Our Programs

We have four programs designed to move four levers in activating a new operating system for learning:

We collaborate with iThrive Games to design high-impact learning-science backed learning experiences in history, along with the tools that teachers need to implement and create them on their own.
With these learning experiences, we are creating a prototype for what the future of learning should look like.
We co-host a network of community organizations including museums and libraries, supporting them as active partners in redesigning learning and reigniting democracy.
Through this network, we aim to upskill community partners with the power of learning science so that they can be partners with schools and parents in delivering the kind of history learning that works for young people.
We work with partners in Kansas City and Pittsburgh to catalyze a community of practice committed to ensuring that all young people have learning experiences that develop them to their full human and civic potential.
These regional ecosystems—which we are aiming to co-create in other regions—are prototypes of the kind of integrated community learning environments that are required to deliver the kind of learning that allows all children to thrive by developing the competencies and relationships they need.
We incubate and support youth-led design of media and games to support civic learning, such as the award winning youth podcast UnTextbooked.
This podcast is a prototype of how young people can and should be included in the conversation on the future of learning, and offers the opportunity to see the power of young people—when they are encouraged to be curious—to become informed, critically thinking and engaged Changemakers.

Co:Created Impact

We work collaboratively with other innovators and entrepreneurs to co:create impact in the areas mentioned above. Some of our current and past projects are listed below.

AWARD-WINNING YOUTH PODCAST: UNTEXTBOOKED

UnTextbooked was co-created by a team of teenagers and the History Co:Lab as a way to showcase the power of history to inspire and inform change makers. In each episode, a young person interviews a prominent historian about their work and highlights how the themes of the past are relevant for today.
UnTextbooked is in the top 1% of podcasts worldwide and was named an Apple New and Noteworthy in October of 2023

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ACTIVATING MUSEUMS WITH THE POWER OF PLAY

In partnership with Education for Sharing and The LEGO Foundation, we work with museums around the United States to showcase and enhance their capabilities as hubs of deep and inspiring learning to leverage the power of learning through play.
We have designed games to enhance museum learning on abstract and complex issues and are engaging museums nationwide to participate in a summer campaign to Build a World of Play.
COMMUNITY IMPLEMENTATION OF EDUCATING FOR AMERICAN DEMOCRACY PROJECT

A group of national leaders convened a diverse, cross-ideological group of scholars and educators in 2021 to create a roadmap for Educating for American Democracy. It offers guidance and an inquiry framework for states, school districts, and educators to transform history and civics teaching for the diverse needs of 21st century K–12 students.
We co-lead a Taskforce to ensure that museums and other community organizations are fully engaged as partners in transforming civic learning.
LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS FOR INSPIRED CIVIC LEARNING

Effective learning requires a connection to the real world, taking place beyond the walls of a classroom. We have created a civic learning ecosystem in Kansas City in partnership with the Kauffman Foundation’s Real World Learning initiative, weaving over 23 community cultural institutions into the core curriculum with project- and place-based learning.
The Learning Collaborative model connects local museums with schools to ensure learning-science-backed, high-impact education that provides young people with a sense of identity, belonging, connection and community.

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PLACE-BASED PROJECT LEARNING TO COMBAT HATE AND BIAS

Strengthening democracy with history is a global need so we formed a strategic partnership with EuroClio, the European Association of History Educators, to bring our youth-centered, community-based pedagogy to life across their networks.
With EuroClio, the Max Mannheimer Institute Federal Ministry of Finance (BNF) and the Foundation EVZ – Remembrance, Responsibility & Future, we are leading a pilot project in 6 countries to test a project- and place-based approach to engaging young people in learning about the victims of National Socialism.
HISTORY FOR PEACE TO REBUILD A PEACEFUL WORLD

As the war in Ukraine rages on, millions of students, parents and teachers are displaced, and those still in their homes are confronted with the reality of war daily.
Meanwhile, teachers and educators across the country are still trying to contribute to guaranteeing a peaceful future for an independent Ukraine by nourishing the hearts and minds of the young people in their care with the knowledge and competencies they need to survive and thrive.
We have created History for Peace as an emergency response to support history educators and students from Ukraine.

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