21 st Century Teaching for 21 st Century Students Brad Fountain Discovery Education

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” - Alvin Toffler

“This is a story about the big public conversation the nation is not having about education… whether an entire generation of kids will fail to make the grade in the global economy because they can’t think their way through abstract problems, work in teams, distinguish good information from bad, or speak a language other than English.” How to Build a Student for the 21 st Century, TIME Magazine, December 18, 2006

Who are 21 st Century Learners? As large in number as Baby Boomers Consumers- $150 billion annually Digital Media Users – 6 ½ hrs daily (Exposed to 8 ½ hours) Multi-taskers: online - phone - print Hyper-Communicators -socially & civically Gamers-interactive learning Risk-Takers –Depersonalization Pursuers of ongoing education Futurists & Optimistic IQ is up by 17 points between with most gains post 1972

Are They REALLY That Different? 21 st Century Student’s Brain –Neuroplasticity 50 hours to affect change Video games –Hypertext Minds Point to Point vs. Linear Breadth vs. Depth –Environmental Impact –Thinking Patterns –ADD or Disengaged Marc Prensky – Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants Part 2

Meet My Little Girl Name Alex Age 3 1/2 About Alex Alex has never been satisfied with simply watching characters on TV. She craves interaction with her world. As a result of growing up in a digital world her brain is wired differently.

The long rise of IQs: “genes have profited from…strong feedback loops between performance and environment” “enhanced problem solving skills have become necessary to fully enjoy enjoy our leisure activity” “unexpected and massive gains” Nov. 2007, James Flynn, Scientific American

A research-based synthesis consisting of 30 years of educational research indicates: –participation in social practice is a fundamental form of learning –learning is increased by a diversity of cultural experience and community participation Brown, Ann L, Cocking, Rodney R & Bransford, John D. How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington: National Academies Press, How People Learn

What Are 21 st Century Students Missing? Critical Thinking –Reflection –Evaluation –Linear Processing –Personal Communication –Meaningful Persistence –Formal processes

Workforce Survey: “Are They Really Ready to Work?” Why 21 st Century Skills? Released October 2, 2006, by The Conference Board, Corporate Voices for Working Families, Partnership for 21 st Century Skills, and the Society for Human Resource Management groups.

Why 21 st Century Skills? What skills are most important for job success when hiring a High School graduate? Work Ethic80% Collaboration75% Good Communication70% Social Responsibility63% Critical Thinking & Problem Solving58%

Why 21 st Century Skills? Of the High School Students that you recently hired, what were their deficiencies? Written Communication81% Leadership73% Work Ethic70% Critical Thinking & Problem Solving70% Self-Direction58%

Why 21 st Century Skills? What applied skills and basic knowledge are most important for those you will hire with a four-year college diploma? Oral Communication95.4% Collaboration94.4% Professional/Work Ethic93.8% Written Communication93.1% Critical Thinking/Problem Solving93.1%

Why 21 st Century Skills? What skills and content areas will be growing in importance in the next five years? Critical Thinking78% I.T.77% Health & Wellness76% Collaboration74% Innovation74% Personal Financial Responsibility72%

So What Does this Mean for Teachers and Schools?

“If you are not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original. By the time students become adults they have lost that capacity. And national education systems are where mistakes are the worst things you can make. The result is we are educating people out of their creative capacities.” - Sir Ken Robinson

New Definitions for Schools Schools will go “from ‘buildings’ to nerve centers, with walls that are porous and transparent, connecting teachers, students and the community to the wealth of knowledge that exists in the world while creating a culture of inquiry” Teachers will go from primary role as a dispenser of information to orchestrator of learning and helping students turn information into knowledge, and knowledge into wisdom. 21 st CenturySchool.com

New Definition for Students In the past a student was a young person who went to school, spent a specified amount of time in certain courses, received passing grades and graduated. Today we must see learners in a new context: –First we must maintain student interest by helping them see how what they are learning prepares them for life in the real world. –Second we must instill curiosity, which is fundamental to lifelong learning. –Third we must be flexible in how we teach. –Fourth we must excite learners to become even more resourceful so that they will continue to learn outside the formal school day.” 21 st CenturySchool.com

Aliteracy Poem Mrs. Thompson's second graders are amazing! The principal says they can comprehend anything-- Even a medical textbook. Mrs. Thompson's second graders are incredible! The superintendent says their oral reading is completely seamless-- Like the gentle flow of an eternal spring. Mrs. Thompson's second graders are fantastic! The PTA president says they finished the reading workbook and the phonics workbook before the end of the Third Quarter. Mrs. Thompson's second graders worry me. You see, I'm the aide who works in Mrs. Thompson's classroom, And I know something that others don't. Mrs. Thompson's second graders don't like to read. Poetry for Literacy Teachers from "Life's Literacy Lessons" by Steven L. Layne. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. 2001

Being Literate Today Means… Finding the information Processing different media Decoding the information Analyzing the information Critically evaluating the information Organizing it into personal digital libraries Creating information in a variety of media Teaching the information to find the user Filtering the information gleaned

20 th Century vs. 21 st Century Learning 20 th Century Classrooms21 st Century Classrooms Time-basedOutcome-based Focus on memorization of discrete factsFocus on what students KNOW, CAN DO and ARE LIKE after all the details are forgotten Lessons focus on lower level of Bloom’s Taxonomy – knowledge, comprehension and application Learning is designed on upper levels of Bloom’s – synthesis, analysis and evaluation Textbook-drivenResearch-driven Passive learningActive learning Learners work in isolation – classroom within 4 wallsLearners work collaboratively with classmates and others around the world – the Global Classroom Teacher-centered: teacher is center of attention and provider of information Student-centered: teacher is facilitator/coach Little or no student freedomGreat deal of student freedom Fragmented curriculumIntegrated and Interdisciplinary curriculum

20 th Century vs. 21 st Century Learning Low expectationsHigh expectations – “If it isn’t good, it isn’t done” We expect, and ensure, that all students succeed in learning at high levels. Some may go higher – we get out of their way to let them do that. Teacher is judge. No one else sees student work.Self, Peer and Other assessments. Public audience, authentic assessments. Curriculum/School is irrelevant and meaningless to the students. Curriculum is connected to students’ interests, experiences, talents and the real world. Print is the primary vehicle of learning and assessment. Performances, projects and multiple forms of media are used for learning and assessment. Diversity in students is ignored.Curriculum and instruction address student diversity. Literacy is the 3 R’s – reading, writing and mathMultiple literacies of the 21 st century – aligned to living and working in a globalized new millennium.

-John Seely Brown Search Engines moving toward video Four week period ending June 24, ,696 searches sent traffic to video sites Four week period ending June 23, ,775 searches sent traffic to video sites Hitwise, Phil Butler, profy.com YouTube other sites

Other Cultures Korea –Little time reading newspapers or watching TV. Life moves at the speed of the net and being connected is the only way to remain current Japan –Laptops are viewed as dinosauric technology. The cell phone provides the privacy and instant connectivity individuals crave

What will the future hold? Future Forces Affecting Education

Putting it into practice.

Where do I Start? Back to School with the Class of Web 2.0

Tools of the Trade Online Collaborations –Blogs –Wikis –Google Docs/SpreadsheetsGoogle Docs/Spreadsheets –Skype –Flickr Digital Storytelling –Photostory 3 –Movie Maker 2 –Adobe Premiere Elements/iMovie –Audacity –Freeplay Music

Tools of the Trade Google Earth Podcasts VoiceThread Slideshare NewsMap Toondoo Surveys

What does it look like? Cross-Curricular Projects on the Web –Johnny Appleseed ProjectJohnny Appleseed Project –Journey NorthJourney North Classroom Blogs –Mr. C’s Class BlogMr. C’s Class Blog –The Secret Life of BeesThe Secret Life of Bees Classroom Podcasts –Room 208Room 208 –RadioWillowwebRadioWillowweb

What does it look like? Google Earth –Grapes of Wrath Google Earth LittripGrapes of Wrath Google Earth Littrip –Coral Reef TemperaturesCoral Reef Temperatures –Tree Coverage PercentageTree Coverage Percentage Wikis –Vicki DavisVicki Davis –Tim FrederickTim Frederick Technospud

How can I help my school? Professional Development Needs Assessment MILE Guide How to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20 th CenturyHow to Bring Our Schools Out of the 20 th Century enGauge Visions 2020 Building the Perfect School

Some good reads… Blogs –2 Cents Worth – David Warlick –Teach42 – Steve Dembo –The Strength of Weak Ties – David Jakes –Moving at the Speed of Creativity – Wes Fryer –Weblogg-ed – Will Richardson –Dangerously Irrelevant – Scott McLeod –Beth’s Thoughts on Technology in the Classroom – Beth Knittle Books –Tested – Linda Perlstein –Don’t Bother Me Mom—I’m Learning! – Marc Prensky –A Whole New Mind – Daniel Pink –The World is Flat – Thomas Friedman –What Video Games Have to Teach us About Literacy and Learning – James Paul Gee

What Will You Do to Make A Difference? Brad Fountain