As educators, our primary goal is to prepare students for success in their academic pursuits and life beyond work. One way to achieve this is to provide educational experiences that allow students to apply their learning to make an impact in their communities, leading to positive social, cultural, and economic change.
The Educators for Impact Reflection Tool is a self-assessment tool designed for educators to reflect on their teaching practices and identify ways to promote change-making competencies in their students. It prompts educators to evaluate their pedagogies, identify areas of improvement, and set goals for their teaching practice.
Reflective practice is essential for educators because it enables them to continuously assess and enhance their teaching methods and pedagogies. By reflecting on their practices, educators can identify knowledge or skills gaps, assess the effectiveness of their teaching methods, and understand their students’ needs, interests, and perspectives.
The Educators for Impact Reflection Tool is divided into five educational practitioner competence areas, each with links to resources, practice, training, and tools to help educators integrate change-making competencies into their teaching practices.
The tool’s primary purpose is formative, seeking to guide and support educators in developing their practice and creating opportunities for students to engage with themes, topics, problems, needs, and interests that they perceive to be essential. By using the Educators for Impact Reflection Tool, educators can help promote change-making competencies in their students, encouraging them to work together to effect positive change in their communities.
Ultimately, educating for impact can contribute to creating a more just, equitable, and sustainable world. The Educators for Impact Reflection Tool is a valuable resource for educators looking to make a positive social, cultural, and economic impact through their teaching practices. By engaging in reflective practice and continuous self-assessment, educators can continuously improve their pedagogies, ultimately contributing to the development of changemakers who can effect positive change in their communities and beyond.