higher English language proficiency growth for multilingual learners in middle school.

AVID approaches professional learning as a long-term growth experience that starts with an initial training experience where teachers practice their new learning in context. Ferguson emphasizes that it’s not simply a “sit and get” class. “It’s an opportunity to experience, discuss and practice together with other teachers, while learning from experienced educators,” he says.

And that’s just the first step in a collaborative, ongoing journey that supports educators in sharing learning aligned with the AVID College and Career Readiness Framework across their schools. “In this sense, AVID professional learning provides a platform for teachers to grow as learners while progressing to leaders in their professional learning communities,” Ferguson explains.

Leading Through Change With Confidence

The world is changing, and districts know that the modern learning environment will continue to adapt. Meaning, teachers need support as they aim to acquire the knowledge and tools to inspire the next generation of thinkers.

Turning to AVID demonstrates a district’s commitment to its entire community—teachers, students and families, says Ferguson. “Our goal is to help teachers insist on rigor, break down barriers and most of all, advocate for students.” 

Learn more at AVID.org.