FUSE RI

Our Vision IMG_9663 Launched by the Highlander Institute and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Fuse RI strives to share, implement, evaluate, and scale blended learning by working with educators and districts across the state. The Highlander Institute has assembled a “dream team” of Fuse RI Fellows–educators and administrators from schools around Rhode Island–each of whom is partnered with another district (separate from the one they work in) to assess readiness, analyze data, and help disseminate best blended learning practices based on each district’s specific needs. These districts are supported through the creation of tailored resource playlists, statewide professional learning communities around identified topics, collaboration opportunities with other LEAs, workshops/unconference events, and consulting support through the Highlander Institute. The Fuse RI initiative, a two-year fellowship for RI educators, in which Fuse RI Fellows assist Local Education Agencies to embrace technology and blended learning. History Since its launch in summer 2014 with Cohort 1, the Fuse RI Fellowship has trained 59 Fuse Fellows and partnered with 25 LEAs or Fuse Districts. In January 2015, Highlander Institute created SyraFuse, the first out-of-state iteration of the Fuse program based in Syracuse, NY. There are 18 SyraFuse Fellows from 8 different schools in the Syracuse City School District. Summer 2016 brought another branch of the Fuse program, with Fuse RI Classroom. This initiative brings together early adopter teachers who are eager to become lighthouse classrooms within their own districts, and coaches from outside their LEAs who help guide them in their implementation of blended and personalized learning. Highlander Institute is currently recruiting for Cohort 4 of the Fuse RI Fellowship. If you are a K-12 educator in Rhode Island, please consider applying today! IMG_9506 Purpose 2014 Cohort 1 Boot Camp, Ponaganset High School Leading educational theorists predict that education will be transformed by technology — initially by offering enhancements to the traditional classroom system, and ultimately positioning this system for complete transformation (Clayton Christensen Institute, 2013). As hardware and software become more present in Rhode Island classrooms, educators are searching for efficient ways to identify and implement high-tech practices that have the greatest potential for impact. Our goal in uniting Rhode Island through Fuse RI is to support the strategic use of technology and data to increase personalization, engagement, and the development of essential skills for students across our state. Our Fellows have reached out to all Rhode Island LEAs to share information about blended learning and the Fuse RI program and to gauge initial interest. Whether an LEA partners with Fuse RI or not, all RI LEAs are invited to participate in free Highlander Institute events including the Blended & Personalized Learning Conference, EdTechRI Meet Ups, EdUnderground, EdCampRI and more.