Michigan Virtual

Category: School Leader Insights

The Digital Backpack - Your Resource For Online Learning
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Portrait of a Graduate 101 Part 1

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For decades, education systems have relied on familiar benchmarks but struggle to capture what young people actually need to navigate a rapidly changing world. This gap between what we measure and what truly matters has led many districts to a powerful organizing idea: the Portrait of a Graduate.

Leadership, School Leader Insights
FEB 18, 2026
Leadership, School Leader Insights, Artificial Intelligence
NOV 25, 2025
Leadership, Podcasts, School Leader Insights
OCT 13, 2025
Leadership, School Leader Insights
JUN 10, 2025
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School Leader Insights: Leading Toward Success

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this final blog post of the series, we discuss how to lead a new digital learning program toward success in the long term.

Leadership, Research, School Leader Insights
SEP 23, 2021
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School Leader Insights: Shifting School Operations to Support Digital Learning

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss the importance of shifting school operations to support digital learning. Significant implementation challenges arise without staying in touch and coordinating with a variety of stakeholders responsible for school operations.

Leadership, Research, School Leader Insights
SEP 21, 2021
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School Leader Insights: Professional Learning as a Catalyst for Change

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss how professional learning programs for teachers can provide job satisfaction, improve digital learning outcomes for students, and serve as a catalyst for change.

Leadership, Research, School Leader Insights
SEP 16, 2021
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School Leader Insights: Technology as a Foundation

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss the importance of thinking deliberately about technology. Some might think that a digital learning initiative should start with technology. However, to leverage technology effectively to reach certain digital learning goals, leaders need to execute a project vision based on a clear understanding of the interplay between curriculum, instruction, and assessment and the needs of all members of a school community.

Leadership, Research, School Leader Insights
SEP 14, 2021
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School Leader Insights: The Interplay Between Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss the importance of understanding the relationship between curriculum, instruction, and assessment in designing digital learning experiences that align with the underlying purposes for why a digital learning initiative is pursued in the first place.

Leadership, Research, School Leader Insights
SEP 09, 2021
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School Leader Insights: Institutionalizing a Vision for Digital Learning

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute

The School Leader Insights blog series provides school leaders with practical guidance and advice on how to develop and support digital learning programs within their schools and districts. Based on research and on-the-ground experiences working with school leaders, Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute aims to identify and share effective practices with these school leaders to support their work and encourage their success. In this blog post, we discuss the process of developing a shared vision among school and district stakeholders and the process by which school leaders may institutionalize the vision for continued growth and sustainability.

Leadership, Research, School Leader Insights
SEP 07, 2021