Learning & Design Lab
At the Learning & Design (LeaD) Lab, we harness the intellectual capacity of William & Mary to engage, empower, and lead our partners and the community beyond campus through impactful professional learning, conferences, microlearning and fellowship programs. We are educators who are passionate about learning design––offering research-rich, evidence-based educational opportunities that bridge cutting-edge theory and practical application.
Knowledge SharingWe promote democracy in the classroom and museum spaces by bridging the gap between the teaching of history and civics. One of our most successful initiatives to date has been the RevEd (Revolutionary Educators) Conference, initially funded by a grant from the Virginia 250 Commission. The conference brings together museum educators and K-12 teachers to plan for innovative educational initiatives for 2026, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. This year, we have partnered with the Virginia Council for Social Studies to expand the participation of K-12 teachers across the Commonwealth. |
High-Impact, Asynchronous LearningWe create high-quality online microcourses, informed by the depth and breadth of world-class research and knowledge at William & Mary and our partner organizations. Our courses are designed to be substantive, engaging, concise and accessible, using multimedia approaches to engage learners where they are, and help them build new skills. We create content that is available to public audiences interested in up-skilling or deepening their knowledge, particularly in the areas of museum education, social studies, history and civics. Upon course completion and verification of learning, we issue digital badges that can be shared on LinkedIn and other social networks. We have partnered with leading national organizations in these fields, including the American Alliance of Museums and the National Council for History Education to develop meaningful and valued skills to help learners advance their careers. |
Innovative CurriculaOur location in Williamsburg, Virginia, gives us uncommon access to historical resources and research, but the historical record often does not reflect the full range of perspectives and experiences in our diverse society. By collaborating with historically marginalized communities, we strive to amplify underrepresented voices in curriculum materials focused on history, social studies, and civics. We bring this emerging research on our nation’s past to K-16 students by partnering with organizations nationwide that are bringing history to life in museums and in the classroom. In our current project with The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, we on a mission to transform how U.S. history is taught in every K-12 classroom (130,000 schools K-12) across the country (50 million students and growing), offering something no one else is providing: a comprehensive, free, fact-driven approach from people who care deeply about the future of democracy. history.org is the first site for teachers that pulls together the complete story of US history from the leading museums and historic sites across the country. The classroom materials are designed by educators and based on what real teachers asked for- editable, ready-to-use, on-demand and on-topic. |
As part of a storied higher education institution, we are uniquely positioned: we can leverage the ground-breaking academic research and world-leading experts while reaching beyond the university, working with institutional partners, community groups, K-12 teachers, and a diverse range of leaders and experts to democratize civic education and strengthen our democracy.
