"When technology enables a truly global connected intelligence, the kind of insights we are going to be able to have, we can’t even imagine it yet.” - Artist Tiffany Shlain
Pathways and Journeys digital portal is an OER (Open educational resource) that is a collection of media from storytellers and exemplars who are thought leaders and innovators in the field of education. We believe that every student is unique and deserves a learning experience that empowers them to achieve success. Education should fuel a passionate response within every student - supporting their personal growth and their ability to be catalysts for change in their communities.
Millions of dollars have been invested in educational media to transform 21st-century education, yet much of this investment has been in projects that failed to scale beyond single-use applications. While new technologies have improved our ability to access and deliver education, it was the Covid-19 pandemic that truly forced a transformation in educational practices, paving the way for new learning approaches. Today, 50% of students express a desire not to return to traditional learning methods, citing a lack of purpose in their education.
Therefore, we believe that:
Every person is unique in their abilities.
Diversity is more than how you look, it’s how you think.
Education is more than where you go to school.
With this mind, Pathways and Journeys is a Progressive Web App with a database of over 4,000 pieces of relevant short form video, optimized for mobile learning. We use emerging technologies to create personalized, engaging learning experiences tailored to each user's needs, strengths, and curiosities that provide multiple pathways for exploration, enabling learners to engage in ways that resonate most deeply with them. We focus on character and competencies, tailored to GenZ, leveraging OERs, and play a complementary role in supporting holistic education alongside existing educational resources.
Our Content Hub leverages Mobile Learning and AI tools to foster the development of skills crucial for the 21st century. It recognizes neurodiversity as a cornerstone of educational innovation, offering alternative learning methods through short bursts of content (15–20 minutes) spread over time. This approach allows learners the space for reflection and practical application in their daily lives.
Our roadmap introduces modules that empower teachers to integrate non-foundational literacies, such as Character and Critical Thinking, alongside foundational skills. These concepts are explored within real-world contexts, granting learners flexibility in when they receive, reflect upon, and internalize the material. This personalized approach enables them to actively apply what they've learned in their own lives.
We are redefining learning by shifting from traditional hour-long classroom modules to brief, interactive experiences that engage users on a deeper level. When students recognize their own strengths and identify strengths in others, they develop a deeper sense of empathy and confidence. This process fosters both individual growth and collaborative learning, preparing them to succeed and contribute to the greater good in a diverse, ever-evolving, interconnected world.
Updates
Project FAQ
What inspired you to create this project?
The pandemic and the divisiveness in our nation have made me aware of a great need for educating young people to participate in a Civil Society. Current educational trends are silo solutions on a small scale. Many bandage solutions are being presented, but they need to offer a holistic approach that is scalable, sustainable, and able to engage a pluralistic society. During the pandemic, I started writing grants for friends with educational non-profits, and through research, I discovered that there were many ideas, some of them exemplary, but they were being developed for a small audience, never scaled, and then discarded. I saw this as a wealth of professionally produced media to be curated, that could provide multiple solutions to the multiple learning styles of students.
How is your project empowering to our world?
We live in an interconnected world, and students need to be educated for a global society. The internet offers us opportunities to reach across cultures to understand and collaborate on issues that affect us all. To be effective, this information overload needs to be curated, educators need to be able to facilitate information to guide students to personalize their education. This project is an example of how to curate best practices and engage students in meaningful dialogues to develop 21st century skills and competencies.
What is the message of your project?
When technology enables a truly global connected intelligence, the kind of insights we are going to be able to have, we can’t even imagine it yet.
Is there a social activism component?
Our project addresses Civic Literacy https://pathwaysandjourneys.com/civic-literacy, Digital Literacy https://pathwaysandjourneys.com/digital-literacy and Conflict Resolution https://pathwaysandjourneys.com/conflict-resolution, with a Content Hub that includes resources for social activism https://pathwaysandjourneys.com/education-resources