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What if... MVC (Minimum Viable Curriculum)?

In Expeditionaries, we use an MVC approach: student teams identify a social impact challenge, then frame a specific point of view (POV) in order to generate a universe of possible solutions. After they select one idea to prototype, they begin to saturate the space around their POV statement with questions. Those questions drive the next iteration of the MVC. This process repeats as they build, test, and learn from their prototypes. The next Expedition will take place in New York City over MLK Jr Day Weekend.


What if we were to design MVCs: Minimum Viable Curricula centered on just enough content to empower learners to examine questions or pursue challenges with rigor?

Then, as learners go deeper into a question or challenge, they update their MVC…

…which is pretty much how learning happens in the real world.

Inspired by this Forbes article about the future of learning, in which the author posits a shift:

“From ‘just-in-case’ to ‘just-in-time’: Learning used to be something that you did for a long time at the beginning of your career. Now more and more you have to update yourself, learning new skills, new information, new perspectives.

“Experts and professionals should think more about what they need to do to stay current and relevant and create a plan for themselves, underpinned by perhaps nontraditional modes of learning like online learn along with mentoring, shadowing, and learning from experts.”

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Each Wednesday we share a "what if" scenario. These are not suggestions as much as provocations.

If you have a "what if" scenario you would like to share, just send an email (and indicate whether you would like it attributed it to you).

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