Micro-Society Inc

TO REFINE AND FURTHER DEVELOP THE MICROSOCIETY PROGRAM, TO DESIGN EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IN 2023, MAJOR UPDATES WERE MADE TO OUR EXISTING CURRICULUM, INCLUDING REFRESHES OF OUR BUSINESS VENTURE GUIDEBOOKS AND DIGITAL VERSIONS OF KEY MICROADVENTURES LESSONS FOR INCLUSION IN MICROSOCIETY 2.0. NEW MATERIALS INTRODUCED THIS YEAR INCLUDE A TEACHER FACILITATOR MANUAL AND STOCK MARKET CURRICULUM. ALL CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES ALIGN WITH STANDARDS AND CONNECT TO THE INCREASINGLY COMPLEX REAL WORLD OF THE MICROSOCIETY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. TO MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IN THIS EVER-CHANGING EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE, MSI CONTINUES DEVELOPING TWO DIGITAL TOOLS: 1) MICROSOCIETY? 2.0, A CUSTOMIZABLE WEB PORTAL THAT UTILIZES GOOGLE TECHNOLOGIES AND A DIGITAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM THAT USES CUSTOM SOFTWARE FOR PILOTING SCHOOLS TO TAKE THEIR MICROSOCIETIES ONLINE, ACCELERATE FINANCIAL LITERACY AND OTHER CAREER SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, AND EXPOSE STUDENTS TO 21ST- CENTURY DIGITAL CAREERS, AND 2) 4TH TERRA? , A 3D ONLINE SIMULATION "GAME AS SERVICE" TO SUPPORT SUBJECT MATTER INSTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY STEM, ALONG WITH CRITICAL THINKING, DECISION-MAKING AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. IN PARTICULAR, THE SIMULATION FACILITATES STUDENTS' ABILITY TO THINK DEEPLY FROM MULTI-PERSPECTIVES WHICH IS ASSESSED THROUGH SIX METRICS. WITH THE SUPPORT OF AG STRATEGIC DESIGN, OUR DIGITAL PLATFORM UNDERWENT A SIGNIFICANT MAKEOVER TO REFLECT OUR NEW BRANDING. WE INTRODUCED MICROSOCIETY CAREER TOOLS, INCLUDING THE FUTUREFINDER ENGINE, WHICH ALLOWS STUDENTS TO EXPLORE CAREER POSSIBILITIES BASED ON THEIR INTERESTS. WE ALSO LAUNCHED PILOTS OF MICROSOCIETY 2.0 AND 4TH TERRA AT A MICROSOCIETY SCHOOL IN NEW JERSEY. MSI'S NEW HEART AND HEARTCORPS CURRICULA ARE BEING DISSEMINATED TO SITES AROUND THE COUNTRY. THIS CURRICULUM WAS CREATED IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC-ERA SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND HEALTH NEEDS OF STUDENTS. IN ADDITION, MSI CREATED A NEW "FIRM FOUNDATION" SEQUENCE, CULMINATING IN A CITIZENSHIP CONTRACT, FOR THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND WE ALSO ROLLED OUT A NEW "PLAN/ACT/REFLECT" FRAMEWORK TO BETTER SHAPE THE MICROTIME SCHEDULE AND PREPARED OUR CERTIFIED CONSULTANTS TO BRING IT TO SCHOOLS.

PROGRAM INITIATIVES AND RESEARCH EVALUATION ("R&E") THE PITTSBURGH EXPANSION PROJECT, SUPPORTED BY A GRANT FROM THE RICHARD KING MELLON FOUNDATION, LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR ESTABLISHING A REGIONAL CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. THE ORGANIZATION IS PREPARING TO ADD NEW MICROSOCIETY SITES IN THE REGION WITH PENN HILLS CHARTER SCHOOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A REGIONAL HUB. UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH CARNEGIE MELLON AND WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITIES HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN INTEGRATING CUTTING-EDGE PROGRAMMING TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH EXCITING NEW 21ST-CENTURY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING A VISUALIZING DATA PROJECT TO TEACH CHILDREN HOW TO WORK WITH REAL-WORLD DATA MINED FROM THEIR MICROSOCIETY EXPERIENCES. IN ITS COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, MSI UNDERTOOK A THIRD-PARTY EVALUATION OF MICROSOCIETY 2.0 AT PENN HILLS CHARTER SCHOOL OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP. THIS RIGOROUS ASSESSMENT WILL PROVIDE VALUABLE INSIGHTS THAT HELP US REFINE OUR APPROACHES AND MAXIMIZE OUR IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES.

CLIENT SERVICES AND OUTREACH MSI'S COMMITMENT TO NEW SCHOOL SUPPORTS SOARED WITH THE ROLLOUT OF VIRTUAL "MICROCHATS" FOR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAMS AND COORDINATORS, "MICROFORUM," A PRIVATE GOOGLE CHAT SPACE WHERE MICROSOCIETY EDUCATORS CAN ASK QUESTIONS AND GET AND SHARE TIPS, AND DESIGNING A "MICROPORTAL" WEBSITE, A GO-TO PLACE FOR CURRICULUM AND CLASSROOM MATERIALS. THESE NEW COMMUNICATION TOOLS, ALONG WITH A NEW STUDENT YOUTUBE SERIES, WERE SHOWCASED DURING MSI'S SECOND VIRTUAL SEMINAR, LEVERAGING FRESH PERSPECTIVES AND INSIGHTS AND EXCHANGING IDEAS, BEST PRACTICES, AND SUCCESS STORIES, AND IN AN AUGUST GATHERING OF MSI'S FACULTY OF CERTIFIED CONSULTANTS. UPDATED CURRICULUM AND TRAINING MATERIALS RESULTED IN A REVISED TEACHER-TRAINING MODEL THAT ALIGNS WITH EDUCATIONAL ADVANCES AND EFFORTS OF THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ("R&D") WORK OF MSI. THE TWO-DAY CONVENING SPARKED RENEWED COLLABORATION AND STRENGTHENED A COLLECTIVE VISION FOR FUTURE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.