OWL Ambassador and Fellow Program Description

Owner: Director of Program Impact & Visibility (DPIV) – with input from all Directors Audience: All OWL staff and all current or potential contractors/Fellows

Open Way Learning believes that the positive change that is needed within the education ecosystem will not come from legacy institutions or from any single organization. Rather, such positive disruption will come from networks of passionate educators—especially those who work closest with students—using crowdsourced ideas and collective action to drive change at the local level that can be adapted, replicated, and scaled in more learning communities. This type of grassroots, organic innovation is exemplified by the open source movement and it is long overdue in the education space!

As a way to explicitly model the above belief, Open Way Learning actively sponsors an OWL Ambassador and Fellowship program—communities of practice for outstanding education stakeholders who share a deep understanding of the prevailing issues impacting education and a passion to affect change within their own sphere of influence and beyond.

OWL Ambassadors and Fellows represent a diverse range of education stakeholders, but with a common and demonstrated commitment to learner-centered innovation that is in alignment with Open Way Learning’s Mission, Vision, and Core Values. Specifically, this is a group of educators who routinely share resources, ideas, and experiences that build the collective understanding and advocacy for learner-centered strategies that are proven to work for students, including the cultural elements that support their systemic design, implementation, sustainability, and continuous improvement. In short, OWL Ambassadors and OWL Fellows are innovative practitioners who want to disrupt the status quo within and across the educational ecosystem.

Both the OWL Ambassador and Fellowship programs are free and 100% opt-in. The programs provide the means and opportunities for Ambassadors, Fellows, and other expert stakeholders from within and outside of the education space to actively leverage their individual and collective expertise to better design and implement innovative, learner-centered practices and systems with fidelity, sustain them over the long term, and scale them within and beyond their own learning communities. This commitment to networking is done through social media platforms, routine professional development and webinars, design sprints, and virtual and face-to-face meetups (including OWL’s Virtual Monthly Gathering).

Both programs are based on the following core principles:

• Open Leadership—OWL Ambassadors and Fellows model individual and collective leadership that values one’s expertise and the merit of one’s ideas, rather than simple positional authority. They believe that rather than top-down mandates, this type of open, organic leadership is what enables grassroots change.

• Open Learning—OWL Ambassadors and Fellows model active learning and continuous improvement by constantly seeking out what works best for students, customizing those practices and strategies in their own contexts, and then reflecting on and codifying gains through systems that help “clear the path” for long term sustainability.

• Open Sharing—OWL Ambassadors and Fellows model radical collaboration within their own networks and across other learning communities through the belief that the positive disruption we need in our schools will come from a coalition of willing partners who share a passion for transforming education. They willingly share ideas, approaches, and resources as a way to build collective efficacy across traditional department, school, district, and regional boundaries, thus helping to create the conditions for culture change in their own learning communities and across the educational landscape.

Program FAQs:

• Who are OWL Ambassadors? OWL Ambassadors are education stakeholders that have a track record of leading the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of learner-centered innovation in their own classrooms, departments, and schools through approaches that align with the Open Way Learning theory of change—i.e. driving innovations that are rooted in systemic elements of a Living Mission & Vision, Collective Leadership, a Culture of Collaboration, and Open Sharing of Ideas & Resources. Specifically, these are teacher leaders, administration leaders, student leaders, and others who because of their shared passion for creating cultures of authentic, learner-centered innovation, have been invited to share that passion through the OWL Ambassador program.

• What are the requirements to be an OWL Ambassador? OWL Ambassadors have demonstrated a solid working knowledge of Open Way Learning’s approach to systemic transformation of education through the principles of the open source movement. This can occur in a number of ways, including, but not limited to the following:

  • Reading the “Open Up, Education!” book and used its content to initiate a book study with other educators (or equivalent).

  • Completing the asynchronous, Open Way Learning Odigia Course (worth 3.0 CEUs).

  • Being an active member of a school team that has explicitly used Open Way Learning resources (e.g. the OWL Maturity Model) to design and implement a localized innovation culture within their learning community. Note that this pathway typically occurs as a member of a school team where Open Way Learning is formally working, but can also be done on an independent basis.

  • Having a strong and credible track record of affecting change that is aligned with the Open Way Learning Mission & Vision, such as documented reference to Open Way Learning’s resources, training materials, and tools as part of their body of work with schools and other educational organizations.

• What are the benefits of being an OWL Ambassador? While no direct financial remuneration is provided, OWL Ambassadors have open access to Open Way Learning’s tools and resources (e.g., maturity models, workshop materials, and protocols) for use in their own contexts, in alignment with OWL’s Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) and with appropriate attribution:

  • Exclusive invitation to periodic, free professional learning related to how to use Open Way Learning’s tools and resources.

  • Access, when appropriate, to an OWL-hosted online community space (currently a private Slack channel).

  • Volunteer access to Open Way Learning’s workshops with schools, districts, and other organizations in order to observe how OWL helps them design and build cultures of learner-centered innovation (subject to local approval on a case-by-case basis).

  • The ability to routinely interact with members of the OWL community as they explore and grow their individual and collective expertise regarding innovative teaching and learning strategies that include, but are not limited to the Design Process, Project Based Learning, Competency Based Education, Makerspaces, STEM Mindsets, Collective Leadership, Advisory,School Culture, Change Theory, etc. This is primarily done through OWL’s Virtual Monthly Gatherings (VMGs), which are often co-designed and led by OWL Ambassadors.

  • The ability to list “OWL Ambassador” on your resume/CV and/or LinkedIn profile, as well as use of an OWL Badge in your email signature.

  • Periodic opportunities to join virtual organizational update sessions where OWL shares its progress, priorities, and opportunities for Ambassador input. When appropriate, OWL may also invite Ambassadors to observe portions of its annual board meeting.

• What are the expectations after becoming an OWL Ambassador? The only true expectation is to continue to be a leader of positive disruption in your own context and beyond! In other words, continue to help lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of a learner-centered innovation in your own learning community (ideally using the OWL model) and then actively and routinely share what you are doing so that you help quicken the pace of positive change in more schools, for more students. Moreover, because OWL Ambassadors are members of the greater OWL community, they are strongly encouraged to leverage the “Power of Story” to routinely highlight their Open Way Learning journey through sharing via social media, blogs, etc. (e.g. tagging @openwaylearning, #openwaylearning, or #openupeducation).

• What is the difference between the OWL Ambassador program and the OWL Fellowship? In general, OWL Fellows are former OWL Ambassadors who have established distinct credibility by being influential leaders in scaling the Open Way Learning model beyond their own sphere of influence (school, district, etc.). In doing so, they have not only modeled how the open source principles can affect positive change, but have highlighted how a larger swath of the education space can benefit from crowdsourced networking and collective action. Such educators have demonstrated a disposition toward collective leadership and collaboration, including a track record of positive disruption across multiple communities, and are invited to apply to become OWL Fellows (this is typically done on an annual basis). OWL Fellows also form OWL’s primary pool of independent contractors who may be invited to support schools and districts through paid facilitation, coaching, and design work on behalf of OWL.

• What additional benefits are there for OWL Fellows? After a short onboarding process, OWL Fellows eligible to help OWL support other schools and districts in a consultant capacity as an independent contractor—i.e. be part of an approved cohort of proven experts from which Open Way Learning will ask to help facilitate workshops, professional development, design sprints, and targeted coaching with teachers, school leaders, and support staff in schools, districts, and other organizations around the U.S. Note that being an OWL Fellow does not guarantee contracted work and each case is negotiated on an individual basis per an Independent Contractor Agreement. Ideally, however, OWL Fellows will help facilitate at least one workshop per year. OWL Fellows may also use and remix Open Way Learning’s tools and resources in their own work with other learning communities, as long as this is done per the Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-SA 4.0., with appropriate attribution to OWL and without implying that OWL is formally sponsoring or contracting the work unless an active Independent Contractor Agreement (ICA) is in place.

• Are there additional expectations for OWL Fellows: Commensurate with the annual stipend that may be provided, OWL Fellows are asked to do a minimum amount of periodic sharing of their experiences and expertise as a way to help advance Open Way Learning’s mission. Such sharing can include, but is not limited to:

  • Co-leading* a virtual or in-person training, workshop, professional development session, etc. (ideally at least one per year).

  • Co-hosting a social media chat (for example, on X/Twitter or similar platforms).

  • Curating and posting content to the Open Way Learning social media channels.

  • Co-leading a webinar on an Open Way Learning topic or approach.

  • Writing an expert advice article, case study, or blog that references OWL’s work.

  • Representing Open Way Learning’s work at a professional conference (conference presentation, poster session, exhibition booth, etc.)

  • Actively promoting Open Way Learning’s mission and approach to other educators.

  *Working under a specific Independent Contractor Agreement between the individual as a sole proprietorship (or LLC, S Corporation, etc.) and Open Way Learning.

• Are OWL Ambassadors or Fellows expected to pay an annual licensing fee to use Open Way Learning IP? No. The OWL Ambassadorship and Fellowship programs are free of charge and participation, as described above, is completely voluntary. Nevertheless, because Open Way Learning is a 501(c)(3) education nonprofit, OWL Fellows and Ambassadors are encouraged to consider annual contributions of what they feel would be appropriate to help the organization meet its mission, especially with regard to helping provide services to schools that would otherwise be unable to pay market rates for such services.

• Who can apply to become an OWL Ambassador? While a strong preference is given to current or former educators, anyone interested in creating positive disruption within the education ecosystem (including students over 18 years of age) is welcome to apply! Note that Open Way Learning values diversity, equity, and inclusion and as such, we actively encourage people of color, individuals from the LGBTQIAA+ community, and others who identify as a part of historically marginalized communities to apply to become an OWL Ambassador.

• How long does one stay an Ambassador or Fellow? The ambassador program is indefinite—i.e. as long as you wish to remain an active contributor to the OWL community, you are welcome to remain an ambassador. When funding permits, the OWL Fellowship program is generally structured as a 3-year program tied to a budgeted stipend (note that the stipend is not guaranteed and may not be the same each year). Nevertheless, the fellowship may be extended if agreed to by both parties. In short, it stands to reason that change-makers will value the strong relationships they build with like minded peers in the cohort and wish to remain in the OWL community. This is clearly a win-win, as the longer ambassadors and fellows continue to collaborate and share ideas, the more effective they become in terms of making positive and lasting change happen, both individually and collectively. We recognize, however, that family or work commitments may require one to step away for a time. That’s okay. Once a member of the OWL community, always a member of the OWL community.

• Why should I consider becoming an OWL Ambassador? Do you want to work with like-minded peers who are passionate about bringing positive disruption into a status quo education model that desperately needs it? Do you want to be part of a community that is determined to bring real, cultural change to more schools so that every learner has access to powerful teaching and learning practices that better prepare them for a rapidly changing world? Are you tired of waiting for top-down driven change from legacy institutions and willing to be part of the crowdsourced action that quicken the pace for change, especially for students who have historically been furthest from opportunity? Are you ready to add your ideas and expertise to a network of education stakeholders who are actively working to create systemic conditions for learner-centered innovation in their own schools and beyond? If any of this resonates with you, then join the OWL community!

• How do I apply? Those interested in becoming an OWL Ambassador should apply via the online form linked on the Open Way Learning website or shared in OWL outreach materials.

Some legalese: OWL Ambassadors are considered volunteers and not Open Way Learning employees. Likewise, OWL Fellows work with OWL under a specific Independent Contractor Agreement and are also not considered OWL employees (refer to this guidance from the IRS for a more detailed description of an Independent Contractor). As such, both roles are required to sign a release that will hold harmless Open Way Learning and its successors from any and all liability, claims, and demands of whatever kind or nature, either in law or in equity, that arise or may hereafter arise from the volunteer's activities with Open Way Learning. For more detailed information about expectations, onboarding, and compensation for OWL Fellows in their contractor role, please see the OWL Contractor Manual.