Our Research

We believe there is no issue so large—climate change, social injustice, cyber-insecurity—that a new generation of empowered thinkers can’t solve it.

So, faced with societal, environmental, and technological volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, we ask what we believe to be the fundamental question of our times:

What should students learn so that they and society can thrive?

The goal of our research is to create frameworks that serve as the scaffold for deep discussions about this question; that influence dialogue on standards, assessment, curriculum, and professional development redesign; and as the foundation for our educational solutions.

Our Process

As an independent, non-partisan, international organization, we use an evidence- and research-informed process for developing and refining our frameworks. This process draws from three distinct collaborative efforts: synthesis, analysis, and organization.

The image displays the CCR Research Process. There are three parts in three boxes, all connected by bidirectional arrows. In the top left box is the Synthesize step. It includes prior & existing frameworks, input from employers, research from the learning sciences, and future studies and global trends. In the top right box is the Analyze step. It includes surveys from teachers, feedback from global conferences, social media and literature reviews, and expert panels. In the bottom middle box is the Organize step. It is comprehensive, meaning no major elements are missing; compact, meaning it is actionable and deployable; uncorrelated, meaning there is no duplication or confusion; sensical, meaning there is an appropriate layer of abstraction; and it is globally relevant for broad acceptability.

Our Frameworks and Systems

4D Framework: The 4D Framework is the backbone of our work and a 4D Education. Start here to get a foundational understanding of the 4D focus on Skills, Character, Meta-Learning, and Knowledge.

Competency Framework: Ready to dive into the details that give the 4D Framework its power? Go here to explore the 12 Competencies and 60 Subcompetencies that support the infusion of Skills, Character, and Meta-Learning into a modernized approach to Knowledge instruction

Curricular Goal Mapping: You probably have lots of goals for your curriculum – cover the required Content, explore important Concepts, provide the relevant Contexts, and for a 4D Education, infuse the Competencies – among others. Including everything can be really hard. Here, you can find out how we can help. 

Intent to Evidence Pathway: Do you have a mission or vision statement that says something like, “We want our students to be strong critical thinkers, collaborative leaders, and ethical people”? Learn about our approach to turning your intentions into evidenced results.

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