The International Educators Institute Asia is a transformative professional learning experience grounded in a two-day workshop in Bangkok, February 6-7, 2026. This event focuses on building instructional coherence through subject-specific instructional design and practice.
Grounded in Fullan’s 6 Cs of Deeper Learning—Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, Citizenship, and Character—you’ll explore how these pillars integrate with ACER’s High-Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Social Emotional Learning (SEL), and AI tools.
Institute Themes Across Both Days:
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Grounding practice in Fullan’s 6 Cs
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Applying High-Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) in disciplinary contexts
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Embedding UDL, SEL, and AI in core instruction
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Aligning lessons with discipline-specific frameworks
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Fostering collaborative reflection and shared design
Historical Overview
The Institute has its roots in a visionary initiative led by Erma Anderson under the sponsorship of the Office of Overseas Schools (A/OS). Originally designed to bring coherence to core instructional practices across international schools, this work emphasized the integration of discipline-specific strategies, student-centered pedagogies, and systemic professional development to support deeper learning for all students.
Under Erma Anderson’s leadership, the Institute provided educators with a structured yet flexible framework to align curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices across subjects. For years, the Summer Instructional Coherence Institute became a cornerstone of professional learning for teachers and leaders in A/OS-supported schools, promoting instructional alignment, collaboration, and innovation.
Recognizing the impact of this work, the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools (NESA) began offering its own Instructional Coherence Institutes, furthering the vision of cohesive and rigorous instruction across its member schools. In November 2023, NESA deepened its commitment by publishing the Instructional Coherence Guide, a comprehensive resource that outlines key strategies, tools, and frameworks for improving core instruction across disciplines.
This guide now serves as a foundation for the NESA Networked Learning Series (NNLS)—a blended, cohort-based program that brings educators together by subject area to collaboratively design, implement, and reflect on instructional practices.
21st Century Learning will support the Instructional Coherence Institute beginning in 2025–2026, with a focus on continuing this important legacy and extending support to content-area practitioners. This next phase is grounded in the same commitment to coherence, collaboration, and excellence that has shaped the Institute from the start.
Through this continued evolution, the Instructional Coherence Institute remains a vital force in shaping meaningful, equitable, and engaging instruction—empowering educators across international schools to support every student’s success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I/my school need to use the AERO standards?
No. This Institute is an adaptation of the Summer AERO Institute hosted each June at Marymount University outside of Washington DC. Our focus will be on learning experience design and instructional coherence.
I’m at an IB School - is this opportunity right for me?
Absolutely! Instructional coherence with a focus on learning experience design with a disciplinary focus is very applicable and relevant for IB schools. There will be multiple opportunities to connect with other IB school cohort participants to enhance learning experience design through an interdisciplinary lens.
Is there an assessment component?
There will be feedback from your cohort coach and peers to support your self-assessment of the process, design and implementation. You will be able to engage in a formal debrief with your students to contribute to their evidence of learning.
Who is behind this institute?
Our goal is to support annual, transformative professional learning focusing on instructional coherence specifically within subject areas. 21 Century Learning is partnering with members of the AERO faculty to adapt the AERO Summer Institute and create an experience that focuses on learning intentions, regardless of the standards and includes coaching to support implementation of learning experience design that prioritizes learner engagement, personalization and agency.
