IGNITING FUTURES
IN TECH
Featured Articles
Live Units are designed and led by SparkLab Leaders and industry experts in a live format either in-person or virtually in SparkLabs. Live Units will be available to students across the network of SparkNC districts and are great for those who enjoy learning in a cohort and a time-limited way. Keep checking on the SparkNC platform for new Live Units that will be launched throughout the year!
Experiential Units are live events and programs such as student conferences and summits, hack-a-thons, teamships, job shadowing and hands-on learning opportunities. They might be offered in SparkLabs, at high-tech companies, with university and community college partners, or at other sites across participating communities. Experiential Units take place in real-world settings that help learners build familiarity and comfort within professional and high-tech environments.
On-Demand Units on the SparkNC platform are available for learners to choose and complete at any time that works for them. These Units can be done by a single learner, or students can partner with others to learn in a small group to collaborate and encourage one another's progress.
Getting Smart 10/25/24
First-Year Insights into Building
a Truly Learner-Centered Approach
with SparkNC
SparkNC is a whole new way to do school, offering learner-centered, industry-relevant, and competency-based learning in high-tech fields–like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and game and software development–across our interdistrict network of 17 North Carolina public school districts.
EDNC 1/10/24
SparkNC is a Whole New Way
to Do School
SparkNC is using an innovative educational approach to ensure every North Carolina student has the skills to thrive in a world transformed by technology -- New article by CEO and editor-in-chief of EducationNC Mebane Rash and Executive Director of
SparkNC Joe Ableidinger.
Education Reimagined
Ecosystems For the Future of Learning
SparkNC is one of 13 programs across the country identified and studied by EdReimagined and The History Co:Lab that promote a learner-centered and competency-based approach to education.
Latest News
News & Record
2/7/24
Fox8 WGHP
10/30/23
What's right with our schools: Southeast Guilford High School offers SparkLab
(Fox8 WGHP, High Point, NC)
Spectrum News
09/21/23
SparkNC offers high-tech career pathways to N.C. students
(Spectrum News, Rowan-Salisbury Schools)
WWAY-TV
09/13/23
The Warren Record
09/13/23
Ribbon-cutting celebration marks opening of SparkNC Lab
(The Warren Record, Warren County Schools)
Greater Fayetteville Business Journal
09/23
State’s first SparkLab ignites futures in tech at Douglas Byrd High School
(Greater Fayetteville Business Journal, Cumberland County Schools)
EdNC
12/12/22
Learner-Centered
Students own their learning journeys. SparkNC lets students choose learning experiences to explore fields like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software development, data analytics, game development & design, and computer systems engineering.
Industry-Relevant
Through partnerships with tech businesses, SparkNC helps students develop professional networks and build the “success skills” employers value. Students gain a competitive edge by completing real-world projects that create strong portfolios of relevant work.
Competency-Based
Students move at the pace of learning. They can speed up, or slow down, based on their passions, their abilities, and their learning styles. SparkNC sets learning targets and empowers expert educators to advise and support students on personalized paths to success.
What We Do.
SparkNC is supporting NC districts to pilot new interdistrict approaches to teaching and learning that will accelerate student progress on pathways to careers in high-tech fields like artificial intelligence and machine learning, software development, computer systems engineering, and cybersecurity.
Why We Do It?
Too few learners know about high-tech jobs that will dominate the future job market in North Carolina. Even fewer see pathways for themselves into these jobs.
A New Way to Do School | Follow Us