In this episode of No Such Thing, I talk with Laura Slover, Managing Director of the Skills for the Future initiative—a joint effort by ETS and the Carnegie Foundation. We explore what it means to move beyond the century-old Carnegie Unit and toward a system that captures the full spectrum of what learners know and can do.

From internships to outdoor leadership, from dashboards to transcripts that actually reflect growth—this conversation is for anyone thinking about how we build a more human, equitable, and future-ready education system.

Links:

1. Sasha Bruce Youthwork https://www.sashabruce.org/
2. https://aschoolwithoutwalls.org/
3. https://www.hightechhigh.org/
4. ETS's official Skills for the Future page – This outlines the initiative’s goals, including competency-based learning and skill recognition, backed by ETS’s expertise in educational measurement.
5. Carnegie Foundation’s Skills for the Future initiative – A deep dive into how the program is shifting education from time-based to competency-based learning, with a focus on essential skills beyond traditional academics.
6. Indiana State Board of Education report – A detailed research paper discussing the transition from time-based education models to skill-based insights, highlighting the empirical evidence supporting this shift.
7. Explainer on modern skills-based assessment – A paper from Carnegie Foundation discussing the limitations of traditional assessments and how Skills for the Future is innovating measurement techniques.
8. ETS & Carnegie’s framework for durable skills – A breakdown of the essential skills identified for success across life domains, emphasizing developmental skill progressions and personalized learning.
9. https://www.carnegiefoundation.org/resources/publications/carnegie-unit/
10. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1057177
11. https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=38
12. https://www.nagb.gov/news-and-events/news-releases/2025/nations-report-card-decline-in-reading-progress-in-math.html
13. https://christophegaron.com/articles/mind/how-do-kids-change-during-the-summer-insights-on-summer-growth-in-children/
14. https://www.tulsakids.com/brains-on-break/

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Exploring how simulations are shaping education research and practice, with insights from the book Promoting Equity through Approximations of Practice in Mathematics Education. It examines how approximations of practice can help educators sharpen their skills while keeping equity at the forefront. It’s not just about improving instruction; it’s about ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have access to high-quality learning experiences.

Links:

Lee, C., Bondurant, L., Sapkota, B., Howell, H. (2025). Promoting equity in approximations of practice for mathematics teachers. IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1164-6

Benoit, G., Barno, E., & Reich, J. (2025). Simulating Equitable Discussions Using Practice-Based Teacher Education in Math Professional Learning. In C. Wilkerson Lee, L. Bondurant, B. Sapkota, & H. Howell (Eds.), Promoting Equity in Approximations of Practice for Mathematics Teachers (pp. 165-200). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1164-6.ch008

Shaughnessy, M., Boerst, T. A., Garcia, N., & Claiborne, B. (2025). Orienting to Student Sense-Making: Using Simulations to Support the Development of Equitable Mathematics Teaching. In C. Wilkerson Lee, L. Bondurant, B. Sapkota, & H. Howell (Eds.), Promoting Equity in Approximations of Practice for Mathematics Teachers (pp. 253-276). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1164-6.ch011

Howell, H., Shaughnessy, M., Stengel, B., Lee, C., Bondurant, L., Sapkota, B., Benoit, G., & Lai, Y. (2025). Editorial insights: Reflections on the volume and charge to the field. In C. Lee, L. Bondurant, B. Sapkota, & H. Howell (Eds.), Promoting equity in approximations of practice for mathematics teachers (pp. 395-414). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1164-6.ch017

Ataide Pinheiro, W., Kaur Bharaj, P., Cross Francis, D., Kirkpatrick Darwin, T., Esquibel, J., & Halder, S. (2025). An Investigation of Gender Biases in Teacher-Student Interaction in Mathematics Lessons Within a Virtual Teaching Simulator. In C. Wilkerson Lee, L. Bondurant, B. Sapkota, & H. Howell (Eds.), Promoting Equity in Approximations of Practice for Mathematics Teachers (pp. 201-228). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-1164-6.ch009

MIT’s Teacher Moments digital simulation platform: https://teachermoments.mit.edu/

Becoming a More Equitable Educator https://openlearninglibrary.mit.edu/courses/course-v1:MITx+0.503x+T2020/about

Reich, J. (2022). Teaching drills: Advancing practice-based teacher education through short, low-stakes, high-frequency practice. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 30(2), 217-228. https://doi.org/10.70725/023707spaywm

Bima’s lit review: https://doi.org/10.1080/14794802.2023.2207088

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For decades, the conversation around youth and technology has been dominated by powerful voices—media, researchers, and word-of-mouth warnings—painting a picture of digital tools as the looming threat to young people’s well-being. But what if that narrative isn’t the whole story? What if, instead, we favored the spectrum of possibilities in the digital present and future, instead of a good or evil binary. It would take a a vibrant counter-movement, led by passionate advocates and young people themselves, determined to reclaim the digital world for good. And good news, there is one.

This episode was recorded live at Sesame Workshop, bringing together a true who's who of leaders and do-ers in the world of “Digital Wellness for Young People.” At the heart of our conversation is Young Futures—a startup initiative funding projects through the crucial lens of digital wellness. Young Futures is empowering the next generation to create, innovate, and advocate for a healthier digital landscape, supporting ideas that prioritize well-being over profit.

Joining us are visionaries from the Scratch Foundation, the organization behind the world’s largest free creative coding platform for kids, empowering millions to express themselves and solve problems through technology. We’re also honored to welcome leaders from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, a research and innovation lab that advances learning in a digital age, inspired by the pioneering spirit of Sesame Street.

Links:

https://www.youngfutures.org/

https://joanganzcooneycenter.org/initiative/ritec/

https://www.scratchfoundation.org/

https://joanganzcooneycenter.org/initiative/well-being-by-design-fellowship/

https://www.gamesforchange.org/

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