Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Update: see our online program   

Educational Program

The Responcity Program teaches fundamental values of the common good, and then puts them into practice.

Students learn to identify a problem they care about in their own community. After working together to propose and implement a solution, they become certified City Solutionaries.

Our Programs

Responcity Annual and Semester Programs

The highlight of the Responcity Program is the transformation of students into City Solutionaries by solving real-life municipal problems for the common good. Students and teachers manage this process through the Responcity app, collaborating and developing 21st century skills. Evaluation of skills will be conducted through our effective, data-driven, and scalable system of digital assessments.

Responcity Afterschool Program

Community centers and afterschool programs have a unique atmosphere of informal education. Responcity has custom-tailored our program to take advantage of this exciting method of student involvement. The afterschool program focuses on both learning educational material and engaging in dynamic, interactive activities. The Responcity team provides complete training for the community center staff, who implement the program.

Responcity Connect

Educational programs must provide creative, high-quality online services that enable students to continue to learn and progress. Responcity Connect is the digital adaptation of the Responcity program. It provides educators with a comprehensive toolkit that utilizes the virtual environment to help them prepare teens to thrive in this new global reality. Click here to learn more about Responcity Connect.
covid 19 update

Program Implementation

  • The four pillars that serve as the foundation of human society are the common good, the public sector, the city, and responsibility (personal and public). 
  • Civics is so much more than rights. The traditional civics class focuses on defining my rights as a citizen. The Responcity approach inspires students to also consider their duties. They ask, what is my responsibility to society and to the common good?
  • By learning the value-based language of the four pillars, students are inspired to work together to become City Solutionaries, to make their cities better places for all.
  • Using the PBL pedagogy, students work together in problem-solving teams. They identify municipal problems that they care about and that need improvement. For some students, this may be the first time they have ever looked beyond their personal lives and considered problems that affect the common good.
  • With the guidance of their teacher, each team researches their chosen issue and defines their work process. Students consider: What problems need to be solved in our city? What are possible solutions? Who are the decision-makers we need to persuade? What are the steps we need to take to reach a productive solution? They define their City Solution project and are on their way to becoming City Solutionaries.
  • Through the Responcity app, they collaborate with other teams, get feedback, and document the process so they will have a record of the entire length of the experience.
  • Working on their chosen problems, students form groups, delegate the duties among members, and build a timeline. Teams work with a mentor to formulate possible solutions. Along the way, students might redefine the solution to best meet the common good. In doing so, they develop lifelong skills, such as flexibility, teamwork, and persistence.
  • Students prepare a high-level presentation of the City Solutionary experience for three forums: the class (real-time and through the Responcity app), the municipal leaders, and the entire community at the Community Change Celebration. Students will hone their organizational, thinking, and public speaking skills.
  • They work with municipal authorities to implement approved projects and conduct a pilot program when relevant. This process inspires and empowers students to develop long-term responsibility for building their communities.
  • They conduct a reflective evaluation. The skills learned and City Solutions are tracked through the app, enabling global measurement and collaboration.

Responcity Annual Program Timeline

Based on 34 class meetings in a typical US school year, one class meeting of 45-60 minutes per week.

SEPTEMBER
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER
OCTOBER - DECEMBER
DECEMBER - FEBRUARY
FEBRUARY - APRIL
MAY
JUNE

Teacher Training Conferences

Responcity offers a meaningful yet rapid learning process for professional development. Teachers will acquire the most advanced tools available in the field of education today for supporting students in creative problem solving. The program will be led by an internationally renowned team of experts in the field of PBL. The Responcity app gives teachers a comprehensive round-the-clock support envelope throughout the entire process, for achieving 100% success.

UNIT 1 | THE COMMON GOOD

7 lessons: focus on the common good, preliminary acquaintance with the Responcity program and app.

PBL Stage:

Problem-solving process – preliminary steps

Students divide into groups. They study problems in their city, perform a deep research process and work with protocols.

UNIT 2 | THE PUBLIC SECTOR

6 lessons:  students gain understanding about the public/private sectors and the common good.

PBL Stage:

Preparation for meeting with the local authority
Students suggest problems and issues, formulate questions, list local authority representatives they would like to meet (based on the issues raised). Emphasis is on student responsibility and learning through the process.

Meeting with a local authority/entity 
Identify relevant entities to help solve problems raised.

UNIT 3 | THE CITY

8 lessons: the city, city economy, local government, sustainability, resilience, and development. 

PBL Stage:

Problem-solving process – planning & action
Divide into work teams. Focus on task, formulate a work plan.
Follow work plan, meet with contact people/partners.

Problem-solving process – recalibration
Joint work among groups, overcome obstacles, tweak work plan if needed.

UNIT 4 | PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY

6 lessons: responsibility, the different types of responsibility, public responsibility and responsibility in the public sector.

PBL Stage:

Continue problem-solving process

PRESENTATION TO MAYOR

Prepare final presentation
Protocol for building and presenting an engaging, focused presentation. City Solutionaries receive a certificate signed by the mayor.

Evaluation
Self, peer, and teacher

COMMUNITY CHANGE CELEBRATION

Welcome to the Teachers' Lounge

Click on the login button and enter the password you received during the teacher training