Headrush is a platform that facilitates project-based learning from start to finish allowing students to become self-empowered learners.

Headrush Learning

Canada

Headrush captures a living record of project planning, execution, assessment and reporting for schools breaking the bounds of traditional education. Students pursue their passions while meeting school/state or competency-based requirements with customizable transcript and tracking towards graduation. We provide effortless management for the modern day learner, supporting PBL and student autonomy.

Competency-based learning, Design Thinking, Education, Innovation, Inquiry Based Learning, Learning Management System, Project Based Learning, Student Voice and Agency

"As one of the most exciting demos of the new year, HEADRUSH has only begun to make its mark.”

Adam Kulaas, Director at Getting Smart

Overview

HundrED has not validated this innovation

Anyone can submit their innovation to HundrED Open. All information on this page is provided by the innovator and has not been checked by HundrED. Innovation page has been created by Mike Hourahine on August 20th, 2019

Key figures

Innovation Overview

ALL

Target Group

3 500

Children/Users

Countries

2017

Established

For-profit

Organisation

931

Views

Updated on November 10th, 2021

about the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

At Headrush, we collaborate to liberate learning from the bounds of traditional systems. Together we…

Meet learners where they are
Empower students to own their learning experiences
Inspire learner-centered, agile ecosystems
Express learning to the world

How does your innovation work in practice?

We create a living record of every learner's journey. Headrush supports schools who are breaking the bounds of traditional education with smart planning, execution, assessment and reporting of deeper learning. We superpower teachers as mentors and enable students to be the heroes of their own story.

How has it been spreading?

Recently named as a Platform to Support Competency-Based PBL by Getting Smart, we have 80+ schools and organizations using our tool. Craig Wignes, Administrative Designee at Jane Goodall Environmental Sciences Academy calls Headrush a "Game Changer" and says, "We are LOVING everything HEADRUSH has to offer. Thanks for all you guys are doing and for how responsive you are to all our feedback and requests! This is an awesome product and you guys are killing it every day. We couldn't/wouldn't do student-driven learning without HEADRUSH. It's a fantastic tool."

If I want to try it, what should I do?

Contact bree@headrushlearning.com or schedule a free demo here: https://www.headrushlearning.com/schedule-demo

Media

See this innovation in action

Don't Be Trashy

“Don’t Be Trashy” is a capstone project designed by Elliott during their freshman year. Check out this PBL Passion Project at High Marq Environmental Charter School supported by Headrush.

Supporting collaboration between technical experts, teachers and technology

Project ARC invites local leaders and community partners to help educators with continual PBL design work. Supporting Collaboration between Technical Experts, Teachers and Technology discusses Project ARC’s signature talent triangle value proposition. This investigates how to leverage partnerships between technical experts, teachers and technology to cultivate authentic, complex learning.

Best PBL web resources, according to students

So what digital tools are most valuable for project-based learners? To find out, we asked the learners themselves in Best PBL Resources, According to Students.In identifying which resources were of most use for PBL domination, we asked the 7th-12th grade students from Birchwood Blue Hills Charter School (BBHCS) for their vote. With their input, we tallied up the ten most revisited sites students use to power their project work.

Advice for PBL Alignment

In this interview with Headrush, Jenny Pieratt shares Advice for PBL Alignment, along with her CraftED journey in helping to inspire educators to craft and elevate their PBL practice.

Listen to Students

Guest Author Nick Pretasky is on a journey to deliver student perspectives to stakeholders inside and outside of education to ensure student voices are heard. In Listen to Students, Nick brings young people and their voices out of the shadows.

A Student Speaks on PBL in Practice

Nya is currently a student of Mr. Luke Stachovak, a founding member of Idea School and former “traditional” mathematics educator. Having both transitioned from conventional classrooms to a project-based atmosphere, Luke and Nya are speaking with Headrush to tell us about their journeys in A Student speaks on PBL in Practice.

Worms for the Win

Students have taken on a new task at TAGOS Leadership Academy — they are finding alternate ways to eradicate the breakfast and lunch waste at their school. In this teacher-led project, students are studying the damaging effects of food waste and the consequences of excess waste on the environment. TAGOS students are now researching Worms for the Win, by worm composting and creating environments for their worms to thrive.

The PBL Coaching Process

Let's dance through The PBL Coaching Process, where an educator details 5 tips for PBL Coaches. "Much like the PBL process, my dance class was a class of self-discovery," says Morsadi. "And when considering best coaching strategies for PBL advisors, I can’t help but think back to Ms. Brady and her coaching style. Here are 5 coaching strategies that Ms. Brady modeled for me day in and day out."

A Model for Charter School Change

The Wisconsin Resource Center for Charter Schools (WRCCS), otherwise known as “Works”, partners with Headrush in offering PBL management district-wide and serves as A Model for Charter School Change. With Director Sarah Hackett and Associate Director Nick Pretasky crafting a new narrative around Wisconsin charter schools, WRCCS aims to “build, expand, and replicate” successful charter schools throughout the state and create free, quality learning resources for charters and non-charters alike.

Beyond Traditional Education

Jenny Landes rises above and Beyond Traditional Education as an advisor at Birchwood Blue Hills Charter School (BBHCS). In speaking with Headrush, Jenny discusses how project-based learning feels like “education set free” with “real world connections, student-led learning and individualization.”

Class Act in Action

Here Travis gives Headrush some insight on Class Act in Action, where students direct their own learning. Did I mention that Class Act students have transformed an old school bus into a mobile Science lab?

10 Pro-tips from PBL Practitioners

In 10 Pro-tips from PBL Practitioners, we at HEADRUSH decided to interview leading PBL practitioners that have gone through their own PBL transformation pains. These top performing schools have faced and overcome the very challenges that often stop other schools from making the leap, such as PBL implementation within a large student body, juggling district or state mandates and attaining community buy-in, among other concerns.

Educational Resilience

This blog explores a middle school that is making a difference. Read about how Resilience Charter School goes beyond academic learning to help students cultivate the deep, Educational Resilience needed to solve challenges in life.

How to make group projects not suck

PBLers often collaborate when tackling projects. How to Make Group Projects Not Suck lays out 5 simple rules to re-think how we design and assign group project work.

The Purpose of Northwest Passage

This leading PBL, Headrush-powered school discusses the Purpose of Northwest Passage, where experience is the best teacher.

The PBL power tool that matters most

Ever wonder what tool is absolutely essential in implementing high quality PBL? Better read The PBL Tool that Matters Most to find out.

Should Project-Based Learning be taught online?

In asking Should PBL be Taught Online, we interview Gigi Dobosenski from Headrush-powered school, Edvisions Off-Campus. In their school model, PBL is in fact taught online, with opportunities for community gatherings and expeditionary learning woven in.

The journey from teacher-led to student-led learning

We've learned a lot about The Journey from Teacher-led to Student-led Learning from our Headrush-powered schools and share tips in this blog on how to navigate that journey.

Avalon: Not your typical school

This blog features Headrush-powered school, Avalon, a PBL school that fosters deeper learning and deeper leading with no administration. Check out why Avalon is Not Your Typical School.

Is Ed Jargon Divisive?

We at Headrush ask Is Ed Jargon Divisive? With multiple competing pedagogies and alternative ed pathways, this blog explores the progressive ed landscape today and celebrates multiple Headrush-powered schools and their unique approaches. .

THINK PBL + Travel

A revolutionary model in education, Headrush-powered THINK Global School (TGS) is the world’s first traveling high school. TGS students travel to four countries a year, immersing themselves in hands-on project work within their respective host communities. The diverse student body currently represents 30 nationalities and travels to 12 countries in three years before matriculation. THINK PBL + Travel in this blog.

Five Ways to Elevate PBL with HEADRUSH

Our blog Five Ways to Elevate PBL with Headrush discusses how PBL management can be made easy for all.

Share PBL ideas with other practitioners

Educators share their ideas at the ISN/WRCCS conference in Minnesota, USA.

Plan your project within Headrush

Our project format allows for easy input and tracking of project from start to finish.

Support student project presentations

Headrush records evidence of PBL work and student learning from start to finish.

Assess projects against customizable standards

Assess project work against school, state or competency-based standards.

Support students as teachers

BBHCS student teachers younger students how to construct a house.

Collaborate with the community

Headrush co-founder Mike Hourahine (right) with NWPHS educator (left) video chats with student to prove he is not a bot.

Facilitate mobile learning

Students at Class Act build a mobile Science lab out of an old school bus.

Mentor hands-on learning

Students at Northwest Passage experience expeditionary learning.

Design teacher-led projects

Tagos teacher plans her Worm Composting project directly in the Headrush app with visual task board for students.

Manage multiple projects

Headrush allows students to manage multiple projects at once.

Milestones

Achievements & Awards

April 2021

Significant Software Release: Guest Assessors, Task Workflows, and Anytime Assessment

March 2021

Named in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded eduInnovation Invention Opportunity report

February 2021

Met with the International Society for Self-Directed Learning to discuss the future of education and partnership opportunities

February 2021

Featured in Getting Smart as a Platform to Support Competency-Based PBL

January 2021

Launched formal partnership with the Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) organization, an school-to-career program that serves 75,000 students across 40 affiliations in the United States

December 2020

The Ed Tech Classroom Podcast interviews Headrush co-founder and COO Shane Krukowski to talk about the innovation in education with Headrush

November 2020

🎉 Celebrated 50th Blog post!

October 2020

Collaboration with Gaia Fasso from Thrive Learning to highlight student voice in project based environments published

September 2020

Headrush reach grows as it serves more schools across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Thailand.

April 2020

Significant Software Release: Advisor Dashboard, Calendar Planning, and Templates

February 2020

Launched partnership with Educational Services and Staff Development of Central Kansas (ESSDACK) to support the statewide redesign process and curate, chart, and track independent paths of study.

January 2020

Co-founder COO Shane Krukowski joined the team full-time

September 2019

Headrush reaches 55 schools and exceeds 3000 daily users.

July 2019

Headrush speaks at ISN Conference

June 2019

Standards Session with Charter Schools

August 2018

30 schools rollout Headrush school-wide to power 10,000 projects in its first year of full operation

August 2018

Establishes partnerships with WRCCS and Edvisions

August 2017

Headrush innovation was launched!

Map

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Steps

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