Advancing Self-Growth Through Research, Practice, and AI
The Research Summit brings together educators and researchers to move beyond theory into the active design of self-growth systems. Across seven sessions, participants engage in inquiry, model development, and applied design—advancing both the science and practice of helping individuals become self-growers.
LOCATION
The Summit sessions will use the plenary session area at West Coast University for in-person attendees. (This is the same room used for the pre-conference workshops and all the plenary sessions.)
Those planning to attend online will be provided with the Zoom links to the sessions. (Those same links will also be available from the PE Conference Support Site.)
REGISTRATION
There is no fee for those already registered for the Conference but WE DO NEED TO KNOW how many will be attending (for food and for breakout rooms). Please email Dan Apple [email protected] if you plan to attend any or all Summit session.
DINNER IS ON STEVE!
Catered dinners will be provided free of charge for in-person attendees (Steve Beyerlein is hosting the catered dinners). He does need how much food to order though, so PLEASE let Dan know if you’ll be attending in-person.
PLANNED SESSIONS
Session 1 (Mon, 4:00–5:45 PM)
The Self-Growth Project: Where We Are Now
An opening orientation to six years of research and system development. Participants align on the architecture of the Self-Growth System, key discoveries, and the major questions that will shape the next phase of work.
Session 2 (Mon, 6:15–8:00 PM)
Defining What a True Self-Grower Looks Like
This session establishes clear capability thresholds for independent self-growth. Participants explore the behaviors and patterns that demonstrate increasing clarity, intentionality, and the ability to design and govern one’s own development.
Session 3 (Tues, 4:00–5:45 PM)
Analyzing Current Self-Growth Research
Working in teams, participants analyze existing IJPE research to identify key discoveries, recurring patterns, and critical gaps—building a shared foundation for future inquiry.
Session 4 (Tues, 6:15–8:00 PM)
Writing to Think for Research: Generating the Next Wave of Questions
Participants use writing-to-think as the primary method for developing new research questions, study designs, and measurement strategies. As the inquiry unfolds, the group simultaneously identifies the practices that strengthen thinking—producing a set of high-value Writing-to-Think practices grounded in real research work.
Session 5 (Wed, 4:00–5:45 PM)
Designing the Next Phase of the Self-Growth Project
This session translates research questions into actionable experiments, addressing program design, coaching structures, AI integration, and data collection to scale the development of self-growers.
Session 6 (Wed, 6:15–8:00 PM)
AI, Practice, and the Six Dimensions of Living Forward
Educators explore how AI-supported practices can advance student development across six dimensions: becoming, impact, quality of life, wellness, relationships, and spirituality. The focus is on how specific practices—enhanced by AI—help students move directionally within each dimension, supporting holistic self-growth and life trajectory development.
Session 7 (Thurs, 4:00–5:45 PM)
Measuring Life Trajectory
Participants develop and test frameworks for measuring monthly life trajectory, evaluating movement toward the Horizon Self across key dimensions. The session explores whether this model can serve as a unifying “North Star” metric for self-growth.
Closing Conversation (Optional, Thurs 5:45–6:15 PM)
A final synthesis of discoveries, next steps for publications, and the launch of Phase IV research and collaboration.
Core Outcome of the Summit
By the end of the week, participants will have:
- Strengthened the foundation of the Self-Growth System
- Defined capability thresholds for self-growers
- Generated high-value research questions
- Identified effective Writing-to-Think practices
- Designed Phase IV research experiments
- Developed AI-supported approaches to holistic student growth
- Advanced frameworks for measuring life trajectory