Design Challenge 1: How to enable teachers to have the greatest impact on learners
Odyssey School
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(presentation and commentary from Dale Dougherty, MAKE and Suzanne Walsh, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)
Students choose their own adventure path to learning at the Odyssey School. Based on students’ individual interests (even surfing!), teachers create lesson plans around topics. The cross-disciplinary approach builds on students’ natural interests and creates unexpected learning communities.
YODA
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(presentation and commentary from Dale Dougherty, MAKE and Suzanne Walsh, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)
YODA, Your Own Daily Activator, is an alert system that tracks the social and emotional needs of learners and, in response, activates personal support networks. YODA prompts learners’ social and emotional support through multiple data streams such as class and workload schedules, teacher interactions, and phone and in-person check-ins. For example, a student studying for the SATs receives fresh fruit and vegetables courtesy of YODA.
mI E Plan
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(presentation and commentary from Dale Dougherty, MAKE and Suzanne Walsh, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)
mI E Plan, my individual education plan, is a continually updated online profile of students’ both learning and social growth. Teachers can access students’ standards, skills, testing, learning styles, and emotional state.
Passion Playground
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(presentation and commentary from Dale Dougherty, MAKE and Suzanne Walsh, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)
The Passion Playground is an online space for teachers, students, and the public to share their passions. Composed of videos and resources, the Passion Playground inspires individual expression and community connections.

Design Challenge 2: How to create learning opportunities for students pushed out of formal education
Got Your Back
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(presentation and commentary from Dale Dougherty, MAKE and Suzanne Walsh, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)
Got Your Back is a multi-tiered program for keeping students in school. The Dropout Concierge supports students’ education goals and the Got Your Back logo on workplace windows indicate opportunities to keep students engaged. Typing Got Your Back into cell phones also provides support and resources.
School Suckcessful
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(presentation and commentary from Dale Dougherty, MAKE and Suzanne Walsh, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)
The School Suckcessful program is designed to help people who are, or are about to be, pushed out of traditional learning by providing support and information that will either help them stay in school or find viable alternative paths to continue their education. Interactions are both in-person and online and include connecting with other push outs to learn from their experiences and gain ideas around alternative paths of learning.
Building Relationships Through Feedback
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(presentation and commentary from Dale Dougherty, MAKE and Suzanne Walsh, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)
The Builder Project is a mentorship program that connects students with the people and resources they need to reach their learning goals. An intricate feedback framework allows students to communicate their needs as they progress toward goals.

Design Challenge 3: How to create alternatives for certifying or credentialing learning, as a means of expanding education and career opportunities
LearningMash
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(presentation and commentary from Dale Dougherty, MAKE and Suzanne Walsh, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)
LearningMash is a research portal for learners to search credentialing programs, formal or informal, and create their own career paths. LearningMash shifts the focus from credentials to competencies with CART (Competency ARticulation Tool). CART validates artifacts and provides endorsements, creating a three-dimensional resume. Virtual counseling is also available for students.
Street Cred
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(presentation and commentary from Dale Dougherty, MAKE and Suzanne Walsh, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation)
Street Cred recognizes and assesses all learning and measuring as it provides a path to non-traditional certification. Portfolios are learner-centered and owned, versus school property, and are searchable by the entire world of opportunities.