Original Image Source: https://drew.agilelearningcenters.org/community-mastery-board-alc-oahu/

Following our previous blog post on developing a digital tool to foster agile peer-to-peer learning, we are thrilled to present the second half of the project: the digitisation of the Community Mastery Board (CMB). The CMB is an integral part of the agile learning environment, serving as a critical lever for community building, decision-making, and conflict resolution. Through digital transformation, we aim to enhance its accessibility and functionality, making it a more powerful tool for creating inclusive learning communities.

The Community Mastery Board in Agile Learning

The CMB is a cornerstone of agile learning environments. It’s a space where students voice their concerns, manage conflicts, and contribute to decision-making. Encouraging not just consensus but consent, the CMB underscores the importance of every voice in the community.

Learners use the CMB to become mediators, facilitators, and guardians of their culture, interrupting unhealthy patterns and building a more inclusive, empathetic, and supportive environment. The CMB seeks to shift the hypercompetitive narrative to a more cooperative one, focusing on meeting everyone’s needs rather than outshining each other. This whole process nurtures an essential life skill – conflict resolution – underpinning their growth into emotionally intelligent individuals.

However, the traditional CMB has its share of challenges, like maintaining focus and engagement and establishing priorities. Our digital reinvention of the CMB targets these issues to increase visibility, streamline participation, and facilitate more efficient decision-making processes.

The Digital Transformation Journey

From our research, we framed two digital concepts designed to transform the CMB into an accessible and inclusive tool.  

Concept 1 – Community Connect
This concept addresses the need for visibility, engagement, and smooth participation in the CMB process. Its features include a simplified, text-based interface; an interactive display for dynamic board updates; a private participation mode for inclusivity; prioritisation tools to gauge community sentiment; and an automated notification system to reinforce community agreements.

Here’s how it works: once registered, community members can share their observations, solutions, or practices publicly or privately on the CMB. The board then categorises these inputs while users use the built-in temperature check tool to prioritise actions. Automated reminders aid adherence to community agreements, prompting regular reviews for effective management.

Concept 2 – Intention Navigator
Conversely, this concept leverages AI to streamline the transition from observations to implementations and aid consensus-based decision-making. This tool transforms the culture from a problem-solving to a desired reality paradigm.

Key features include an AI-powered Observation-to-Intent Translator; a Consent Builder facilitating a consent-based decision-making approach; an AI-guided Action Planner; a Progress Tracker for real-time community progress insights; and a Community Vision Board to visualise and share aspirations.

Moving Forward with Concept 1: Community Connect

The decision to proceed with Community Connect was influenced by its potential applicability in agile learning centres and traditional school contexts. The tool encourages every learner to contribute to community rules and engagement, making it a revolutionary practice for traditional schools.

In validation sessions with teachers, we envisioned using existing TV screens in school hallways to project community agreements and share instructions on submitting ‘awarenesses’ and proposing ‘implementations’ actions. The goal is to create a safer, more engaging, positive school culture. 

Our journey with Community Connect is just beginning. We continue to gather insights, examine this concept’s technical feasibility, and develop initial visualisations of this digital board. This practical tool will enhance the power of community within our learning environments, making them more inclusive, engaging, and effective. Stay tuned as we take this exciting step towards the future of agile learning!