Educational Consultant and Innovator
MARGARET L BURKE
ABOUT ME
Specializing in education evaluation, learning outcomes assessment, community engaged learning, and working with difference has led me to the Pacific Northwest where I support a range of projects in varying educational contexts through my consulting business. As a skilled facilitator and educational innovator, I take great pride in collaborative projects that support the enhancement and evolution of teaching and learning.
After 10 years living and working in northern Vermont, I stay connected with partners across the country through my remote work leading long-term educational assessment efforts. I also continue to provide curricular support to administrators, program directors, and faculty in a variety of educational settings. I return to the northeast each season for a deep dive and face to face work with University colleagues.
I earned my Master of Science (M.S.) focused in Ecological Teaching and Learning from Lesley University and, like the title of my degree, I strive to align my love for the environment and natural resources with my efforts to create conditions for transformative learning.
CONSULTING
The following is a list of skills and services at the heart of my work. I would be happy to work with you
to co-construct a project scope and/or develop a proposal specific to support your organization’s needs.Â
If you’d like references or additional information for any of these roles, please get in touch.
EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT
I love the complexity of engaging with a community to identify intended outcomes, to design approaches for rigorous and sustainable assessment, to analyze findings, and to facilitate next-steps efforts informed by the process. I would love to partner with you to customize an assessment plan that will serve your ongoing work. Through a wide range of creative and collaborative assessment methods, I will work with you to design and execute an assessment approach that supports continual improvement and innovation.
PROGRAM EVALUATION
There are scores of effective ways to harvest feedback and examine the efficacy of programs from multiple perspectives. With collaborative design and participatory processes, I relish the process of systematically discovering the nuance of success in order to evolve and improve diverse programs.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Solidarity and reciprocity are key values I hold in my community-engaged work. Facilitating and supporting mutually beneficial partnerships across sectors can be transformative for communities. I have extensive experience connecting and stewarding 100+ award-winning partnerships with education organizations, non-profits, government agencies, and private stakeholders to strengthen change initiatives.
FACILITATION AND TEACHING
Facilitating and teaching are at the heart of my career. Creating conditions to support and sustain learners as they step into their full potential is my deepest aspiration. I also love weaving creative approaches to teaching and learning into my practice. This has included extensive experience developing innovative student-centered curriculum, specializing in high impact experiential learning practices, and designing learning environments indoors, outdoors, and online.
WHAT COLLEAGUESÂ ARE SAYING
"Margaret’s project management skills have enabled the Rubenstein School to make amazing strides in launching a rigorous assessment program for our core curriculum. Her strong background in higher education has given us an innovative framework for continual improvement of teaching and learning in the School. Margaret’s energy and creativity has brought out the best in our faculty while undertaking this highly collaborative project." -Allan Strong PhD, Rubenstein School Associate Dean
​
"Margaret's approach to complex projects are always strength based and center authentic relationships. She brings a refreshing rigor to systemic analysis that reveals a deep understanding of the socio-cultural contexts of communities, students, and families. She is invaluable to our Shoreline team." -Shadiin Garcia PhD, Shoreline Consulting Co-Founder
​
"We came to Margaret seeking support in developing a comprehensive fiscal, social, and management master plan with our board of directors. Margaret offered us a strategic planning process to define goals, establish a game-plan, and incorporate participants’ perspectives into a cohesive, usable set of guidelines for the community’s future. Her leadership ability and facilitation skills were integral to making the process a success." -Thomas Walter, Wandering Creek Board President
​