Building off a wildly successful year of partnerships, Columbus State University and the Muscogee County School District are taking their professional development efforts to another level by hyperfocusing their combined expertise on over 300 educators at a transformative learning work session next week.
 
Professional educators from MCSD, CSU, the Springer, and the RiverCenter will convene at CSU on Monday for the second annual E3 conference. Short for Engage, Equip and Energize, E3 is a roadmap for transformative education in the 21st century.  Interested educators (from Pre-K through doctoral educators) are able to attend through an individual application process. In addition, entire MCSD schools were able to apply to participate in this conference as well as additional professional development sessions throughout the year. In additional to CSU faculty, staff, and administrators, all faculty and staff members from each of the “E3" schools will be participating. These schools include: Dimon Elementary, Blanchard Elementary, Key Elementary, and Baker Middle School.
 
This year’s conference is from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at CSU’s Lumpkin Center for all those pre-registered for the event.
 
“We are coming together to help inspire learning for all students. We are creating opportunities for collaboration across the educational community, helping to energize each other, and activate some innovative ideas,” said CSU President Chris Markwood. “Our goal is to address the entire local educational ecosystem with the tools and active learning strategies to prepare students for the 21st century workforce and for jobs that do not yet exist. While some other districts and universities are working on some of these things, we believe that how we are doing this together is historic.”
 
Chief among the goals is to promote active learning techniques that incorporate essential skills desired by today’s employers. Such skills include real-world problem-solving, working well in teams, communicating effectively, and meeting professional workplace expectations. Instructors will use brain-based concepts to promote efficiency and effectiveness in the classroom so educators can do more, in less time, with limited resources.
 
“Last year, we invited educators from all levels of education,” said David Lewis, superintendent of the Muscogee County School System. “We are doing that again. In addition, we will provide further professional development this year in the four schools that applied and made the case for a yearlong effort at their school to look for new ways to engage and inspire their students.”
 
CSU officials also expect the conference to have long-term impact for CSU faculty and staff.
 
“The E3 Transformative Learning Conference provides a vibrant venue for CSU faculty and staff to explore brain-based research and develop teaching strategies that will enhance the learning of today’s college students,” said Deborah Bordelon, CSU provost and executive vice president. “Faculty will be able to tap into their discipline specific content and discuss with educators from CSU and MCSD how to actively engage students in making the classroom and course content relevant and dynamic.”