21st Century Teaching and Learning Series:nhs-cff.wikispaces.com/file/view/A+Need+for+Change.doc · Web view21st Century Teaching and Learning Series: A Professional Development System

21st Century Teaching and Learning Series:A Professional Development System to Support All High School Reform

Initiatives

Our society is in the midst of an unprecedented explosion in all forms of technology and information. This rapid growth in new technologies or improvements to existing technology are in turn fostering changes in education, the workforce, job skill demand, global competition, and life-long learning. We are in a knowledge-driven economy that demands highly effective workers in workplaces in which working and learning are the same activity. This opportunity encourages us to rethink much of what we do in schools, how we learn, and how we prepare students for a world which is difficult for us to envision.

It is critical that we acknowledge the need to improve academic achievement and to recognize that changing demands within an increasingly technologically sophisticated economy and global competition compel us to do so. By the time students leave high school, they should be prepared for citizenship, work and post secondary education. We can no longer continue to prepare high school students in the traditional core academic skills alone. Preparation for the 21st Century will require not only the traditional academic content that we measure today but also new skills and new knowledge. Today's graduates will need 21st Century skills such as critical thinking and problem solving. Not only will they have to master rigorous academic core content, but they will also need to master emerging content in global awareness, civic literacy, and financial and economic literacy. In order to communicate this knowledge, innovate and collaborate, students must also be able to master technology.

Good teaching has always helped to develop life skills such as adaptability, self-direction, people skills and accountability. Teaching in the 21st Century will require even more deliberate and intentional instruction in these areas as teachers strive to offer meaningful and relevant educational experiences for all students.

Envision high school classrooms where subjects come alive as students take on the roles of historians, scientists, mathematicians, and authors to investigate critical questions, weigh different points of view in light of discoveries, form positions, and present and defend their work while collaborating with peers. Technology is integrated seamlessly in the learning process for research, connecting with experts in the field, career exploration, collaborating with others, and publishing completed works. The teacher acts as a facilitator of learning leading students to higher levels of thinking and creativity while releasing more responsibility to students by using appropriate protocols for classroom management. Instruction is differentiated to meet the individual needs of each student in the class.

In this environment, student engagement dramatically increases, attendance improves and dropout rates decrease. As students feel more engaged and intellectually stimulated, they exhibit more ownership for their learning and perform higher academically.

Introduction - Page 1

In order for teachers to accomplish the transformation from instruction primarily delivered through lecture and textbook to using multiple modalities in more authentic and dynamic learning environments, they will need a purposefully designed program of study with the necessary implementation support system and accountability for change.

The 21st Century Teaching & Learning Series takes teachers through the pedagogical transformation process in a program of study that builds the instructional foundation for real change in classroom practice and ensures the change is being implemented through action research and classroom observations. The series begins with the first course that builds a compelling case for change with the learners completing a thorough needs analysis and action plan for accomplishing the change in conjunction with their principal, department, and study group colleagues. The second through fifth courses are subject specific (i.e. there are versions for mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts) and purposefully build the pedagogical skills necessary for accomplishing lasting instructional change. They will lead to the creation of dynamic, authentic classroom environments where students take on the roles of scientists, historians, mathematicians, and writers. Teachers seamlessly incorporate inquiry, projects, technology, and dynamic and flexible groupings into authentic teaching and learning.

The 21st Century Teaching & Learning Series Framework:

Goal: To build the capacity of Pennsylvania's high school teachers to better meet the needs of today's students.

Series Tools

Provides strategies to integrate student use of technology.

Provides opportunities for the teacher to become a facilitator of learning. Provides performance-based assessment strategies. Uses lesson planning tools to incorporate series content. Incorporates student higher order thinking skills. Provides opportunities for students to have authentic experiences through

collaboration and interdisciplinary means. Provides a principal observation tool for assessing series content

implementation. Provides strategies for communicating with stakeholders.

Program of Study

The 21st Century Teaching & Learning Series takes teachers through a pedagogical transformation process in a program of study that builds the instructional foundation for


real change in classroom practice and ensures the change is being implemented through action research and classroom observations.

This series is designed to be meaningful to both novice and experienced teachers and is comprised of five courses. The courses will be available in a variety of versions including self-study and facilitated study groups; however, only the facilitated study group versions of the courses will be acceptable in order to fulfill the Classrooms for the Future requirement.

The series begins with the first course that builds a compelling case for change with the learners completing a thorough needs analysis and action plan for accomplishing the change in conjunction with their principal, department, and study group colleagues. The second course introduces skills for creating dynamic, authentic classroom environments where students take on the roles of scientists, historians, mathematicians, and writers. The third through fifth courses purposefully builds the pedagogical skills necessary for accomplishing lasting instructional change including inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, and differentiated instruction with a special emphasis on continuing the dynamic and authentic classroom environment from course two.

Course 1: Teaching in the 21st Century – The Need for ChangeCourse 2: Teaching Authentic Mathematics in the 21st Century, or

Teaching Authentic Science in the 21st Century, orTeaching Authentic Social Studies in the 21st Century, orTeaching Authentic Language Arts in the 21st Century

Course 3: Differentiated Instruction in the Mathematics Classroom, orDifferentiated Instruction in the Social Studies Classroom, orDifferentiated Instruction in the Science Classroom, orDifferentiated Instruction in the Language Arts Classroom

Course 4: Authentic Inquiry-Based Learning in the Mathematics Classroom, orAuthentic Inquiry-Based Learning in the Social Studies Classroom, orAuthentic Inquiry-Based Learning in the Science Classroom, orAuthentic Inquiry-Based Learning in the Language Arts Classroom

Course 5: Authentic Project-Based Learning in the Mathematics Classroom, orAuthentic Project-Based Learning in the Social Studies Classroom, orAuthentic Project-Based Learning in the Science Classroom, orAuthentic Project-Based Learning in the Language Arts Classroom

21st Century Teaching and Learning Series Goals

The goal of the series is to transform high school instruction from the 20th Century to 21st Century teaching and learning.

Change Description Change To Description


From

Teacher Centered

Teachers spend time disseminating information to students through direct instruction

Student Centered

Teachers act as facilitators, coaching students as they work on authentic projects

Content Coverage

Teachers cover content through direct instruction and move at a pace to ensure that all material is presented, whether it is learned or not.

Learning and Doing

Teachers design projects to address essential academic standards. Student performance on projects demonstrates proficiency or deficiency with respect to standards. Intervention is done for students not meeting standards.

Memorizing information

Teachers spend most time involved in direct instruction, with assessment occurring as a test at the end where recall of information is tested.

Using information

Teachers have students use information to develop authentic projects where mastery of information is demonstrated in the way information is used in the project.

Lecturer Teachers spend most of their time involved in “stand and deliver”. Knowledge comes from the teacher.

Facilitator The teacher provides projects that involve students doing research and assimilating the knowledge themselves. Teachers act as coaches and provide support as need by students. They take on the role of project manager.


Whole Group Configuration

All students receive the same instruction. One size fits all.

Flexible Grouping Configuration Based on Individual Student Needs

Teachers group students based on needs. Instruction seldom is to the whole group. Rather, instruction occurs with individuals, pairs, or small groups as needed.

Single Instructional and Learning Modality

Multiple Instructional and Learning Modalities to Include All Students

Memorization and Recall

Tests are the primary means of assessment and focus on recall and lower level thinking.

Higher Order Thinking Skills

Teachers assign projects to the class that requires higher order thinking (synthesis, analysis, application, and evaluation).

Single Discipline

The class is conducted in an isolated manner without connections to other classes or subjects.

Interdisciplinary Teachers have students complete projects that are designed to use information and skills that cut across other subject areas. Some projects and assignments may be done collaboratively between two or more classes (e.g., history, science, and language arts – a study of what really might have happened at the Little Big Horn)

Isolated Students are encouraged to work individually

Collaborative Teachers allow students to work collaboratively on projects and network with others in the class, as well as experts outside of school.


Quiz and Test Assessments

Students are assessed through tests only.

Performance-Based Assessments

Teachers utilize projects as well as other products and performances as assessments to determine student achievement and needs. Assessments are tailored to the talents/needs of the students.

Textbook Dependent

The teacher may follow the textbook chapter by chapter, page by page. The text book is the major source of information.

Multiple Sources of Information Including Technology

Teachers use the textbook as just another resource, which is used in conjunction with the internet, journals, interviews of experts, etc.

Technology as a luxury

The teacher is the main user of technology, primarily as a means of presenting information.

Technology fully integrated into the classroom

Teachers have students regularly use technology to find information, network/communicate with each other and experts, and to produce and present their projects, assignments, and performances.

Teachers teaching to the one learning style

Teachers teach to one learning style (nearly) all the time (e.g., always talking only, or always giving notes on the board only). Teachers also expect student submissions to always be the same most or all of the time (e.g., all work is submitted in written form).

Teachers addressing the learning styles of all learners

Teachers use different means of presenting information. Methods are based on the preferences of individual students or groups. Students are able to convey information to the teacher via their projects/ performances/ assignments in a variety of modalities, based on their preferences (written, spoken, music, acted out, etc.).

Learning content

The focus is on covering content

Learner-Directed Learning

Through projects, teachers have students learn how to ask the right questions, do an appropriate investigation, get answers, and use the information so they can continue to learn all their lives.


Learning isolated skills and factoids

Facts and skills are learned out of context and for their own sakes.

Using a variety of types of information to complete authentic projects

Teachers devise projects that help students learn information and skills through using them in situations similar to the way they would in real life.

Acting purely as a student

Students are involved in strictly academic endeavors (e.g., note taking, listening to lectures).

Students acting as a worker in the discipline

Teachers set up student assignments, projects, and performances to allow students to operate the way a person would working in the field in the real world (as a scientist, writer, mathematician, etc).

Teaching in isolation

Closing the door and working alone with no contact or help from outside the classroom

Teaching in collaboration

Teachers take part in co- and team teaching, as well as working collaboratively with department members to improve learning for students

Teaching in such a way as to disengage students.

Students become bored because school is not engaging and they feel they have to power down.

Engaging the 21st Century student

Teachers consider utilize the unique characteristics of the 21st Century brain and the habits of the 21st Century digital native to provide engaging and effective instruction.

Teaching content

Teachers focus on subject matter alone.

Teaching to prepare students for the 21st Century workplace.

Teachers incorporate elements of the 21st Century workplace into the classroom to prepare the student with 21st Century workplace experiences and skills.

Teachers alone educate the student

Teachers have the primary responsibility for educating the student and focus most if not all of the load

Shared responsibility for educating the student

Teachers communicate with all stakeholders (administrators, school board members, parents, students) and enlist the help and inputs of all to effectively educate students.


“Sit and get” professional development

Teachers take part and accept passive and ineffective professional development

21st Century professional development and learning communities

Teachers take an active part in planning and participating in professional development that regularly utilize learning communities to improve student learning and achievement.

Teacher looks for one answer for students

Teachers pose low-level questions that require recall answers. Emphasis placed on correct answer.

Teacher looks for multiple answers from students.

Teachers pose questions that require high level thinking with multiple solutions. Emphasis placed on the types of questions.

Teachers reflect on student results.

Teachers analyze assessment scores for the sake of progress reporting progress.

Students reflect on student results with teachers.

Teachers with students analyze assessment scores for the purpose of identifying strengthens and weakness to prescribe instruction and academic supports.

© 2007 Learning Sciences International.All Rights Reserved.


Learning Guide - Blended Study Group Version

Teaching in the 21st Century: The Need for Change

Use this guide as you progress through the course to organize your thoughts and to help you plan ways to apply the content you have learned in your building/district. At times, you may be prompted to refer to the learning guide for specific directions or activities. This course is structured using units, sections, and topics. For further explanation, please refer back to the online orientation.

Throughout this course you will demonstrate an understanding of the course content and practice the skills discussed. There will be activities requiring planning, applying, reflecting metacognition, and sharing.

Note that some activities will require that you submit responses electronically. All work can be created in a word processing program and then be copied and pasted into the collection fields on screen.

As you progress through the course, be sure to:

Read and listen to the information presented. Print and read additional materials as directed. Follow the Learning Guide closely as you progress through the multimedia

portions of the course. It contains step-by-step instructions for all activities. Complete all activities, some of which require application in your building/district. Participate actively and frequently in all discussion activities. Add information to your Learning Log as directed and at any other time you

choose. Visit the "Links" section and navigate through the additional web resource links. Create a course resource binder for future reference by collecting all printed

course materials and activities that will help you successfully complete the culminating activity.

Section 1.1: Introduction

Topic 1.1.2 Course Overview

This course is divided into five units. The first unit is an introduction to the objectives and materials of the course. The second unit will provide the rationale for 21st Century change by examining students and workplace. The third unit will examine the roles and responsibilities required of teachers to prepare students for the 21st Century workplace.

Learning Guide - Page 9

The fourth unit explores how supporting systems must conform in order to accomplish the 21st Century transformation in the classroom. In the last unit, the completion of the culminating activity based on the collection of reflections and results from course activities will occur.

The following is an estimate of the time it will take to complete each unit.

Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Culminating Activity Total

1 hour &10 minutes

9 hours &50 minutes

6 hours &30 minutes

8 hours &30 minutes 4 hours 30 hours

At the beginning of each unit you will have the opportunity to print an activity time breakdown document that explains how much time each individual unit activity requires.

Topic 1.1.3 Learning Objectives

As a result of this course, you will be able to:

Identify the needs and preferences of the 21st Century learners Recognize the gap that exists between current instructional practices and the

skill set needed by students for success in the 21st Century workplace Understand the role collegial collaboration plays in establishing a 21st Century

classroom Establish more effective communication among stakeholders

Topic 1.1.4 Course Materials

Sync Point Discussion Activity

In this activity you will participate in a discussion with the other members of your study group regarding the key concepts considered in this unit.

1. Print the rubric your facilitator will use to provide feedback for your participation in sync point discussion activities. Save this rubric for reference for these activities throughout the course.

2. Close the "print" window. 3. You will be notified when your facilitator has posted a topic for this discussion.

You cannot complete this activity until he/she has done so. Be sure to check your "Inbox."

4. Open the discussion group by clicking on "Course Resources" menu on the top left of the screen and select "Discussion."

5. On the discussion page, select the "Sync Point" discussion group and look for your facilitator's posting for Unit 1.

6. You must post a response to your facilitator's topic and either reply to the postings of others, or ask them questions. If you choose, you may start a new,


related topic to discuss a specific concept in more detail. A study group discussion is a key element of the course and much can be learned from participating. Part of your grade will be based on the quality and frequency of your participation in these discussions.

7. Return to this discussion frequently to monitor the discussion and add your inputs. Bear in mind that the quiz at the end of the unit will in part be based on this discussion.

8. Close the browser window to return to the course.

Personal Notes for Implementation:


Rubric for Sync Point Discussions

Performance Levels

Advanced Proficient Emerging Novice

Frequency of Postings

Responds to the initial posting by facilitator and posts multiple replies to other group members’ postings

Responds to the topic posted by facilitator and posts 1 reply to other group members’ postings

Responds to the topic posted by facilitator or posts multiple replies to other group members’ postings

No postings

Timeliness of Postings

Response to initial posting and multiple replies to other members’ postings are done within specified time period

Response to initial posting and reply to other member’s postings are done within specified time period

Response to initial posting or reply to other member’s postings are done within specified time period

Postings are not done during specified time periods

Content of Postings

Responses are insightful, demonstrate a strong understanding of course concepts and definite application to practice

Responses demonstrate a clear understanding of course concepts and some application to practice

Responses relate to course concepts, but no elaboration. Evidence of possible misunderstandings

Responses are not related to course concepts or no posting



UNIT 2: RATIONALE FOR 21ST CENTURY CHANGE

Unit Overview:

This unit will present compelling arguments for the need for change in our educational practices in order to improve student achievement. 21st Century skills are needed by all students, regardless of race, geographic locale, or socioeconomic level.

The learner will explore the characteristics of 21st Century students and the skills needed for their successful transition into the 21st Century workplace. Also, the learner will assess his/her own instructional practices to gauge the level at which they are preparing students for the 21st Century workplace.

Section 2.1: The 21st Century Student

Topic 2.1.1: How Do 21st Century Students Communicate?

Course Activity: Rationale for 21st Century Change K-L-D Chart

In this activity you will reflect on the rationale for 21st Century change.

1. Print and read the "Planning Guide: An Explanation of the K-L-D Chart." 2. Print the "Rationale for 21st Century Change K-L-D Chart." 3. Close the "print" windows. 4. Complete the "K" column of the chart, recording what you already know about

the topic. 5. Save the chart for later use. You will be directed when to fill in the "L" and "D"

columns. This information will be used to complete the culminating activity. 6. Return to the course to continue.



Course Activity: Personal Use of Technology

In this activity you analyze your personal use of technology.

1. Complete the following quiz that will help you identify yourself as a digital immigrant or a digital native.

a. Place an X in the appropriate box. b. Add the number of Xs in the "yes" column and record the total in the "total" row.

Question Yes No

Do you sometimes feel that you speak a different language than your students when it comes to technology?

Have you ever made a "Did you get my email" follow up phone call or walk over to ask the person?

Do you ever seek student assistance when using technology in the classroom?

Do you feel like you are always playing catch up to learn about new technologies?

Do you prefer to have your email printed for you to read?

Do you prefer to edit hard copies of your documents rather than the electronic version?

When you find an interesting website to share do you invite people to come view it at your computer (as opposed to sending them a URL)?

TOTAL

2. Using your total number of "yes" responses, determine where you fall on the digital immigrant/digital native continuum provided.

Digital Native Digital Immigrant


3. Using the following chart reflect on your personal use of technology.

Are you using... Yes NoHow Often (Daily, Monthly, Never?) Describe your usage.

Computers (Laptop or Desktop)

Calculators

PDA's

Cameras, Still or Video

Microscope camera projector

DVD Player

LCD Projector

Educational management software (e.g. attendance, grades, and lesson plans)

Word processing

Data management, graphing, or analysis software (Spreadsheets, EXCEL)

Database Software (FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Access)

Presentation Software (PowerPoint, Keynote)

Internet for Research

Email

Blogs

Podcasts

Online Communities

Wikipedia

RSS: Really Simple Syndication

Instant Messaging

Discussion Boards

Text Messaging

Desktop publishing

Web Publishing Software

Educational Games

Devices for Gathering Experimental Data

Simulation/Modeling Software


Video, Graphics, and Sound Editing or Production Software

Portable Media Players

Search Engines 4. Explain how you incorporate technology in your instruction. Note the example in the first

row.

Technology How technology is used in my classroom:

Blogs

I assign each of my students the role of a soldier from a different civil war state. Using blogs, students are required to write entries recording their experiences and feelings as a soldier from that state as though they were keeping a journal.

5. Return to the course to continue.



Job-embedded Activity: Student Focus Group Protocol

In this activity you will choose a cross section of students for your student focus group.

Note—For learners taking this course during the summer, please identify six students in your community to serve as your student focus group. Your best results will be realized if you are able to identify 2 for each of the following categories.

1. Select two students who are "low academic performers." a.

b.2. Select two students who are "average academic performers."

a.

b.3. Select two students who are "high academic performers."

a.

b.4. As you progress through the course, you will utilize these six students throughout

various activities in this course. As directed, record your results of these activities.

5. Return to the course to continue.


Job-embedded Activity: Student Use of Technology

In this activity you will analyze your students' use of technology.

1. Print "Learning Log Rubric". 2. Close the print window. 3. Using the following chart, interview the members of your student focus group.

Are you using... Yes No How Often (Daily, Monthly, Never?)Describe your


usage.

Computers (Laptop or Desktop)

Calculators

PDA's

Cameras, Still or Video

Microscope camera projector

DVD Player

LCD Projector

Educational management software (e.g. attendance, grades, and lesson plans)

Word processing

Data management, graphing, or analysis software (Spreadsheets, EXCEL)

Database Software (FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Access)

Presentation Software (PowerPoint, Keynote)

Internet for Research

Email

Blogs

Podcasts

Online Communities

Wikipedia

RSS: Really Simple Syndication

Instant Messaging

Discussion Boards

Text Messaging

Desktop publishing

Web Publishing Software

Educational Games

Devices for Gathering Experimental Data

Simulation/Modeling Software

Video, Graphics, and Sound Editing or Production Software

Portable Media Players

Search Engines


4. Answer the following questions. a. Did any of your student responses confirm your prior beliefs?

b. Were there any responses that you did not anticipate?

c. What did you find most interesting about how your students are using the technology?

d. Does your current classroom use of technology align with how your students use technology?

e. How can you modify your instruction so that students can practice 21st Century skills through technology?

5. Summarize your responses in the space provided. You will enter your summary in the Learning Log. (Additions will be made to the Learning Log throughout the


course. It will be used for reference during the Culminating Activity at the end of the course.):

6. Enter your summary in your Learning Log by clicking on "Resources" and then "Learning Log." (Label your entry "Student Use of Technology.")

7. Close the Learning Log window to return to the course.


Prediscussion Activity: Technology Reflection

In this activity you will reflect on you and your students' use of technology.

1. Using the Venn Diagram, identify similarities and differences between your use and your students' use of technology.


2. Answer the following questions. a. Are you a digital immigrant or a digital native?

b. How are you and your students using technology in similar ways? In what ways does your use differ?


c. Why do you think your students' use differs from your use?

d. What opportunities exist for you to use technology in order to better meet student needs?

3. For the purpose of the online discussion, summarize your responses in the space provided.

4. Fill in the "L" and "D" columns of your "Rationale for 21st Century Change K-L-D Chart."

5. Return to the course and advance to the next screen in order to receive further instructions to share your summary online.



Topic 2.1.2: How Do 21st Century Students Think Differently?

Prediscussion Activity: Student Thinking Patterns

In this activity you will reflect on student thought processes.

1. Using the questions provided, reflect on your knowledge about students thinking patterns.

a. What did you learn about "neuroplasticity" from reading the article? How does this term apply to education in the context of this course?

b. What is "malleability" through the lens of neuroscience? What implications does this concept have on education?

c. What is the difference between "neuroplasticity" and "malleability"?

d. Why do many children have short attention spans for school but not for computer games? Describe the disconnect.


e. Is there any information presented in the article that resonates deeply with you when thinking about students in your classroom? Please describe the connection.





Topic 2.1.3: Why Are 21st Century Students Disengaged?

Prediscussion Activity: Student Engagement

This activity will require you to reflect on student engagement in your classroom.

1. Print and read "Learning Indicators for Engagement." 2. Close the "print" window. 3. Determine if the following learning indicators are clearly identified in your

classroom. Place a checkmark in the appropriate box on the following checklist.

Engaging Instruction Checklist

Learning Indicators for Engagement My Classroom does not address

My Classroom addresses

Students are…

Responsible for Learning

Energized by Learning

Strategic

Collaborative

Classroom Instruction is…

Challenging

Authentic

Integrative/interdisciplinary

Classroom Assessments are…

Performance-Based

Generative

Interwoven with Curriculum and Instruction


Equitable Standards

Instructional Strategies are…

Interactive

Generative

Learning Context contains…

A Knowledge-Building Learning Community

Collaboration

Empathy

Classroom environment contains…

Heterogeneous Groups

Flexible Groups

Equitable Groups

I am a…

Facilitator

Guide

Co-Learner and Co-Investigator

Students play the role of a/an…

Explorer

Cognitive Apprentice


Producers of Knowledge

4. Using the "Learning Indicators for Engagement" article, develop student interview questions to identify your students' level of engagement. Here are a few examples to get you started.

a. Are you excited to learn in my classroom?b. Do you find the tasks that I give you challenging?c. d. e. f. g.

5. Using the questions you created, interview the six students in your student focus group.

6. Answer the following questions. a. Do you identify with the views of your students? Please describe.


b. How do you engage students in your classroom?

c. Is there evidence of disengagement in your classroom? If yes, please describe.

d. What could be causing disengagement in your classroom?

e. What specific steps could you take to increase student engagement?


8. Fill in the "L" and "D" column of your "Rationale for 21st Century Change K-L-D Chart."




Section 2.2: The 21st Century Workplace

Topic 2.2.1: How Is the 21st Century Workplace Different Than the 20th Century Workplace?

Course Activity: Classroom Organization

In this activity you will reflect on the organization of your classroom and draw conclusions about student preparedness for the 21st workplace.

1. Answer the following questions. a. Is your current classroom organization preparing students for the 20th

Century workplace or the 21st Century workplace? Please describe.

b. What role do classroom management and organization play in student preparation for the 21st Century workplace? Please describe.

c. What changes would you make to better prepare your students?


2. Summarize your responses in the space provided. Be prepared to add the summary to your Learning Log.

3. Enter your summary in your Learning Log by clicking on "Resources" and then "Learning Log." (Label your entry "Classroom Organization.")




Topic 2.2.2: What Are the 21st Century Skills Needed by Students?

Job Embedded Activity: 21st Century Skills

In this activity you will analyze your infusion of technology when teaching 21st Century skills. Then, you will survey your student focus group about their career choices and investigate the skills needed for success.

1. Use the following chart to analyze your infusion of technology when teaching 21st Century skills. Place an "X" in the column that best represents your infusion of technology when teaching a specific 21st Century skill.

Low Medium High

Digital Age Literacy

Basic, scientific, mathematical, technological literacies

Visual and information literacies

Cultural literacy and global awareness

Inventive Thinking

Adaptability/ability to manage complexity

Curiosity, creativity, and risk taking

Higher-order thinking and sound reasoning

Effective Communication

Teaming, collaboration, and interpersonal skills

Personal and social responsibility

Interactive communication

High Productivity

Ability to prioritize, plan, and manage for results

Effective use of real-world tools

Relevant, high-quality products

*Chart Adapted with Permission from NCREL-EnGauge 21st Century Skills Report


2. Survey the members of your student focus group about the types of careers that they are considering pursuing using the provided tool.

a. First, interview your student focus group members and document their career choices in the left column.

b. Second, use the Internet to research the skill sets required to be successful in the identified professions for the 21st Century and document your results in the right hand column.

Career Choice Required Skill Sets / Technology


3. Answer the following questions. a. Does your instruction currently meet the skill sets necessary for success in

the careers your students have chosen? If yes, please describe the instructional techniques that you employ. If no, what adjustments can be made to your instruction

b. What types of programs does my school offer that will encourage the development of skills and characteristics conducive to success in the 21st Century workplace?


5. Enter your summary in your Learning Log by clicking on "Resources" and then "Learning Log." (Label your entry "21st Century Skills.")





Now that you have reached the end of this unit, you will take part in a sync point discussion with other members of your study group. There are two different ways this can occur:

1. Option 1 (preferred): Your study group will be asked to meet for a 1 hour face-to-face meeting with your facilitator, or

2. Option 2: Your study group will have an online sync point discussion.

Your facilitator will contact you to let you know which option you are using for the end of this unit. Once you are notified, please follow the corresponding instructions below:

Option 1 Instructions: Face-to-Face Sync Point Meeting

This option will have you meet with your study group members and your facilitator for a 1 hour face-to-face meeting. For this meeting, be prepared to discuss the following with the group

a. The disconnect between what effective instruction looked like in the 20th Century and what effective instruction should look like in the 21st Century was not established overnight. From the information presented in this unit and from your personal experience, what do you identify as the most critical reason that many schools are "stuck" in the 20th Century modality? Why do you feel that the world changed but not our schools? What is your rationale for identifying this reason as the most critical?

b. What have you learned and what insights gained from this unit? c. What unanswered questions have been raised in your mind?

Your facilitator will let you know where and when this meeting will be. Follow his/her instructions. Be sure to participate conscientiously, as part of your course grade will be based on your contribution to this discussion.

Option 2 Instructions: Online Sync Point Discussion

This option will have you discuss topics from this unit with others in your study group online.

1. You will be notified when your facilitator has posted a topic for this discussion. You can not complete this activity until he/she has done so. Be sure to check your "Inbox."

2. Open the discussion group by clicking on "Course Resources" menu on the top left of the screen and selecting "Discussion."

3. In the discussion page, select the "Sync Point" discussion group and look for your facilitator's posting for Unit 2.


4. You must post a response to your facilitator's topic and also either reply to the postings of others, or ask them questions. If you choose, you may start a new, related topic to discuss a specific concept in more detail. A study group discussion is a key element of the course and much can be learned from participating.






Performance Levels






No postings






Content of Postings







UNIT 3: THE 21ST CENTURY TEACHER

Unit Overview:

This unit will explain that building the skills of students to critically think and collaborate with others will prepare students for the 21st Century workplace.

In this unit the learner will explore the new role of the 21st Century classroom teacher and the pedagogical skills needed to carry out the new responsibilities. Finally, the learner will be exposed to the perceived challenges to 21st Century teaching.

Section 3.1: The 21st Century Teacher

Topic 3.1.1: What Is the Role of the Teacher in a 21st Century Classroom?

Course Activity: The 21st Century Teacher K-L-D Chart

In this activity you will reflect on the characteristics of the 21st Century teacher.

1. Print the "The 21st Century Teacher K-L-D Chart." 2. Close the "print" window. 3. Complete the "K" column of the chart, recording what you already know about




Course Activity: Instructional Practice Analysis

In this activity you will analyze your overall instructional practices.

1. Print the "Instructional Practice Analysis Tool." 2. Close the "print" window. 3. Follow the directions and complete the analysis tool. 4. Answer the following questions.

a. Can you identify a correlation between your frequently used instructional activities, levels of complexity and student engagement levels?


b. What do you identify as your strongest areas of 21st Century skill development? Where are there major opportunities for improvement? What information do you need to begin to address your improvement areas? Where will you seek out this information?


6. Enter your summary in your Learning Log by clicking on "Resources" and then "Learning Log." (Label your entry "Instructional Practice Analysis")

7. Close the Learning Log window to return to the course. 8. Return to the course.



Course Activity: Personal Change

In this activity you will analyze the results of the Instructional Practice Analysis activity and determine what personal changes you need to make in order to make the 21st Century transformation.

1. For each item in the following chart place an "X" in the appropriate column that represents your reaction to each statement.

StatementTo a

Great Extent

Some what

Very Little

Not at All

I prepare a classroom environment that promotes the skills students will need to be successful in the 21st Century workplace.

I make use of local and community resources in planning lessons.

I effectively plan my instruction to meet the needs of all learners through readiness, interest, and learning profile.

I am comfortable allowing my students to take a greater role in prescribing their learning.

I effectively develop challenging situations where students take the role of explorer, scientist, engineer etc; using inquiry to guide their learning.

I effectively design and deliver authentic and engaging project-based activities in my classroom.

I currently teach skills and use activities that engage students.

My instruction could be considered “facilitation of learning”.

I prepare authentic experiences for my students.

My instruction engages students of diverse backgrounds.

I adapt my lessons based on student feedback.

I maintain accurate records in order to provide immediate feedback on student progress.

I have identified the deficiencies that exist between my current practices and the best practices of a 21st Century classroom.

I feel that there are changes that could be made in my classroom that could promote a 21st Century shift.


2. Discuss the following items with your principal or department leader via email or face to face communication. Be sure to elicit feedback from your principal or department leader.

a. What did you learn about yourself after completing the Instructional Practice Analysis and the previous chart? Summarize your personal findings.

b. What areas of personal change do you plan to make in order to improve your instruction?

c. What are professional development and pedagogical supports currently available to you that will help you improve your instruction?

d. What professional development and pedagogical supports do you need to investigate to improve your instruction and make the 21st Century transition?


3. Summarize your personal reflection and your principal or department leaders correspondence in the space provided. Be prepared to add the summary to your Learning Log.

4. Enter your summary in your Learning Log by clicking on "Resources" and then "Learning Log." (Label your entry "Personal Change.")




Topic 3.1.2: What Knowledge and Skills Are Needed by the Teacher to Meet the Needs of 21st Century Students?

Course Activity: Skill Application Reflection

In this activity you will analyze your current use of differentiated instruction, inquiry-based learning, and project-based learning.

1. Use the following questions to analyze your current use of differentiated instruction:

a. What did you learn after reading the article focusing on differentiated instruction?

b. Describe an activity where you currently employ differentiated instruction in your classroom. If you do not currently use this strategy, please identify opportunities that exist in your current curriculum.

c. How does differentiated instruction enhance student learning in your discipline?

d. Where specifically in your curriculum can you apply differentiated instruction to enhance student learning? Please provide examples and rationale.


2. Use the following questions to analyze your current use of inquiry-based learning:

a. What did you learn after reading the article focusing on inquiry-based learning?

b. Describe an activity where you currently employ inquiry-based learning in your classroom. If you do not currently use this strategy, please identify opportunities that exist in your current curriculum.

c. Why is inquiry-based learning a viable option for instruction in your discipline?

d. Where specifically in your curriculum can you use inquiry-based learning as an effective teaching tool? Please provide examples and rationale.


3. Use the following questions to analyze your current use of project-based learning:

a. What did you learn after reading the article focusing on project-based learning?

b. Describe an activity where you currently employ project-based learning in your classroom. If you do not currently use this strategy, please identify opportunities that exist in your current curriculum.

c. Why is project-based learning a viable option for instruction in your discipline?

d. Where specifically in your curriculum can you use project-based learning as an effective teaching tool? Please provide examples and rationale.

4. Fill in the "L" and "D" column of your "The 21st Century Teacher K-L-D Chart." 5. Return to the course to continue.



Prediscussion Activity: Success and Challenges

In this activity you will reflect on your prior successes and challenges in utilizing the 21st Century instructional techniques.

1. Reflect on the previous articles and activity focusing on differentiated instruction, inquiry-based learning, and project-based learning.

2. Answer the following questions. a. What technique do you utilize most prominently (inquiry-based learning,

differentiated instruction, project-based learning)?

b. What is your most significant success in implementing this technique? Describe why you consider this a success.

c. What is your most challenging 21st Century technique to implement (inquiry-based learning, differentiated instruction, project-based learning)? Describe why you consider this a challenge.

d. What can you do to overcome this challenge?





Topic 3.1.3: What Are the Perceived Obstacles to 21st Century Teaching?

Prediscussion Activity: Current Status of Readiness

In this activity you will reflect on whether you are ready to initiate the necessary changes and identify the challenges that must be overcome during your 21st Century shift.

1. Reflect back to the personal change activity located in topic 3.1.1. 2. In addition to the aforementioned chart, please consider the challenges identified

in the multimedia segment and previous readings. Those challenges included, but are not limited to:

a. Student engagement b. Classroom control c. Teacher to teacher interaction d. Meeting academic standards e. Diversity f. Stakeholder buy in

3. Based on your reflection, what potential challenges do you face in making the transformation?


4. For the purpose of the online discussion, summarize your responses in the space provided. When responding to other learners, be sure to offer suggestions for overcoming their challenges.




Now that you have reached the end of this unit, you will take part in a sync point discussion with other members of your study group. There are two different ways this can occur:

1. Option 1 (preferred): Your study group will be asked to meet for a 1 hour face-to-face meeting with your facilitator, or

2. Option 2: Your study group will have an online sync point discussion.

Your facilitator will contact you to let you know which option you are using for the end of this unit. Once you are notified, please follow the corresponding instructions below:

Option 1 Instructions: Face-to-Face Sync Point Meeting

This option will have you meet with your study group members and your facilitator for a 1 hour face-to-face meeting. For this meeting, be prepared to discuss the following with the group

a. Knowing what you have learned about 21st Century instruction, how would you assist a brand new teacher coming into your school make the 21st Century transformation? What would you teach him/her first? How would you teach them this? What would you teach them last? Would your assistance change if it was a veteran teacher coming into your school? What would be the difference?

b. What have you learned and what insights gained from this unit?


c. What unanswered questions have been raised in your mind?

Your facilitator will let you know where and when this meeting will be. Follow his/her instructions. Be sure to participate conscientiously, as part of your course grade will be based on your contribution to this discussion.

Option 2 Instructions: Online Sync Point Discussion

This option will have you discuss topics from this unit with others in your study group online.

1. You will be notified when your facilitator has posted a topic for this discussion. You can not complete this activity until he/she has done so. Be sure to check your "Inbox."

2. Open the discussion group by clicking on "Course Resources" menu on the top left of the screen and selecting "Discussion."

3. In the discussion page, select the "Sync Point" discussion group and look for your facilitator's posting for Unit 3.

4. You must post a response to your facilitator's topic and also either reply to the postings of others, or ask them questions. If you choose, you may start a new, related topic to discuss a specific concept in more detail. A study group discussion is a key element of the course and much can be learned from participating.






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Content of Postings







UNIT 4: WORKING TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH THE 21ST CENTURY TRANSFORMATION

Unit Overview:

In this unit, learners will understand how the supporting systems must align in order to accomplish the 21st Century transformation in the classroom. The supporting systems include teachers, departments, and stakeholders.

Section 4.1: Accomplishing the Transformation

Topic 4.1.1: What Is the Importance of a Shared Vision?

Course Activity: Accomplishing the Transformation K-L-D Chart

In this activity you will reflect on the accomplishments of the transformation.

1. Print the "Accomplishing the Transformation K-L-D Chart." 2. Close the "print" window. 3. Complete the "K" column of the chart, recording what you already know about





Prediscussion Activity: Shared Vision

In this activity you will reflect on your school's current status in terms of developing a shared vision.

1. Answer the following question. Using your response of yes or no, identify the appropriate column and complete the items in that column of the chart.

a. Do you feel that your school has a shared vision?

Yes No

Describe your school's shared vision:

Describe what is preventing your school from establishing a shared vision.

Describe the process used to establish the shared vision:

Describe the process that your school could use to develop a shared vision.

Describe the roles that the following individuals played in developing the shared vision:

Principal:

Faculty:

Community Members:

Describe the roles that the following individuals should play in developing a shared vision.

Principal:

Faculty:

Community Members:

How is the shared vision reinforced on a regular basis?

How could the shared vision be maintained over time?


Describe opportunities for improvement:

Describe the steps that you need to help your school develop a shared vision.

2. For the purpose of the online discussion, summarize your responses from the

chart in the space provided.




Topic 4.1.2: How Is the Interaction Between Teachers Different in the 21st Century?

Course Activity: Teacher Interaction

In this activity you will analyze the types of interaction currently occurring in your school.

1. For each item in the following chart place an "X" in the appropriate column.

Statement Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly

Disagree

I seek out mentors and/or coaches frequently.

I consider myself a leader in my school.

Collaborative activities occur at a high frequency in my school.

My classroom is open to coaches, mentors, or other colleagues.

My school is accepting of new staff members by providing resources needed for success.

My school has a process for working through disagreements among colleagues.

My school interacts and really feels like a team.

My colleagues and I frequently share information that will benefit instruction and student needs.

I collaborate with my colleagues to create lessons and we review the results.

I interact with my colleagues frequently and in a meaningful way within my discipline.

I interact with my colleagues frequently and in a meaningful way outside my discipline.

I approach my principal with an open mind and seek instructional advice.

I collaborate with colleagues outside of my department to design lessons.

Co and team teaching occurs in my school.



Disagree

My colleagues and I explore professional resources and share the information with each other.

I use student data to develop instruction with my fellow teachers.

I can expand my role in promoting meaningful, collaborative activities among colleagues.

Student work and achievement is frequently the subject of collegial interaction within my department.

Student work and achievement is frequently the subject of collegial interaction outside of my department.

2. Fill in the "L" and "D" column of your "Accomplishing the Transformation K-L-D Chart."

3. Return to the course.



Course Activity: Specific Actions

In this activity you will identify specific actions that will enable you to better serve as a change agent in your school.

1. Complete the following chart. a. Identify a specific action to promote change in your school. b. Explain how this action will contribute to change in your school.

Specific Actionsin My Classroom Contribution to Change

Specific Actionsin My School Contribution to Change


Specific Actionsin My Community Contribution to Change


3. Enter your summary in your Learning Log by clicking on "Resources" and then "Learning Log." (Label your entry "Specific Actions.")



Topic 4.1.3: How Do Academic Departments Transform in the 21st Century?

Course Activity: Department Analysis

In this activity you will analyze your department actions to identify areas of success and opportunities for growth.




Disagree

Department meeting time is used to develop lessons as a collaborative group.

Department meeting time is used as a source for staff support and growth.

Department members actively participate in the departmental meetings.

My department is comfortable with change.

There is a sense of trust among department members.

Department members are comfortable observing students in other classrooms.

My department places a high value on professional development.

My department has developed protocols for managing the meetings and activities.

The departmental meetings are geared towards improving student achievement.

The department meetings identify student needs and set goals for improvement.

My department reviews student work as a tool for improvement.

My department reviews student data to direct future instruction.

Department members seek each other out for opinions on lesson planning and improving student achievement.

My department assesses collaboratively created lessons and reviews the results.

My department uses videotaping as a tool to learn how students are responding to instruction.

Department members participate in co-mentoring opportunities outside of the meetings.

My department seeks student input on school policy and instructional procedures.



Disagree

Department members encourage other teachers, professionals, and/or students to observe their classroom instruction.

My department shares protocols and outcomes with other departments.

Exploring professional resources (readings, on and off campus workshops or courses) is encouraged, supported and information is shared and discussed among department members.

Department meetings focus on a cyclical pattern of Plan-Act-Reflect for student achievement.

2. Discuss the following items with your principal or department leader via email or face to face communication. Be sure to elicit feedback.

a. Identify areas where your department is successful. b. Identify opportunities where your department can improve.

3. Summarize your personal reflection and your principal/department leader correspondence in the space provided. Be prepared to add the summary to your Learning Log.

4. Enter your summary in your Learning Log by clicking on "Resources" and then "Learning Log." (Label your entry "Department Analysis.")

5. Close the Learning Log window. 6. Fill in the "L" and "D" column of your "Accomplishing the Transformation K-L-D

Chart." 7. Return to the course.



Topic 4.1.4: How Do You Communicate 21st Century Approaches to Stakeholders?

Course Activity: Stakeholder Communication Analysis

In this activity you will analyze your communication with stakeholders.



Disagree

I can clearly identify all of the internal stakeholders critical to student achievement improvement.

I can clearly identify all of the external stakeholders critical to student achievement improvement.

There is a common language shared among all stakeholders.

I have success engaging stakeholders in multiple ways.

I am able to locate a common ground when communicating with various stakeholders.

I have sufficient tools for communicating with community members.


My communication with administrators is both open and meaningful.

My communication with parents is both open and meaningful.

Students and staff participate in community projects; and local, state, and professional organizations.

I have sufficient tools for communicating with parents.

I am able to communicate with students about the paradigm shift occurring in my classroom.

Stakeholders are involved in decisions affecting students and encouraged that their input is valued.


Disagree

There are high expectations for parents to be involved in the school and their child’s education.

I am open to forming new partnerships with community entities such as businesses.

2. Summarize your responses to the chart in the space provided. Please include which 21st Century stakeholder communication practices are in place and those practices which still must be developed. Be prepared to add the summary to your Learning Log.

3. Enter your summary in your Learning Log by clicking on "Resources" and then "Learning Log." (Label your entry "Stakeholder Communication Analysis.")

4. Close the Learning Log window. 5. Fill in the "L" and "D" column of your "Accomplishing the Transformation K-L-D

Chart." 6. Return to the course.




Now that you have reached the end of the final content unit, you will take part in a discussion meeting with other members of your study group. This will be a 3-hour session that will enable you and your fellow study group members to debrief on the experiences in the course in order to improve instruction and student achievement.

As the meeting date approaches, you should think about the following questions:

1. Throughout the course you have completed numerous self assessment tools. What are your growth areas and what specifically can you do to improve your transformation? What can you do to improve teacher interaction? What can you do to improve stakeholder communication? How can you contribute to the shared vision and departmental activities?

2. What have you learned and what insights gained from this course? 3. What unanswered questions have been raised in your mind?

Your facilitator will let you know where and when this meeting will be. Be sure to participate conscientiously, as part of your course grade will be based on your contribution to this discussion.



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UNIT 5: CULMINATING ACTIVITY

Unit Overview:

In this unit, you will tie together all aspects of the course. You will synthesize the information learned in the course and will consider how to use this information and data to improve your teaching skills.

Section 5.1: Plan Step 1

As a result of this course, you are now able to:

Identify the needs and preferences of the 21st Century learners. Recognize the gap that exists between current instructional practices and the

skill set needed by students for success in the 21st Century workplace. Understand the role collegial collaboration plays in establishing a 21st Century

classroom. Establish more effective communication among stakeholders.

It is time to synthesize the information you have learned and the data you have analyzed. How will you use this information and data to improve student learning and achievement?


Section 5.2: Plan Step 2

In the culminating activity you will:

1. Select one or two of the critical actions from the DO section of the K-L-D charts that you want to accomplish.

2. Write an action plan to implement or enhance 21st Century teaching in your classroom. Use the suggested changes you circled in the "D" column of your K-L-D charts as the basic framework for your action plan. Use the following resources when developing your plan:

Your current school district curriculum What is already in place? Where are the gaps? Information from your principal, colleagues, and stakeholders


How can these individuals assist you in implementing or improving your teaching methods?

Data you collected on students in your classroom Quantitative data (ex. assessment scores) Qualitative data (ex. observation in the classroom, interest surveys) Based on the data, what are your students' strengths and areas of need? The K-L-D charts (prior knowledge, new learning, and ideas for

implementation) Ideas you gained from the narration, course documents, course activities,

and online discussions Notes, reflections, and responses to questions recorded in the Learning

Guide 3. On which area of improvement will you focus?

4. What are the steps you will follow for your action plan? Be sure to include student experiences and activities as part of your plan. (please number your steps)

5. For each step in your plan, what resources will you need?

6. For each step in your plan, how will you know it worked?

7. Return to the course and prepare to submit your plan online.



Section 5.3: Reflect


Section 5.4: Share


© Copyright 2007 Learning Sciences International.All Rights Reserved.


Teaching in the 21st Century — The Need for ChangeUnit 2 Activity Time Breakdown

Course Objectives


1. Identify the needs and preferences of the 21st Century learners 2. Recognize the gap that exists between current instructional practices and the

skill set needed by students for success in the 21st Century workplace 3. Understand the role collegial collaboration plays in establishing a 21st Century

classroom 4. Establish more effective communication among stakeholders

*For each activity/experience the relevant objectives are identified in the third column of the chart.

Unit 2: Rationale for 21st Century Change

Section 2.1: The 21st Century Student

Topic 2.1.1: How Do 21st Century Students Communicate?

Title Estimated Time

Objectives Identified

View Multimedia Segment—Unit Overview 5 minutes NA

Complete Course Activity—Rationale for 21st Century Change K-L-D Chart 10 minutes NA

View Multimedia Segment 5 minutes 2

Read article titled The Interconnected Nature of the 21st Century World 15 minutes 1,2

Complete Course Activity—Personal Use of Technology 20 minutes 1,2

Complete Job-embedded Activity—Student Focus Group Protocol 20 minutes 1,2,4

Complete Job-embedded Activity—Student Use of Technology 60 minutes 1,2,4

Complete Prediscussion Activity—Technology Reflection 10 minutes 1,2,3

Participate in Discussion Activity—Technology Reflection 20 minutes 1,2,3

Topic 2.1.2: How Do 21st Century Students Think Differently?

Unit 2 - Page 66

View Multimedia Segment 5 minutes 1,2

Read article titled Do They Really Think Differently? 15 minutes 1,2

Complete Prediscussion Activity—Student Thinking Patterns 10 minutes 2,3

Participate in Discussion Activity—Student Thinking Patterns 20 minutes 2,3

Topic 2.1.3: Why Are 21st Century Students Disengaged?


Read article titled Engage Me or Enrage Me 15 minutes 1,2

Read article titled Engaged Students, Engaged Adults 15 minutes 1,2

Complete Prediscussion Activity—Student Engagement 15 minutes 1,2,3,4

Participate in Discussion Activity—Student Engagement 20 minutes 1,2,3,4

Section 2.2: The 21st Century Workplace

Topic 2.2.1: How Is the 21st Century Workplace Different Than the 20th Century Workplace?


Read article titled Technology, Workplace, and Education: What is the Link? 15 minutes 2

Complete Course Activity—Classroom Organization 20 minutes 1,2

Topic 2.2.2: What Are the 21st Century Skills Needed by Students?


Read article titled 21st Century Workplace: Skills for Success 15 minutes 1,2

Complete Job-embedded Activity—21st Century Skills 90 minutes 1,2,3,4

Participate in Sync Point Discussion (excluding Self-study Version) 75 minutes 1,2,3,4

Unit 2 Multiple Choice Questions (excluding Self-study Version) 20 minutes 1,2,3,4

Unit 2 Essay Question (excluding Self-study Version) 60 minutes 1,2,3,4

Unit 2 Time Totals

Blended Study Group Version 9 hours & 50 minutes

Blended Graduate Version 9 hours & 50 minutes


Unit 2 - Page 67

Planning Guide: An Explanation of the K-L-D Chart

K-L-D is a graphic organizer that will help personalize your learning, as well as facilitate taking notes, expanding teacher leadership skills, and organizing data for your culminating project.

K-L-D is an adaptation of the K-W-L graphic organizer (What I KNOW, What I WANT to know, What I LEARNED), commonly used to help students organize their learning.

The first section of the K-L-D is KNOW – "What do I currently know prior to the start of each unit or course about this topic?" Activating prior knowledge provides a context for further learning. This prior knowledge may come from college courses, professional reading, professional development sessions, or classroom experience.

The center section of the K-L-D is LEARN – "What have I learned from the online sessions, from reading the text pieces, and from completing the other course activities?" This section may be completed while reading the text sections or after completing them.

The third section of the K-L-D is DO – "What will I do (differently, better, more systematically) in my classroom, now that I have experienced this learning?" Think about your instructional practices and reflect on how they may be changed or revised based on data collection and interpretation, course content knowledge, and research-based practices that were present in this course.

Prompts will guide you when it is appropriate to complete the K, L, or D sections.

Keep the K-L-Ds near your computer as you work. Save and organize them for reference during your culminating project.


Unit 2 - Page 68

Rationale for 21st Century Change K-L-D Chart

Teacher _____________________ Date _____________ District____________________

What I Already Know (K) What I Learned (L) What I Will Do (D)

What is your current knowledge (K) of this topic? Consider:

college courses professional reading peer conversations

List key points or phrases below.

What new or extended learning (L) have you gained from this module?

What knowledge, strategies, and/or practices have you experienced or extended with this content?

List key words or phrases below.

How will what you learned impact what you do (D) in your classroom?

Think about your instructional practices and reflect on how they may be changed or revised based on data collection and interpretation, course content knowledge, and research-based practices that were present in this course.

List key points and phrases below.

Learning into Doing

Data Collection and Analysis

Based on a document developed and written by the CAIU Writing Team:A. Morton, C. Eisenhart, M. Bigelow, P. Conahan, M.K. Justice (2004)

© Copyright 2007 Learning Sciences InternationalAll Rights Reserved.

Unit 2 - Page 69













Learning into Doing



Unit 2 - Page 70













Learning into Doing




The Interconnected Nature of the 21st Century World

Unit 2 - Page 71

Digital natives, digital immigrants

My son, Noah, is what some would call a "digital native," one who has never known a world without instant communication. While the 20-year-old university student may appear to inhabit a bedroom in my house, he actually spends much of his time in another galaxy — out there, in the digital universe of gaming sites, web-conferencing, text messages, BitTorrent, and social networking sites like Facebook.

His father, Travis, on the other hand, is a "digital immigrant," one who is still coming to terms with how to check his cell phone's voice mail and view a digital video on YouTube.

This generational divide has been evident for a while, but only now are we beginning to realize that today's technology is changing the way people absorb information and the way our students think and learn. Some researchers believe that this constant interaction with digital media is causing today's students to begin to think and process information in ways very different from the pre-Internet generation. Current research proposes that, "Different kinds of experiences lead to different brain structures" (Prensky, 2001). Students who have immersed themselves in using digital tools such as video games, e-mail, instant message, and television have physically different brains as a result of the digital stimulation. Social science suggests that the environment and culture in which people are raised influences the way they catalog and process information. This can be clearly seen when examining thinking skills enhanced by repeated exposure to computer games and other virtual media, as thought patterns are less linear and more divergent in style (Prensky, 2001). Today's student also is better at multitasking and responds faster to expected and unexpected stimuli.

Marc Prensky (2001a) first coined the term digital native to refer to today's students. "They are native speakers of technology," Prensky says, "fluent in the digital language of computers, video games, and the Internet. I refer to those of us who were not born into the digital world as digital immigrants. We have adopted many aspects of the technology, but like those who learn another language later in life, we retain an ‘accent' because we still have one foot in the past." For example, digital immigrants will often choose to read a manual rather than learn from the experience of working with the software program. "Our accent from the predigital world often makes it difficult for us to effectively communicate with our students," Prensky says.

Referring to younger people as "the digital natives" for whom technology use comes more naturally and to older people as the "the immigrants" who comprise most of the adult population and teaching cadre in our schools and universities can be helpful in understanding the obstacles that surface when teaching this generation of learners.

Unit 2 - Page 72

The need for an expanded continuum

Wes Fyrer (2006), an educational consultant, feels that, rather than individuals falling into one camp or the other, there exists a continuum in which people can find their place:

The Natives: Students who have grown up in or are growing up in the digital age, who assimilate digital tools and methods for communication as easily as they breathe.

The Immigrants: Older adults in society and in our schools who did not grow up with digital technology tools, but who are working to "learn the language" and to communicate effectively with the natives around them. Some of the immigrants are open and accepting of "native ways," but many are resistant to change.

The Refugees: Older adults in society who have chosen to flee from rather than integrate into the native culture. They may actively work against the goals and interests of both the digital natives and the digital immigrants. The refugees are primarily motivated by fear and a staunch desire not only to resist change but to actively oppose it, to deny the existence of a changed environment, and/or to ignore it.

The Bridges: The digital bridges are neither truly natives nor fully digital immigrants. Like millenials, who have one foot in each century, the bridges have both native and immigrant traits. As a result, digital bridges are able to communicate relatively effectively with both groups.

The Undecided: These people have not made up their mind about which group they fit into, or which group they want to fit into. They are likely immigrants or refugees, but may not have taken sufficient action to reveal their identities and/or preferences for group identity.

But does this oversimplification give teachers an excuse to not master these pervasive tools as a means for engaging the students they teach? David Warlick blogs about Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants and warns educators to not let our immigrant condition limit us as we move forward in learning how to speak in a digital tongue our students will understand.

"But I believe that it is time that we stop hiding behind our immigrant status and start acting like natives. We need to stop making excuses and start leading. We are teachers, after all. It's our job to lead, not follow. Sure, we'll never be able to keep up with our kids in lots of ways. They have the luxury of time and their brain cells are fresher. But it is our job to look into the future and then to plan and lead the way for our children" (Warlick, 2006).

Christopher Dede, Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies at Harvard Graduate School of Education, argues that using these labels can lead to overgeneralizations: "Don't start with the technology, when you start with technology, it's

Unit 2 - Page 73

a solution looking for a problem." Dede starts, instead, with learning styles. "No matter what age you are, your learning style can be shaped by the kind of media you use." Dede suggests that age may not be the determining factor of how seamlessly we use the tools of the 21st Century. For example, those who have a media-based learning style synthesize and process experiences rather than information regardless of their age. They learn best when taught actively, through collaborations both online and in the real world.

Last generation

The rapid changes taking place in this digital world are just beginning. And one of the clear indicators of natives and immigrants will not be simply a question of age, but rather of the instinctive acceptance of rapid technological change. We may very well be the last generation of educators who has the prerogative of deciding whether or not to develop a digital literacy. Many of us have chosen not to acquire proficient technology skills yet we have still experienced success in our professions. However, the children we teach today do not have that choice. Students must acquire a high degree of digital literacy to be truly marketable in the 21st Century. As educators, we do our students a great service if we allow them to seamlessly garner these skills within the safety nets of our classrooms. This means educators will need to immerse themselves in the digital landscape to be able to design learning activities that will be meaningful and authentic to this generation of learners (Nussbaum-Beach, 2003).

Digital students: Who are they and how do they learn?

According to Diana and James Oblinger (2005), today's students learn differently than previous generations and as a result they feel disconnected from schools that were designed for another time. Most of today's students have grown up in an environment where they control the flow of information they receive and the graphic format in which they receive it. Think about it. Almost everywhere they go this media-rich generation finds a constant stream of multimedia competing for their attention. They take the world in via cell phones, handheld gaming devices, portable digital assistants (PDAs), and laptops that they take everywhere. They are truly mobile. And at home they mainline electronic media in the form of computers, TV, and collaborative video games they play with users they have never met who live around the world. Everywhere they go in society– technology beckons. The future is rushing at them full speed --until they enter our classrooms and time seems to stand still. Children today spend much of their day learning in the same way their grandparents did and as a result, school seems rigid, uninteresting, and unyielding to many students (Nussbaum-Beach, 2003).

Digital disconnect

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Today's multitasking students are better equipped for change than many of their teachers. In fact researchers Ian Jukes and Anita Dosaj refer to this disconnect as the result of poor communication between "digital natives," today's students and "digital immigrants," many adults. These parents and educators, the digital immigrants, speak DSL, digital as a second language (Jukes and Dosaj, 2003). Look at the differences between how digital students learn and how analog teachers teach.

The differences between digital native learners and digital immigrant teachers.

Digital Native Learners Digital Immigrant Teachers

Prefer receiving information quickly from multiple multimedia sources.

Prefer slow and controlled release of information from limited sources.

Prefer parallel processing and multitasking. Prefer singular processing and single or limited tasking.

Prefer processing pictures, sounds, and video before text.

Prefer to provide text before pictures, sounds, and video.

Prefer random access to hyperlinked multimedia information.

Prefer to provide information linearly, logically, and sequentially.

Prefer to interact/network simultaneously with many others.

Prefer students to work independently rather than network and interact.

Prefer to learn "just-in-time." Prefer to teach "just-in-case" (it's on the exam).

Prefer instant gratification and instant rewards. Prefer deferred gratification and deferred rewards.

Prefer learning that is relevant, instantly useful, and fun.

Prefer to teach to the curriculum guide and standardized tests.

*Ian Jukes and Anita Dosaj, The InfoSavvy Group, February 2003

Students are coming into our classrooms ready to learn in digital ways that are familiar to them and instead they are just sitting there with pencil and paper in hand not engaged and not learning. The disconnect between how students learn and how teachers teach is easy to understand when one considers that the current school system was designed for preparing students for working in factories and agriculture. However, the world has changed and continues to change at an ever-increasing rate. While schools have done a masterful job of preparing students for an industrial age, we are moving at warp speed into a whole new era! Some believe the future of our educational system will hinge on our ability to lead and adapt, as we prepare our students for the future. We are the first generation of teachers who are preparing students for jobs that haven't even been invented yet. This means educators will need

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to rethink not only what to teach, but what it means to teach and learn in the 21st Century. Schools must be willing to redesign themselves or render themselves irrelevant in preparing students for success in the 21st Century.

Literacy in the 21st Century

Being literate in the future will certainly involve the ability to read, write, and do basic math. However, the concept of literacy in the 21st Century will be far richer and more comprehensive than the education you and I received growing up (Warlick, 2003). The very nature of information is changing: how we organized, where we find it, what we use to view it, what we do with it, and how we communicate it. Will Richardson (2006) in his book Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms, talks about the transformational nature of these pervasive technology tools, especially in terms of their ability to nurture connections and collaborations: "Whether it's blogs or wikis or RSS, all roads now point to a Web where little is done in isolation and all things are collaborative and social in nature." The most prevalent change in how we use the Internet in the 21st Century is not as much in the ability to publish information as it is the ability to share and connect with others from around the globe.

The social web: Learning together

Today's read/write web technologies have the power to create informal peer-to-peer social connections and to open new avenues for learning environments that go beyond those that are linear, teacher-centered and lecture-based to ones that are divergent, dynamic, student-centered, constructive, and communication-rich.

A passionate student is a learning student. As the people of the world are becoming increasingly connected, the nature, use, ownership, and purpose of knowledge are changing in profound ways. Our goal as educators is to leverage these connections and changes as a powerful means to improve teaching and learning in our schools. We have a changing demographic in our classrooms and by networking together with individuals from around the world we are building capacity in our students and ourselves to understand multiple viewpoints and perspectives. And by using digital media and web-based tools, students can build their own learning experiences, construct meaning, and collaborate in teams to solve authentic content-based problems. Many teachers who use these empowering technologies are now discovering we can have rigor without sacrificing excitement. The secret: Focus on student passion and interest, not machines and software. Today's digital natives are passionate about team-based learning approaches because of their vast digital gaming experiences. It feels natural for them to learn by collaborating online with others they have never met.

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Developing an effective learning environment in the 21st Century requires drawing on a wide range of teaching concepts, methods, strategies, and technologies. For example, building a rich environment for inquiry involves an understanding of literacy, of problem- and project-based learning, of critical and creative thinking skills, of problem solving techniques and constructivist learning theory. Allowing students to work in teams both in the classroom and with others around the world ensures that students are engaged in activities that help them actively pose questions, investigate and solve problems, and draw conclusions about the world around them. Author and researcher Daniel Goleman (1996) suggests that working in teams enables students to practice needed life skills, "Requiring students to learn socially actually forces students to draw on their emotional intelligence. This is a set of skills that includes how one handles emotions, deals with frustration, or resolves conflict." Through our creative use of the vast array of web-based social networking tools our students become researchers, writers, videographers, and activists rather than passive receivers of a textbook's content. They still learn content but through an authentic means that will prepare them for the world of work of tomorrow, rather than the world of work of today or yesterday. Collaboration is the focus of that learning.

Sources

Fryer, W. (Friday, October 20, 2006). Digital refugees and bridges. Retrieved December 31, 2006 from http://www.infinitethinking.org/2006/10/digital-refugees-and-bridges.html

Goleman, D. (1996). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Jukes, I., Dosaj, A., & Macdonald, B. (2001), NetSavvy: Building Information literacy in the classroom. California: Corwin.

Jukes, I & Dosaj, A. (February, 2003). The InfoSavvy Group. Excerpts from Apple's Digital tools for digital students website: apple.com/education/digital.

Oblinger, D. and Oblinger,J. (2005). Educating the net gen. Retrieved January 5, 2007 from http://www.educause.edu/books/educatingthenetgen/5989.

Prensky, M. (2001a). Digital natives, digital immigrants. Retrieved January 5, 2007 from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/default.asp

Pruitt, C. (May 5, 2005). The next decade of educational media. An interview with Christopher Dede. Retrieved January 5, 2007 from http://www.digitaldivide.net/articles/view.php?ArticleID=372

Nussbaum-Beach, S. (2003). The last generation. A Tapestry of Knowledge, Volume III. Virginia: Letton Gooch, 2003.

Richardson, W. (2006). Blogs, wikis, podcasts and other powerful web tools for classrooms. California: Corwin.

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Warlick , D. (2004). Redefining literacy for the 21st century. Ohio: Linworth Publishing Inc.

Warlick, D. (February 15, 2006). Act like a native. Retrieved December 31, 2006 from http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/2006/02/15/act-like-a-native/

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Rubric for Learning Log Entries

Scoring CriteriaScoring Levels


Completeness

Completes all aspects of the activity with reflective responses

Completes all aspects of the activity

Completes some aspects of the activity

Does not complete the activity

Understanding of Course Content

Entry demonstrates a strong understanding of course concepts

Entry demonstrates a clear understanding of course concepts

Entry demonstrates some (limited) understanding of course concepts

Entry demonstrates little or no understanding of course concepts

Application of Course Content

Entry demonstrates definite and appropriate application of course concepts

Entry demonstrates a clear application of course concepts

Entry demonstrates limited evidence of application of course concepts

Entry demonstrates little or no evidence of application of course concepts


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Do They Really Think Differently?

By Marc Prensky

From On the Horizon (NCB University Press, Vo 6, December 2001) l. 9 No.© 2001 Marc Prensky

Different kinds of experiences lead to different brain structures.-Dr. Bruce D. Berry, Baylor College of Medicine

Our children today are being socialized in a way that is vastly different from their parents. The numbers are overwhelming: over 10,000 hours playing videogames, over 200,000 emails and instant messages sent and received; over 10,000 hours talking on digital cell phones; over 20,000 hours watching TV (a high percentage fast speed MTV), over 500,000 commercials seen—all before the kids leave college. And, maybe, at the very most, 5,000 hours of book reading. These are today's "Digital Native" students.1

In Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants: Part I, I discussed how the differences between our Digital Native students and their Digital Immigrant teachers lie at the root of a great many of today's educational problems. I suggested that Digital Natives' brains are likely physically different as a result of the digital input they received growing up. And I submitted that learning via digital games is one good way to reach Digital Natives in their "native language."

Here I present evidence for why I think this is so. It comes from neurobiology, social psychology, and from studies done on children using games for learning.

Neuroplasticity

Although the vast majority of today's educators and teachers grew up with the understanding that the human brain doesn't physically change based on stimulation it receives from the outside—especially after the age of 3— it turns out that that view is, in fact, incorrect.

Based on the latest research in neurobiology, there is no longer any question that stimulation of various kinds actually changes brain structures and affects the way people think, and that these transformations go on throughout life. The brain is, to an extent not at all understood or believed to be when Baby Boomers were growing up, massively plastic. It can be, and is, constantly reorganized. (Although the popular term rewired is somewhat misleading, the overall idea is right—the brain changes and organizes itself differently based on the inputs it receives.) The old idea that we have a fixed number of brain cells that die off one by one has been replaced by research

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showing that our supply of brain cells is replenished constantly.2 The brain constantly reorganizes itself all our child and adult lives, a phenomenon technically known as neuroplasticity.

One of the earliest pioneers in this field of neurological research found that rats in "enriched" environments showed brain changes compared with those in "impoverished" environments after as little as two weeks. Sensory areas of their brains were thicker, other layers heavier. Changes showed consistent overall growth, leading to the conclusion that the brain maintains its plasticity for life.3

Other experiments leading to similar conclusions include the following:

Ferrets' brains were physically rewired, with inputs from the eyes switched to where the hearing nerves went and vice versa. Their brains changed to accommodate the new inputs.4

Imaging experiments have shown that when blind people learn Braille, "visual" areas of their brains lit up. Similarly, deaf people use their auditory cortex to read signs.5

Scans of brains of people who tapped their fingers in a complicated sequence that they had practiced for weeks showed a larger area of motor cortex becoming activated then when they performed sequences they hadn't practiced.6

Japanese subjects were able to learn to "reprogram" their circuitry for distinguishing "ra" from "la," a skill they "forget" soon after birth because their language doesn't require it.7

Researchers found that an additional language learned later in life goes into a different place in the brain than the language or languages learned as children.8

Intensive reading instruction experiments with students aged 10 and up appeared to create lasting chemical changes in key areas of the subjects' brains.9

A comparison of musicians versus nonplayers brains via magnetic resonance imaging showed a 5 percent greater volume in the musicians' cerebellums, ascribed to adaptations in the brain's structure resulting from intensive musical training and practice.10

We are only at the very beginning of understanding and applying brain plasticity research. The goal of many who are—such as the company Scientific Learning—is "neuroscience-based education."11

Malleability

Social psychology also provides strong evidence that one's thinking patterns change depending on one's experiences. Until very recently Western philosophers and psychologists took it for granted that the same basic processes underlie all human thought. While cultural differences might dictate what people think about, the strategies

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and processes of thought, which include logical reasoning and a desire to understand situations and events in linear terms of cause and effect, were assumed to be the same for everyone. However this, too, appears to be wrong.

Research by social psychologists12 shows that people who grow up in different cultures do not just think about different things, they actually think differently. The environment and culture in which people are raised affects and even determines many of their thought processes.

"We used to think that everybody uses categories in the same way, that logic plays the same kind of role for everyone in the understanding of everyday life, that memory, perception, rule application and so on are the same," says one. "But we're now arguing that cognitive processes themselves are just far more malleable than mainstream psychology assumed."13

We now know that brains that undergo different developmental experiences develop differently, and that people who undergo different inputs from the culture that surrounds them think differently. And while we haven't yet directly observed Digital Natives' brains to see whether they are physically different (such as musicians' appear to be) the indirect evidence for this is extremely strong.

However, brains and thinking patterns do not just change overnight. A key finding of brain plasticity research is that brains do not reorganize casually, easily, or arbitrarily. "Brain reorganization takes place only when the animal pays attention to the sensory input and to the task."14 "It requires very hard work."15 Biofeedback requires upwards of 50 sessions to produce results.16 Scientific Learning's Fast ForWard program requires students to spend 100 minutes a day, 5 days a week, for 5 to 10 weeks to create desired changes, because "it takes sharply focused attention to rewire a brain."17

Several hours a day, five days a week, sharply focused attention—does that remind you of anything? Oh, yes—video games! That is exactly what kids have been doing ever since Pong arrived in 1974. They have been adjusting or programming their brains to the speed, interactivity, and other factors in the games, much as boomers' brains were programmed to accommodate television, and literate man's brains were reprogrammed to deal with the invention of written language and reading (where the brain had to be retrained to deal with things in a highly linear way.)18 "Reading does not just happen, it is a terrible struggle."19 "Reading [has] a different neurology to it than the things that are built into our brain, like spoken language."20 One of the main focuses of schools for the hundreds of years since reading became a mass phenomenon has been retraining our speech-oriented brains to be able to read. Again, the training involves several hours a day, five days a week, and sharply focused attention.

Of course just when we'd figured out (more or less) how to retrain brains for reading, they were retrained again by television. And now things have changed yet again, and our children are furiously retraining their brains in even newer ways, many of which are antithetical to our older ways of thinking.

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Children raised with the computer "think differently from the rest of us. They develop hypertext minds. They leap around. It's as though their cognitive structures were parallel, not sequential."21 "Linear thought processes that dominate educational systems now can actually retard learning for brains developed through game and Web-surfing processes on the computer."22

Some have surmised that teenagers use different parts of their brain and think in different ways than adults when at the computer.23 We now know that it goes even further—their brains are almost certainly physiologically different. But these differences, most observers agree, are less a matter of kind than a difference of degree. For example as a result of repeated experiences, particular brain areas are larger and more highly developed, and others are less so.

For example, thinking skills enhanced by repeated exposure to computer games and other digital media include reading visual images as representations of three-dimensional space (representational competence), multidimensional visual-spatial skills, mental maps, "mental paper folding" (i.e. picturing the results of various origami-like folds in your mind without actually doing them), "inductive discovery" (i.e. making observations, formulating hypotheses and figuring out the rules governing the behavior of a dynamic representation), "attentional deployment" (such as monitoring multiple locations simultaneously), and responding faster to expected and unexpected stimuli.24

While these individual cognitive skills may not be new, the particular combination and intensity is. We now have a new generation with a very different blend of cognitive skills than its predecessors—the Digital Natives.

What About Attention Spans?

We hear teachers complain so often about the Digital Natives' attention spans that the phrase "the attention span of a gnat" has become a cliché. But is it really true?

"Sure they have short attention spans—for the old ways of learning," says a professor.25

Their attention spans are not short for games, for example, or for anything else that actually interests them. As a result of their experiences Digital Natives crave interactivity—an immediate response to their each and every action. Traditional schooling provides very little of this compared to the rest of their world (one study showed that students in class get to ask a question every 10 hours)26 So it generally isn't that Digital Natives can't pay attention, it's that they choose not to.

Research done for Sesame Street reveals that children do not actually watch television continuously, but "in bursts." They tune in just enough to get the gist and be sure it makes sense. In one key experiment, half the children were shown the program in a room filled with toys. As expected, the group with toys was distracted and watched the show only about 47 percent of the time as opposed to 87 percent in the group without

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toys. But when the children were tested for how much of the show they remembered and understood, the scores were exactly the same. "We were led to the conclusion that the 5-year-olds in the toys group were attending quite strategically, distributing their attention between toy play and viewing so that they looked at what was for them the most informative part of the program. The strategy was so effective that the children could gain no more from increased attention."27

What Have We Lost?

Still, we often hear from teachers about increasing problems their students have with reading and thinking. What about this? Has anything been lost in the Digital Natives' "reprogramming" process?

One key area that appears to have been affected is reflection. Reflection is what enables us, according to many theorists, to generalize, as we create "mental models" from our experience. It is, in many ways, the process of "learning from experience." In our twitch-speed world, there is less and less time and opportunity for reflection, and this development concerns many people. One of the most interesting challenges and opportunities in teaching Digital Natives is to figure out and invent ways to include reflection and critical thinking in the learning (either built into the instruction or through a process of instructor-led debriefing) but still do it in the Digital Native language. We can and must do more in this area.

Digital Natives accustomed to the twitch-speed, multitasking, random-access, graphics-first, active, connected, fun, fantasy, quick-payoff world of their video games, MTV, and Internet are bored by most of today's education, well meaning as it may be. But worse, the many skills that new technologies have actually enhanced (e.g., parallel processing, graphics awareness, and random access)—which have profound implications for their learning—are almost totally ignored by educators.

The cognitive differences of the Digital Natives cry out for new approaches to education with a better "fit." And, interestingly enough, it turns out that one of the few structures capable of meeting the Digital Natives' changing learning needs and requirements is the very video and computer games they so enjoy. This is why "Digital Game-Based Learning" is beginning to emerge and thrive.

But Does It Work?

Of course many criticize today's learning games, and there is much to criticize. But if some of these games don't produce learning it is not because they are games, or because the concept of "game-based learning" is faulty. It's because those particular games are badly designed. There is a great deal of evidence that children's learning

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games that are well designed do produce learning, and lots of it — by and while engaging kids.

While some educators refer to games as "sugar coating," giving that a strongly negative connotation—and often a sneer—it is a big help to the Digital Natives. After all, this is a medium they are very familiar with and really enjoy.

Elementary school, when you strip out the recesses and the lunch and the in-between times, actually consists of about three hours of instruction time in a typical 9 to 3 day.28 So assuming, for example, that learning games were only 50% educational, if you could get kids to play them for six hours over a weekend, you'd effectively add a day a week to their schooling! Six hours is far less than a Digital Native would typically spend over a weekend watching TV and playing videogames. The trick, though, is to make the learning games compelling enough to actually be used in their place. They must be real games, not just drill with eye-candy, combined creatively with real content.

The numbers back this up. The Lightspan Partnership, which created PlayStation games for curricular reinforcement, conducted studies in over 400 individual school districts and a "meta-analysis" as well. Their findings were increases in vocabulary and language arts of 24 and 25 percent respectively over the control groups, while the math problem solving and math procedures and algorithms scores were 51 and 30 percent higher.29

Click Health, which makes games to help kids self-manage their health issues, did clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health. They found, in the case of diabetes, that kids playing their games (as compared to a control group playing a pinball game) showed measurable gains in self-efficacy, communication with parents and diabetes self-care. And more importantly, urgent doctor visits for diabetes-related problems declined 77 percent in the treatment group.30

Scientific Learning's Fast ForWard game-based program for retraining kids with reading problems conducted National Field Trials using 60 independent professionals at 35 sites across the US and Canada. Using standardized tests, each of the 35 sites reported conclusive validation of the program's effectiveness, with 90 percent of the children achieving significant gains in one or more tested areas.31

Again and again it's the same simple story. Practice—time spent on learning—works. Kid's don't like to practice. Games capture their attention and make it happen. And of course they must be practicing the right things, so design is important.

The US military, which has a quarter of a million 18-year-olds to educate every year, is a big believer in learning games as a way to reach their Digital Natives. They know their volunteers expect this: "If we don't do things that way, they're not going to want to be in our environment."32

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What's more, they've observed it working operationally in the field. "We've seen it time and time again in flying airplanes, in our mission simulators." Practical-minded Department of Defense trainers are perplexed by educators who say "We don't know that educational technology works—we need to do some more studies." "We KNOW the technology works," they retort. We just want to get on with using it."33

So, today's neurobiologists and social psychologists agree that brains can and do change with new input. And today's educators with the most crucial learning missions—teaching the handicapped and the military—are already using custom designed computer and video games as an effective way of reaching Digital Natives. But the bulk of today's tradition-bound educational establishment seem in no hurry to follow their lead.

Yet these educators know something is wrong, because they are not reaching their Digital Native students as well as they reached students in the past. So they face an important choice.

On the one hand, they can choose to ignore their eyes, ears and intuition, pretend the Digital Native/Digital Immigrant issue does not exist, and continue to use their suddenly-much-less-effective traditional methods until they retire and the Digital Natives take over.

Or they can chose instead to accept the fact that they have become Immigrants into a new Digital world, and to look to their own creativity, their Digital Native students, their sympathetic administrators and other sources to help them communicate their still-valuable knowledge and wisdom in that world's new language.

The route they ultimately choose—and the education of their Digital Native students—depends very much on us.

Marc Prensky is an internationally acclaimed thought leader, speaker, writer, consultant, and game designer in the critical areas of education and learning. He is the author of Digital Game-Based Learning (McGraw-Hill, 2001), founder and CEO of Games2train, a game-based learning company, and founder of The Digital Multiplier, an organization dedicated to eliminating the digital divide in learning worldwide. He is also the creator of the sites (www.SocialImpactGames.com), (www.DoDGameCommunity.com) and (www.GamesParentsTeachers.com). Marc holds an MBA from Harvard and a Masters in Teaching from Yale. More of his writings can be found at (www.marcprensky.com/writing/default.asp). Contact Marc at [email protected].

Notes

1. These numbers are intended purely as "order of magnitude" approximations; they obviously vary widely for individuals. They were arrived at in the following ways ( Note: I am very interested in any additional data anyone has on this):

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Videogames: Average play time: 1.5 hours/day (Source: "Interactive Videogames, Mediascope, June 1966.) It is likely to be higher five years later, so 1.8 x 365 x 15 years = 9,855 hours.

E-mails and Instant Messages: Average 40 per day x 365 x 15 years = 219, 000. This is not unrealistic even for pre-teens – in just one instant messaging connection there may be over 100 exchanges per day – and most people do multiple connections.

TV: "Television in the Home, 1998: Third Annual Survey of Parent and Children, Annenburg Policy Center, June 22, 1998, gives the number of TV hours watched per day as 2.55. M. Chen, in the Smart Parents Guide to Kid's TV, (1994) gives the number as 4 hours/day. Taking the average, 3.3 hrs/day x 365 days x 18 years = 21,681.

Commercials: There are roughly 18 30-second commercials during a TV hour. 18 commercials/hour x 3.3 hours/day x 365 days x 20 years (infants love commercials) = 433,620.

Reading: Eric Leuliette, a voracious (and meticulous) reader who has listed online every book he has ever read (www.csr.utexas.edu/personal/leuliette/fw_table_home.html), read about 1300 books through college. If we take 1300 books x 200 pages per book x 400 words per page, we get 10,400,000,000 words. Read at 400 words/that gives 260,000 minutes, or 4,333 hours. This represents a little over 3 hours/book. Although others may read more slowly, most have read far fewer books than Leuliette.

2. Paul Perry in American Way, May 15, 2000.3. Renate Numella Caine and Geoffrey Caine, Making Connections: Teaching and the Human

Brain, Addison-Wesley, 1991, p.31.

4. Dr. Mriganka Sur, Nature, April 20, 2000.

5. Sandra Blakeslee, New York Times, April 24, 2000.

6. Leslie Ungerlieder, National Institutes of Health.

7. James McLelland, University of Pittsburgh.

8. Cited in Inferential Focus Briefing, September 30, 1997.

9. Virginia Berninger, University of Washington, American Journal of Neuroradiology, May 2000.

10. Dr. Mark Jude Tramo of Harvard. Reported in USA Today December 10, 1998.

11. Newsweek, January 1, 2000.

12. They include Alexandr Romanovich Luria (1902-1977), Soviet pioneer in neuropsychology, author of The Human Brain and Psychological Processes (1963), and, more recently, Dr. Richard Nisbett of the University of Michigan.

13. Quoted in Erica Goode, "How Culture Molds Habits of Thought," New York Times, August 8, 2000.

14. John T. Bruer, The Myth of the First Three Years, The Free Press, 1999, p. 155.

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15. G. Ried Lyon, a neuropsychologist who directs reading research funded by the National Institutes of Health, quoted in Frank D. Roylance "Intensive Teaching Changes Brain," SunSpot, Maryland's Online Community, May 27, 2000.

16. Alan T. Pope, research psychologist, Human Engineering Methods, NASA. Private communication.

17. Time, July 5, 1999.

18. The Economist, December 6, 1997.

19. Kathleen Baynes, neurology researcher, University of California – Davis, quoted in Robert Lee Hotz "In Art of Language, the Brain Matters " Los Angeles Times, October 18, 1998.

20. Dr. Michael S. Gazzaniga, neuroscientist at Dartmouth College quoted in Robert Lee Hotz "In Art of Language, the Brain Matters " Los Angeles Times, October 18, 1998.

21. William D. Winn, Director of the Learning Center, Human Interface Technology Laboratory, University of Washington, quoted in Moore, Inferential Focus Briefing (see 22).

22. Peter Moore, Inferential Focus Briefing, September 30, 1997.

23. Ibid.

24. Patricia Marks Greenfield, Mind and Media, The Effects of Television, Video Games and Computers, Harvard University Press, 1984.

25. Dr. Edward Westhead, professor of biochemistry (retired), University of Massachusetts.

26. Graesser, A.C., & Person, N.K. (1994) "Question asking during tutoring,". American Educational Research Journal, 31, 104-107.

27. Elizabeth Lorch, psychologist, Amherst College, quoted in Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, Little Brown & Company, 2000, p. 101.

28. John Kernan, President, The Lightspan Partnership. Personal communication.

29. "Evaluation of Lightspan. Research Results from 403 schools and over 14,580 students," February 2000, CD ROM.

30. Debra A. Lieberman, "Health Education Video Games for Children and Adolescents: Theory, Design and Research Findings," paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communications Association, Jerusalem, 1998.

31. Scientific Learning Corporation, National Field Trial Results (pamphlet.) See also Merzenich et al., "Temporal Processing Deficits of language-Learning Impaired Children Ameliorated by Training" and Tallal, et al., "Language Comprehension in Language Learning Impaired Children Improved with Acoustically Modified Speech," in Science, Vol. 271, January 5, 1996, pp 27-28 & 77-84.

32. Michael Parmentier, Director, Office of Readiness and Training, Department of Defense, The Pentagon. Private briefing.

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33. Don Johnson, Office of Readiness and Training, Department of Defense, The Pentagon. Private briefing.

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"Engage Me or Enrage Me"

What Today's Learners Demand

By Marc Prensky

"Today's kids are not ADD, they're E0E."—Kip Leland, Los Angeles Virtual Academy

Anyone who has taught recently will recognize these three kinds of students:

1. The students who are truly self-motivated. These are the ones all teachers dream about having (and the ones we know how to teach best). They do all the work we assign to them, and more. Their motto is: "I can't wait to get to class." Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer of these.

2. The students who go through the motions. These are the ones who, although in their hearts they feel that what is being taught has little or no relevance to their lives, are farsighted enough to realize that their future may depend on the grades and credentials they get. So they study the right facts the night before the test to achieve a passing grade and become at least somewhat successful students. Their motto: "We have learned to ‘play school.' "

3. The students who "tune us out." These students are convinced that school is totally devoid of interest and totally irrelevant to their life. In fact, they find school much less interesting than the myriad devices they carry in their pockets and backpacks. These kids are used to having anyone who asks for their attention—their musicians, their movie makers, their TV stars, their game designers—work really hard to earn it. When what is being offered isn't engaging, these students truly resent their time being wasted. In more and more of our schools, this group is quickly becoming the majority. The motto of this group? "Engage me or enrage me."

While our schools and education system today deal with the first two groups reasonably well, the third group is a real challenge. In fact, for educators today, it is the challenge. "Engage me or enrage me," these students demand. And believe me, they're enraged.

But why? That's a question that needs a good answer.

When I was a novice teacher in the late 1960s in New York City's East Harlem, things were different. Yes, we had our college-bound students, our "doing timers," and our dropouts. In fact, far too many dropouts. Certainly a lot of kids then were not engaged. Many of them were on drugs. Some were engaged in trying to affect society—it was a time of great turmoil and change—but many weren't.

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The big difference from today is this: the kids back then didn't expect to be engaged by everything they did. There were no video games, no CDs, no MP3s—none of today's special effects. Those kids' lives were a lot less rich—and not just in money: less rich in media, less rich in communication, much less rich in creative opportunities for students outside of school. Many if not most of them never even knew what real engagement feels like.

But today, all kids do. All the students we teach have something in their lives that's really engaging—something that they do and that they are good at, something that has an engaging, creative component to it. Some may download songs; some may rap, lipsync, or sing karaoke; some may play video games; some may mix songs; some may make movies; and some may do the extreme sports that are possible with twenty-first-century equipment and materials. But they all do something engaging.

A kid interviewed for Yahoo's 2003 "Born to Be Wired" conference said: "I could have nothing to do, and I'll find something on the Internet." Another commented: "Every day after school, I go home and download music—it's all I do." Yet another added: "On the Internet, you can play games, you can check your mail, you can talk to your friends, you can buy things, and you can look up things you really like." Many of today's third-graders have multiple e-mail addresses. Today's kids with computers in their homes sit there with scores of windows open, IMing all their friends. Today's kids without computers typically have a video game console or a GameBoy. Life for today's kids may be a lot of things—including stressful— but it's certainly not unengaging.

Except in school.

And there it is so boring that the kids, used to this other life, just can't stand it.

"But school can be engaging," many educators will retort. "I don't see what is so much more engaging about this other life, other than the pretty graphics." To answer this, I recently looked at the three most popular (i.e., best-selling) computer and video games in the marketplace. They were, as of June 2004: City of Heroes, a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, an action game for the PlayStation 2; and Rise of Nations, a real-time strategy game for the PC. On their boxes and Web sites, these games promise the kids who buy and play them some very interesting experiences: "There's a place we can all be heroes." "The Dementors are coming, and this time Harry needs his friends." "The entire span of human history is in your hands."

Not exactly what we promise our kids in school.

And the descriptions of the games? "Create your own heroes." "Thrilling battles!" "Encounter…" "Engage…" "Fly…" "Explore…" "Take on your friends." "Exciting!" "Challenging!" "Master…" "Amass…" "Build…" "Perform…" "Research…" "Lead…" "Don't work alone."

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Not exactly descriptions of today's classrooms and courses!

What's more, the games deliver on these promises. If they didn't, not only wouldn't they be best-sellers—they wouldn't get bought at all.

In school, though, kids don't have the "don't buy" option. Rather than being empowered to choose what they want ("Two hundred channels! Products made just for you!") and to see what interests them ("Log on! The entire world is at your fingertips!") and to create their own personalized identity ("Download your own ring tone! Fill your iPod with precisely the music you want!")—as they are in the rest of their lives—in school, they must eat what they are served.

And what they are being served is, for the most part, stale, bland, and almost entirely stuff from the past. Yesterday's education for tomorrow's kids. Where is the programming, the genomics, the bioethics, the nanotech—the stuff of their time? It's not there. Not even once a week on Fridays.

That's one more reason the kids are so enraged—they know their stuff is missing!

But maybe, just maybe, through their rage, the kids are sending us another message as well—and, in so doing, offering us the hope of connecting with them.

Maybe—and I think that this is the case—today's kids are challenging us, their educators, to engage them at their level, even with the old stuff, the stuff we all claim is so important, that is, the "curriculum."

Maybe if, when learning the "old" stuff, our students could be continuously challenged at the edge of their capabilities, and could make important decisions every half-second, and could have multiple streams of data coming in, and could be given goals that they want to reach but wonder if they actually can, and could beat a really tough game and pass the course—maybe then they wouldn't have to, as one kid puts it, "power down" every time they go to class.

In my view, it's not "relevance" that's lacking for this generation, it's engagement. What's the relevance of Pokémon, or Yu-Gi-Oh!, or American Idol? The kids will master systems ten times more complex than algebra, understand systems ten times more complex than the simple economics we require of them, and read far above their grade level—when the goals are worth it to them. On a recent BBC show Child of Our Time, a four-year old who was a master of the complex video game Halo 2 was being offered so-called "learning games" that were light-years below his level, to his total frustration and rage.

The fact is that even if you are the most engaging old-style teacher in the world, you are not going to capture most of our students' attention the old way. "Their short attention spans," as one professor put it, "are [only] for the old ways of learning." They certainly don't have short attention spans for their games, movies, music, or Internet surfing.

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More and more, they just don't tolerate the old ways—and they are enraged we are not doing better by them.

So we have to find how to present our curricula in ways that engage our students— not just to create new "lesson plans," not even just to put the curriculum online. The BBC, for example, has been given £350 million by the British government to create a "digital curriculum." They have concluded that almost all of it should be game-based, because if it doesn't engage the students, that will be £350 million down the tube, and they may not get a second chance. But they are struggling in this unfamiliar world.

So how can and should they—and we— do this? As with games, we need to fund, experiment, and iterate. Can we afford it? Yes, because ironically, creating engagement is not about those fancy, expensive graphics but rather about ideas. Sure, today's video games have the best graphics ever, but kids' long-term engagement in a game depends much less on what they see than on what they do and learn. In gamer terms, "gameplay" trumps "eyecandy" any day of the week.

And if we educators don't start coming up with some damned good curricular gameplay for our students—and soon— they'll all come to school wearing (at least virtually in their minds) the T-shirt I recently saw a kid wearing in New York City: "It's Not ADD—I'm Just Not Listening!"

So hi there, I'm the tuned-out kid in the back row with the headphones. Are you going to engage me today or enrage me? The choice is yours.

Marc Prensky is an internationally acclaimed thought leader, speaker, writer, consultant, and game designer in the critical areas of education and learning. He is the author of Digital Game-Based Learning (McGraw-Hill, 2001), founder and CEO of Games2train, a game-based learning company, and founder of The Digital Multiplier, an organization dedicated to eliminating the digital divide in learning worldwide. He is also the creator of the sites (www.SocialImpactGames.com), (www.DoDGameCommunity.com) and (www.GamesParentsTeachers.com). Marc holds an MBA from Harvard and a Masters in Teaching from Yale. More of his writings can be found at (www.marcprensky.com/writing/default.asp). Contact Marc at [email protected].

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Engaged Students, Engaged Adults

Teachers enter the profession for a variety of reasons: a passion for children, the love of content, to right a wrong, the security and predictability of a schedule. Regardless of their motivation to enter the profession, many teachers are not staying. Statistics tell us that "annually, approximately 100,000 teachers graduate from our nation's colleges of education. Of that number less than 60 percent will ever enter the classroom after graduating. Of those that do, nearly 50 percent will leave teaching within the first five years" (Hull, 2004). These are staggering statistics! Many researchers have postulated on the reasons for the very high attrition rate of teachers.

One of the primary reasons I have observed for teacher's job dissatisfaction is the inability to establish a relationship with their students and their discouragement with their students' motivation. If a teacher feels he cannot relate to his students or that he cannot connect them to his content, regardless of his efforts, he is likely to get discouraged and flee the profession. The more isolated a teacher's work is the more quickly a teacher becomes dissatisfied and discouraged. This text will explore why teachers are leaving the profession and how we can change the culture to help them find more success with their students and more community within their schools.

Why are teachers leaving?

Buckley, Schneider, and Shang, in a study funded in part by the Ford Foundation and the 21st Century School Fund, suggest that the factors influencing a teacher's decisions to leave the profession are divided into teacher factors, school factors, and community factors. Teacher factors include the relatively low salary ranges, the degree of idealism teachers bring to their job, and the effectiveness of their teacher preparation program. These researchers found that the higher the teachers' idealism, the greater the risk of losing them to attrition. This indicates that high expectations are easily dashed by the demands of the job.

School factors affect the commitment of new and veteran teachers differently. Rosenholtz and Simpson (1990) show evidence that student behavior management and non-teaching responsibilities affect new teachers' decisions to stay in the profession, while experienced teachers are more concerned about the freedom to make and act on their decisions regarding instruction and curriculum. "Other important predictors of teachers' commitment include performance efficacy and psychic rewards" (Buckley, Schneider, Shang 2006). The way a teacher views his or her performance may affect his or her decision to stay in the classroom. If a teacher is feeling overwhelmed and disconnected from her students and colleagues, her psyche may be affected negatively, causing her to consider leaving the profession. If a teacher consistently gets negative feedback from supervisors or clients, he may consider changing his situation. Negative feedback can come from supervisors who, for example, only use summative assessments instead of ongoing feedback and support. It can come from students who are disengaged with the content or activity that the teacher has presented or prepared.

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Other school factors articulated by teachers who have left the field include scarcity of resources, high stakes accountability, and prescribed curricula (Darling-Hammond and Sykes, 2003). These factors may not be easily remediated, but working in a collegial, supportive environment can soften the blow of these external factors. Shortages and mandates can be overcome when a faculty works together toward a common goal.

Community factors contributing to the high attrition of today's teachers include constantly changing educational policies, unfunded mandates from state legislatures and federal government officials, and the costly credentialing processes in many states. Lack of reciprocity among state certification boards may further discourage teachers who relocate to a new state from getting new credentials.

"Another important factor in the retention decision may be the social status of teachers in the broader community" (Tye and O'Brien, 2002). Teachers may feel that the public has misguided and contradictory perceptions of their jobs. The public has high expectations for teachers, yet shows little respect for teachers as professionals. Finally, budget cuts affect a teacher's commitment to stay the course. Budget cuts can determine a teacher's physical plant, supply source, and class size. The uncertainty created by this type of environment can influence a teacher's decision to stay in teaching.

What will make them stay?

Marc Prensky in his article, Engage me, or enrage me: What today's learners demand, contends that teachers need to reach three types of students in meaningful ways each day. These types are those that do school well and enjoy it, those that can manage the system successfully but without enthusiasm, and those who refuse to participate because they see no relevancy to their lives in school or school-related activities. Prensky applauds the critical need to engage all students in their academic learning; I extol the need to engage all teachers in their professional learning and development. We are faced with students with different levels of engagement and ability every day, so are we faced with teachers with different levels of commitment to teaching and professional know-how. The National Education Association (NEA) suggests in its Recruitment and retention guidebook that to keep teachers and to foster their development as professional educators, the following retention strategies must be carefully attended to:

Prepare teachers adequately Nurture new teachers Improve the working environment Provide financial incentives

Attending to these retention strategies will engage new and veteran teachers in the business of school and student achievement.

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Teacher preparation programs

Recent research by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future (NCTAF) suggests that adequate preparation significantly reduces the attrition rate of first year teachers. The commission believes strong academic preparation, strong clinical practice, and grounding in modern learning technologies are critical components of a quality teacher preparation program (NEA, 2003).

Modern learning technologies are those instructional strategies that encourage teachers to use, for example, a variety of groupings, multiple assessments, student choice, discovery activities, intentional questioning techniques, and increased wait time when planning their lessons. Teacher preparation programs must ensure that students not only learn about these processes, but that students have time to practice and become proficient at implementing them successfully with children in the classroom. The problem lies in the differences between programs and the skill sets of the candidates who graduate from these programs. Teacher preparation programs require different field experiences and internships for their students. Some depend on the state licensure requirements and some depend on the value placed on these practice based experiences within the college or university itself.

In response to these differences the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) has developed standards for teacher education programs. Programs accredited by NCATE are endorsed by the NEA and other teacher-governing bodies.

One of these standards suggests the need for cultural education and the articulation of the challenges characteristic of many rural and urban districts in our country. Classroom demographics are ever changing, and teacher preparation programs that stress the need to understand and practice in diverse cultures may reduce the risk of teacher attrition in the future by preparing teachers to find success in many different school environments.

Nurture new (and veteran) teachers

All teachers need room to learn and grow in their work environment. Many schools and districts have programs in place to support new teachers. These include induction programs, mentoring, and new teacher orientation.

Induction programs are designed to have new teachers spend their first year of service orienting themselves to their new environment. Participants in these programs may be new to the profession or to the district. The content of the induction program ranges from administrative tasks to professional learning opportunities. Several professional organizations suggest criteria for effective induction programs. The Southeast Center for Teacher Quality (SCTQ) sets the following criteria for successful induction programs:

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Provide new teachers with specific expectations Familiarize new teachers with organizational rituals Help new teachers to apply knowledge, skill beliefs, and attitudes necessary to

be successful in their jobs Provide new teachers with ongoing guidance and assessment by a trained

mentor Assist new teachers in meeting licensure standards

This particular set of criteria exemplifies an exerted effort to connect the new teacher to his or her work context and professional colleagues, thereby engaging participants meaningfully in their own and their students' achievement and success.

Mentoring is another effective strategy for increasing teacher retention rates when it is implemented well. Mentors must be carefully selected and well trained (NEA, 2003). The mentoring process must be valued by the school community and monitored for results. Mentoring relationships need time and attention to be successful.

Ingersoll and Kralik state that, "while the impact of induction and mentoring differed significantly among the 10 studies reviewed, collectively the studies do provide support for the claim that assistance for new teachers and, in particular, mentoring programs have a positive impact on teachers and their retention."

It is recommended that in addition to induction programs and mentoring, new teacher orientations be mandated for new teachers. These orientations provide administrative information that allows new teachers to successfully negotiate the policies and procedures of a new school and district. The Educational Research Service (ERS) suggests that new teacher orientations:

Be held in a comfortable environment Introduce district personnel Include get-to-know-you activities to connect the new teacher group to one

another Provide free materials Provide information about school policies, calendar, routines, and schedules…in

a school information binder Include a workshop on classroom management that focuses on the need for

rules, routines, and procedures Include specific information about district policies for violence prevention, crisis

intervention, and emergency evacuation Introduce mentors to their new teachers and provide time for working together to

develop a calendar and next steps (NEA, 2003)

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Improve the working environment

The teacher supports and outreach happen outside of the daily work of teaching. To improve the working environment for teachers, schools must move from cultures of isolation to cultures of collegiality and collaboration. An effective mentoring program can begin this process, but we need to do more to engage teachers in their own learning and growth as professional educators. We need to foster an environment that celebrates success, encourages new strategy use, uses formative assessments, and allows time for collegial collaboration and sharing. In other words we need to create a "culture of excellence" (Ferriter and Norton, 2004).

We need to create communities of learners who share a common vision for the success of all students. Just as students must feel connected to their learning and school culture, so must teachers. Providing opportunities for colleagues to learn, share, create, and problem solve together helps create the kind of environment that will connect teachers with their school community and with their students' learning.

When teachers experience success through student achievement, they are likely to continue to pursue that success. For example, if a teacher reconfigures her classroom to allow for partner sharing, is clear with the students about the procedures involved in this strategy, and is successful in giving more students a chance to share, she is more likely to include that strategy in a future lesson. The school environment has to feel safe for her to try such new student engagement strategies. In a learning environment that is safe for all learners, administrators recognize this strategy as a way to include more student voices in a classroom and encourage its use. Unfortunately, what we often see currently is an administrator questioning the additional movement and noise in this type of classroom.

When students feel heard and supported in their learning, they will be more attentive and more successful with academic content. Success breeds success. Teachers need to be supported in recognizing how their lesson planning affects the engagement and success of students. The "enraged" students in Prensky's article need choice and voice. They need the opportunity to choose their research topic, not whether to do a research project, for example. They need a balance of opportunities to partner and learn in small groups and opportunities for individual reflection and learning. Finally, they need alternate and formative assessments for learning in addition to summative assessments of learning (Reeves, 2004). Students need some choice in culminating unit projects. They also need some opportunity to be creative and to use multiple intelligences, to see the results of their labors, and to be able to edit and improve on their efforts with the guidance of the teacher. These collaborative learning behaviors help engage students and teachers to achieve their goals.

Students come to the classroom with a variety of skills and experiences, and we must work together to create and implement instructional strategies that will reach all of them. To do this we need to examine our practice collaboratively and to share plans,

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processes and results with one another. We are asking teachers to develop new habits of mind and practice. We are asking that they engage all students. We are suggesting strategies that may mean they have a little less control in a less orderly space with, for example, different desk configurations supporting various small groups and independent activities--some teacher directed, some student directed. This scenario is alien to many new teachers who come to the classroom with a lifetime experience of traditional learning environments designed to serve the few, who might move on to higher education.

We must challenge our new teachers to hang in there long enough to develop their craft so that they can learn to engage all students so they meet their students' needs now and into the future. This will require flexibility and willingness to take risks. The only way to work in the new learning environment we hope to create is to forge relationships between teachers and colleagues, between teachers and students, between teachers and administrators, and between teachers and community. These relationships will engage and connect teachers and students to continuous learning and success.

Professional learning opportunities in this new learning community must model the kinds of engaging learning we are expecting teachers to facilitate with their students. Those charged with designing and implementing these opportunities must be skilled at designing sessions that provide teachers with relevant content and strategies and skills they can immediately transfer into classroom practice.

Those "enraged students," Prensky describes are not unlike new teachers who want to experience growth, success, and relevance in their learning processes. This professional learning needs to be ongoing, site based, and collaborative. It should mirror the kinds of engaging instruction we are expecting from all teachers of 21st Century learners. Experience is the key to transferring theory and strategy to classroom practice. In designing professional learning opportunities, staff developers, administrators, coaches, and consultants must meet the needs of the teachers they are serving. For example, it is no longer adequate to present a strategy for teachers to implement. The facilitator of today's professional learning must have participants experience the strategy, question the strategy, and have time to consider the strategy in context. After the initial learning opportunity, the facilitator must provide time for reflection, sharing, and modifying to engage teachers in their professional growth. This learning cycle will help teachers make the connection between professional learning and classroom practice; it also reinforces the need for teachers, and students, to be accountable for their learning and successes.

The days of once and done, disconnected professional development opportunities are over. Daily professional learning and engagement need to become the norm if we expect teachers to be engaged and to engage all students.

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Provide financial incentives

Although the NEA suggests financial incentives as an innovation worth considering to boost teacher retention rates, other researchers have found it less important to the teachers they interviewed.

Ferriter and Norton interviewed teachers from the Teacher Leaders Network (TLN) about the motivators that keep them coming back to the classroom year after year. One of the teachers articulated her top three motivators to excel:

Freedom to use professional judgment in making teaching decisions. Appreciation and acknowledgement for effort and accomplishment. Opportunities to help make educational decisions that impact teachers' ability to

work effectively with every student (Ferriter and Norton, 2004).

These motivators serve as connectors to the work and to the school community, making teachers feel trusted, valued, relevant, and supported. When teachers and students find themselves in this kind of work environment, they will be ready to stay the course and begin a cycle of teachers working to guide and support one another.

While financial incentives are important to some teachers, in my review of the research it is not one of the major motivators for remaining in the profession. More important, in my estimation, are the ability to grow as a professional facilitator of learning; the feeling of efficacy that develops over time in an environment of mutual learning and respect; and the support of colleagues, administration, and community who are working together to achieve a mutual goal. The goal of serving all students well: those naturally inclined to success in school, those adept at negotiating the system, and those resistant to complying and performing under traditional circumstances.

To achieve this goal, we need to "restructure the profession. Such an approach will entail sharing power, providing better training, giving up some traditional assumptions and values, and expressing enormous trust" (Heller, 2004).

Darling-Hammond sees the challenge as follows: "The problem does not lie in the numbers of teachers available; we produce many more qualified teachers than we hire. The hard part is keeping the teachers we prepare" (2003, p.7). The time has come to spend time thinking about engaging teachers to engage their students by offering them the opportunity to learn alongside their students, to be facilitators of learning rather than imparters of knowledge. We need to reach those teachers and those students who are "not quite burned out, but crispy on the edges" (Draper, 2001).

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References

Allen, M. (2003). Eight questions on teacher preparation: What does the research say? Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States. Retrieved December 30, 2006, from http://www.ecs.org/treport

Buckley, Jack; Scneider, Mark and Shang, Yi. (2004). Teacher Retention Research Report. Retrieved January 2, 2007 from www.edfacilities.org

Clement, Mary. (2001) Finding and keeping high quality teachers. Alexandria, VA: Educational Research Service.

Darling-Hammond, L. & Sykes, Gary. (2003). Wanted: A national manpower policy for education. Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States.

Draper, Sharon M. (2001). Not quite burned out but crispy around the edges. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Ferriter, William & Norton, John. (2004). "Creating a culture of excellence: Listening to the experts: experienced teachers describe the working conditions that most affect their decisions to stay or leave." Threshold Magazine: Cable in the Classroom and NEA. Retrieved December 27, 2006 from www.ciconline.org

Heller, Daniel A. (2004). Teachers wanted: Attracting and retaining good teachers. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Hull, Jonathan W. (2004). Filling in the gaps: Understanding the root causes of the "teacher shortage" can lead to a solution that works. Southern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments, reprinted in Threshold, Spring 2004. Retrieved January 2, 2007 from www.ciconline.org

Ingersoll, Richard& Kralik, Jeffrey. (2004). The impact of mentoring on teacher retention: What research says. Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States. Retrieved January 2, 2007 from http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/50/36/5036.htm

Landgraf, Kurt. Solving the teacher shortage: A matter of professional standards. Received January 2, 2007 from www.nea.org

National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. (2003). No dream denied: A pledge to America's children. Washington, D.C.: NCATE. Received December 27, 2006 from www.ncate.org

National Education Association (2003). Recruitment and retention guidebook. Received January 1, 2007 from www.nea.org

Reeves, Douglas B. (2004). Accountability for learning: How teachers and school leaders can take charge. Alexandria, VA: Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Sparks, Dennis. (2002). High performing cultures increase teacher retention. National Staff Development Council: Results.

Southeast Center for Teaching Quality. (2001). Recruiting teachers for hard to staff schools: Solutions for North Carolina and the nation. Teaching Quality in the Southeast Policy Brief: North Carolina.

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Tye, B.B., & O'Brien, L. (2002). Why are experienced teachers leaving the profession? Phi Delta Kappan 84(1): 24-32.

Yorks, L. (2005). Adult learning and the generation of New Knowledge and Meaning: Creating liberating spaces for fostering adult learning through practitioner-based collaborative action inquiry. New York, NY: Teachers College Press: TC Record. Received December 23, 2006 from http://tcrecord.org


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Learning Indicators for Engagement

The following text can be use as a reference when completing the Engaging Instruction Checklist located in the Learning Guide.

1. Vision of Engaged Learning Responsible for Learning. Students take charge of their own learning and

are self-regulated. They define learning goals and problems that are meaningful to them; understand how specific activities relate to those goals; and, using standards of excellence, evaluate how well they have achieved the goals. Successful, engaged learners also have explicit measures and criteria for assessing their work as well as benchmark activities, products, or events for checking their progress toward achieving their goals.

Energized by Learning. Engaged learners find excitement and pleasure in learning. They possess a lifelong passion for solving problems and understanding ideas or concepts. To such students, learning is intrinsically motivating.

Strategic. Engaged learners continually develop and refine learning and problem-solving strategies. This capacity for learning how to learn includes constructing effective mental models of knowledge and resources, even though the models may be based on complex and changing information. Engaged learners can apply and transfer knowledge in order to solve problems creatively and they can make connections at different levels.

Collaborative. Engaged learners understand that learning is social. They are able to see themselves and ideas as others see them, can articulate their ideas to others, have empathy for others, and are fair-minded in dealing with contradictory or conflicting views. They have the ability to identify the strengths and intelligences of themselves and others.

2. Tasks for Engaged Learning Challenging. Unlike tasks usually offered in schools, challenging tasks are

typically complex and required sustained amounts of time. Such tasks also require students to stretch their thinking and social skills in order to be successful.

Authentic. Authentic tasks correspond to tasks in the home and workplace. They are closely related to real-world problems and projects, build on life experiences, require in-depth work, and benefit from frequent collaboration. Such collaboration can take place with peers and mentors within school or with diverse people outside of school.

Integrative/interdisciplinary. Challenging and authentic tasks often require integrated instruction, which blends disciplines into thematic or problem-

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based pursuits, and instruction that incorporates problem-based learning and curriculum by project.

3. Assessment of Engaged Learning Performance-Based. Students construct knowledge and create artifacts to

represent their learning. Ideally, students also are involved in generating performance criteria and are instrumental in the overall design, evaluation, and reporting of their assessment.

Generative. The overriding purpose of assessment is to improve learning. To that end, assessment should closely match the goals of the curriculum; represent significant knowledge and enduring skills, content, and themes; and provide authentic contexts for performance. The performance criteria should be clear, well articulated, and part of the students' learning experience prior to assessment. Indeed, developing standards of excellence for learning and thinking is an important part of learning.

Interwoven with Curriculum and Instruction. Assessment should include all meaningful aspects of performance. It should encompass the evaluation of individual as well as group efforts; self-, peer, and teacher assessments; attitudes and thinking processes; drafts or artifacts of developing products as well as final products; open-ended as well as structured tasks; and tasks that emphasize connections, communication, and real-world applications. Multiple measures (e.g., surveys, inventories, journals, illustrations, oral presentations, demonstrations, models, portfolios, and other artifacts of learning) are needed to assess "big ideas" and complex learning outcomes over time.

Equitable Standards. Parents and students should be familiar with the standards that apply to all students and be able to evaluate the performance of an individual or group using those standards.

4. Instructional Models and Strategies for Engaged Learning Interactive. Instruction actively engages the learner. Generative. Generative instruction encourages learners to construct and

produce knowledge in meaningful ways by providing experiences and learning environments that promote deep, engaged learning. Generative instruction also encourages learners to solve problems actively, conduct meaningful inquiry, engage in reflection, and build a repertoire of effective strategies for learning in diverse social contexts.

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5. Learning Context for Engaged Learning Knowledge-Building Learning Community. The learning community resists

fragmentation and competition and enables students to learn more collaboratively.

Collaborative. In learning communities, intelligence is assumed to be distributed among all members. Collaborative classrooms, schools, and communities encourage all students to ask hard questions; define problems; take charge of the conversation when appropriate; participate in assessments and in setting goals, standards, and benchmarks; have work-related conversations with various adults in and outside school; and engage in entrepreneurial activities.

Empathetic. Learning communities search for strategies to build on the strengths of all members. These strategies are especially important for learning situations in which members have very different prior knowledge.

6. Grouping for Engaged Learning Heterogeneous. Heterogeneous groups include males and females and a

mix of cultures, learning styles, abilities, socioeconomic status, and ages. This mixture brings a wealth of background knowledge and differing perspectives to authentic, challenging tasks.

Flexible. Flexible groups are configured and reconfigured according to the purposes of instruction. This flexibility enables educators to make frequent use of heterogeneous groups and to form groups, usually for short periods of time, based on common interests or needs.

Equitable. The use of both flexible and heterogeneous groups is one of the most equitable means of grouping. It ensures increased opportunities to learn for all students.

7. Teacher Roles for Engaged Learning Facilitator. The teacher provides rich environments, experiences, and

activities for learning by incorporating opportunities for collaborative work, problem solving, authentic tasks, and shared knowledge and responsibility.

Guide. In a collaborative classroom, the teacher must act as a guide - a complex and varied role that incorporates mediation, modeling, and coaching. When mediating student learning, the teacher frequently adjusts the level of information and support based on students' needs and helps students to link new information to prior knowledge, refine their problem-solving strategies, and learn how to learn.

Co-Learner and Co-Investigator. Teachers and students participate in investigations with practicing professionals. Using this model, students explore new frontiers and become producers of knowledge in knowledge-

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building communities. Indeed, with the help of technology, students may become the teachers as teachers become the learners.

8. Student Roles for Engaged Learning Explorer. Students discover concepts and connections and apply skills by

interacting with the physical world, materials, technology, and other people. Such discovery-oriented exploration provides students with opportunities to make decisions while figuring out the components/attributes of events, objects, people, or concepts.

Cognitive Apprentice. Students become cognitive apprentices when they observe, apply, and refine through practice the thinking processes used by real-world practitioners. In this model, students reflect on their practice in diverse situations and across a range of tasks, and they articulate the common elements of their experiences.

Producers of Knowledge. Students generate products for themselves and their community that synthesize and integrate knowledge and skills. Through the use of technology, students increasingly are able to make significant contributions to the world's knowledge.

Adapted from Indicator: Range of Use by Learning Point Associates, available online at http://www.ncrel.org/engauge/framewk/efp/range/efpranin.htm.

Copyright © 2007 by Learning Point Associates. Adapted with permission of the publisher.

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Technology, Education, and Workplace: What Is the Link?

The economy of the United States has undergone major changes from the 20th to the 21st century. These changes have impacted every aspect of our society and our relationships with others, including our educational systems. Technological advances, globalization, and an overall shift in the workforce have made it imperative for our schools to re-examine how they are preparing the youngest members of the population for the world that lies ahead of them. Thomas Friedman, author of "The World is Flat" (2005), and other proponents of forward and creative thinking offer some crucial insights into what our world has become and where we are going. While jobs are being outsourced to other countries daily, we should take note and begin to make changes, or we may fall even further behind.

Our Nation in the 20th Century

Looking back on the 20th century, a number of job sectors drove the economy. Manufacturing of a wide range of products and services was in high demand. Technical advances, better machinery, and strong fertilizers helped increase the productivity of crop development. Farming provided enough agricultural products, through livestock, grains, and other major staples of the human diet, to feed the nation. And the mining of coal, iron, and steel helped sustain the economy by providing resources that could be used to create goods for use both inside and outside the United States (U.S. Department of State, 2007).

The 1900s were witness to many economical changes. During the 1950s, people began buying goods that were not available during World War II. This created corporate expansion and more jobs, as the demand for products increased. The 1970s saw a surplus in agricultural products. This brought more money to farmers, but also demanded more government assistance to determine ways to distribute the surplus (U.S. Department of State, 2007).

As the century advanced into the 1980s and 1990s, technology exploded. It moved from base-level computing systems to highly advanced cell phones, hand-held computers, and satellite technology. This new technology runs internet communication, databases, and other information-sharing tools, all allowing communication to take place with people a world away, at the touch of a button. With this technology came even more job opportunities for everyone from established employees with varied levels of work experience to college graduates, well-schooled in the use of this technology. The rise in technology allowed people from all over the world the opportunity to compete for higher-level and high-paying jobs (Friedman, 2005).

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The changing economy allowed the population to choose to move into a variety of fields, one of which was manufacturing. In the early to mid 1900s, manufacturing jobs increased and even provided women who had been working from home a place in the workforce, as the need for more employees in factories and on assembly-lines increased. As the century progressed, however, many of these factory jobs diminished as people were replaced by machines, companies were sent overseas, or the need for certain products disappeared. Production occupations, such as farming, decreased from almost 40 percent to as low as 3 percent. Even goods-producing industries dropped almost 20 percent. The only jobs that continued to grow were those within the service-industry. People who desired to work with finances, real estate, government and even retail trade had their pick of work opportunities. Many of these people came from the manufacturing sector looking for employment (Fisk, 2001).

The changing workforce had dramatic effects on American society and schools. Once the 1980s and 1990s brought more technological advances, the competition for jobs began to take a turn. Skills taught in the schools during the 1950s were no match for the new schools and society of the 1990s. A change needed to be made to get students ready for what they would encounter (Wells & Steptoe, 2006).

What This Meant for Education

Education has always played a major role in how the economy is shaped. There are staggering statistics that demonstrate this point. “In 1900, less than 14 percent of all Americans graduated from high school. By 1999, that figure had increased to 83 percent. In 1910, less than 3 percent of the population had graduated from a school of higher learning. By 1999, the figure was 25 percent. Furthermore, increased education resulted in substantial monetary payoff for the individual worker. Men with college degrees earned 62 percent more and women 65 percent more in hourly compensation than did those with a high school degree at the end of the century (1997). A substantial part of the growth of the economy is attributable to increased education” (Fisk, 2001).

Educational institutions in the 20th century provided opportunities for students to gain skills for what could be considered blue-collar (manual labor) or white-collar (professional, administrative, or managerial) jobs. It could be seen in schools around the United States. School curriculums allowed for more trade-oriented or basic courses for one group; basic math, science, English, and history courses allowed them to easily transition into jobs once they graduated high school. The students who desired to continue their educational studies beyond high school could take more rigorous courses: higher level math and science, foreign languages, advanced placement history. The “tracks” were different, but educational opportunities were available for each group to succeed. There were even business-related courses (typing, computers, accounting) if a student wished to train for a job in this field.

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Liberal arts courses added to the curriculum. Art, music, and choral classes allowed students to foster their interests or become masters of their craft. Foreign language programs, on the average, covered four basic languages: Latin, German, French, and Spanish; however, most courses were begun at the middle or high school level and there were not always stringent requirements for mastery of any of these languages to graduate. Based on this fact, as the world was becoming more globally business-oriented, many students could not compete linguistically. This one major barrier in communication would prove to be a major cause of other issues in the future.

At times, historical events had a major effect on education. The 1950s and 1960s brought an increased demand for space exploration, to compete with other countries, thereby pushing more students to increase their studies of mathematics, science, and engineering courses. As the drive to compete with other nations in space travel exploration began to diminish in the 1980s and 1990s, the number of students enrolled in higher level mathematics and science courses followed suit. Other countries continued to advance in these areas, giving them the upper hand in developing technology and their overall business structure. This, in turn, provided even more job opportunities for these countries. Looking ahead, we can see that if our country does not continue programs that foster a variety of important and life-changing skills, we stand to fall behind (Friedman, 2005).

Our Nation in the 21st Century

The 21st century has come about on the tails of globalization. Companies rely on technology that provides immediate results to carry out their day-to-day business transactions, from their office to anywhere in the world, with an internet connection. Products and services are readily transported and traded with overseas partners set on achieving a world-wide goal of sustaining or developing a strong economy. There is a growing interdependence on world markets, but there remains the issue of overproduction and surplus while employment in areas such as farming is on the decreasing (U.S. Department of State, 2007).

Technology is constantly changing to make everything we do more efficient, time-wise and money-wise. There is still manufacturing and agriculture, but many of the tasks that were once performed by humans have been replaced by machines. These changes have drastic implications on the economy and the types and number of jobs available at any given time. In the 21st century, Americans are competing not just with other Americans, but also with citizens of India, China, or even Japan. Outsourcing is common with major corporations. Jobs are sent to companies overseas, where people will work for less money and perform just as well as their American counterparts (Friedman, 2005).

Because of the fierce competition, American employees need to be versatile, having a wide array of skills that can be adapted to a wider array of job opportunities and tasks.

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These kinds of people, called “versatilists,” are unique individuals. They can apply a greater depth of skills to a variety of situations and experiences. They have creative thinking to come up with new solutions to problems and new ideas to make the world run more efficiently and effectively. Overall, companies want employees that can improve the way that work is being done while effectively carrying out the overall goals of the organization. This is what the technologically, ever-changing American society is coming to (Friedman, 2005).

What This Means for Today's American Schools

From the 20th century to today, very little has changed from the manner in which schooling is carried out. There are still teachers who lecture and provide few opportunities for students to truly use what they are learning in creative or useful ways, beyond the classroom. The world has changed and the classroom needs to change with it (Wells & Steptoe, 2006).

What do today's schools need? Teaching needs to be brought into the 21st century. Our students need to be ready to join in with the global economy and work in jobs that will help advance our society. To compete, there are a number of important skills that should be honed before they leave the comfort of their high school walls (Wells & Steptoe, 2006).

High competence in traditional academic subjects Knowledge of the world Creative and innovative skills Cross-curriculum thinking Good people skills

It is necessary for students to be knowledgeable in a variety of basic subject areas before graduating. They select from English, mathematics, science, history and even foreign language courses. The level of competence they have in these subject areas will allow them to compete, or fall behind, when they graduate. Standardized tests, many given in light of No Child Left Behind, focus on reading and math skills. Our schools have begun to focus so much on these areas, where there are still major shortages in learning compared to other countries, so other subjects are beginning to falter as well (Wells & Steptoe, 2006). Students need to push harder and truly grasp all of the subjects they study, as many countries already accomplish this task.

Being knowledgeable about what goes on in the world is a major step toward becoming a more global citizen. To compete with other countries, students need to be literate in global trade and fluent in a foreign language. They also need to be aware of and sensitive to foreign cultures (Wells & Steptoe, 2006). Foreign language skills are disastrously lacking in our American youth. Many schools still require only 2 years of foreign language study, many times being offered at the middle or high school level,

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making it nearly impossible for mastery at any level to take place. And, with the global market focusing more on languages such as Chinese and Arabic, the main course offerings of Spanish, German, French, and Latin are not even allowing the students the opportunity to compete. Some schools are changing this, however, taking on courses in Chinese and even offering language study programs abroad. This is a step in the right direction.

How else must our students change in order to make it in this more global economy? In an age where some schools are still selective about course offerings for different types of students, it is only possible to change our schools if we re-examine what we are doing, what we have done, and where we want to go and align it with what is going on in the world around us. Standardized tests have become the answer to determining the health of our schools. But what can the students do with basic facts and information if they have not been pushed to put it to use in simulations of real-life situations? Complex thinking and problem solving skills allow students to “think outside the box” and really see what they can do (Wells & Steptoe, 2006). These skills, teamed with technology-savvy thinking, will greatly increase a student's ability to adapt to the global economy.

Cross-curriculum thinking is possibly one of the most innovative ways to make it in a global economy. YouTube and Google are two examples of what happens when you combine disciplines. Inventors of these two popular internet tools took mathematics and art and combined them in a way to make a product that the public would use on a regular basis. These kinds of innovative ideas, taken across the curriculum, can easily be translated into what students can accomplish in their own schools (Friedman, 2005).

Our society has become increasingly more team-oriented when it comes to getting jobs accomplished. It is imperative that our students be educated in manners of developing good people skills. They will be required to work with groups of people from varied educational and cultural backgrounds. In order to effectively accomplish what companies require, they will need to be a team player. This ties in with thinking globally and truly learning about and understanding other cultures, personalities, and learning styles (Wells & Steptoe, 2006).

The bottom line: Our schools must become global to compete with the real world. Thomas Friedman (2005) explains that there needs to be an adapting of business processes, study habits, and innovative ideas to go along with the “flattening” of the world, where everything is becoming more interconnected and collaborative. We need to think about what will make these students stand out from the rest. Teachers must allow for creativity to take place in their classrooms. Hands-on projects, real-life simulations, rigorous language programs, strong academic courses, and tasks that require problem-solving and creative thinking are ways to help keep our students involved and in fierce competition with other students and people from around the world. Only then will our students be better prepared for what awaits them in the “real world (Friedman, 2005).”

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Maybe even more important than what the schools need to do, is what the parents need to do. Parents must step-up and be challenged to prepare our students for the global world. Families that encourage their children to work hard, reach for their goals, and realize their true potential have children who are better prepared for life beyond the classroom. Parents and schools can do much to shape the children of today, and make them truly see what they are capable of (Friedman, 2005).

The Road Ahead

Shirley Ann Jackson, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, offers deeper insights into what she has seen happening with our global world. “The sky is not falling, nothing horrible is going to happen today. The U.S. is still the leading engine for innovation in the world. It has the best graduate programs, the best scientific infrastructure, and the capital markets to exploit it. But there is a quiet crisis…that we have to wake up to. The U.S. today is in a truly global environment, and those competitor countries are not only wide awake, they are running a marathon while we are running sprints. If left unchecked, this could challenge our preeminence and capacity to innovate” (Friedman, 2005, p.253).

World globalization has created newer and greater job opportunities. Having imagination, strong academic skills, and the adaptability to work with a wide background of people, technology and ideas is necessary for people to excel in this ever-advancing global economy. Our schools have a responsibility to prepare students for what opportunities await them. (Friedman, 2005). After all, Friedman (2005) states, “we have within our society all the ingredients for American individuals to thrive in this world, but if we squander those ingredients, we will stagnate” (p.306). We cannot afford to let this happen, after everything we have accomplished. Our children will be the next individuals to take our society and continue to make it great, if they have the tools to accomplish that.

References

Fisk, Donald M. (Fall 2001). “American Labor in the 20th Century.” Compensation and Working Conditions. Retrieved January 13, 2007, from http://www.bls.gov/opub/cwc/cm20030124ar02pl.htm

Friedman, Thomas L. (2005). The World is Flat. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

U.S. Department of State. “Farming Post World-War II.” Retrieved January 12, 2007, from http://economics.about.com/od/americanagriculture/a/farming.htm

Wallis, C., & Steptoe, S. (2006). “How to Bring Schools Out of the 20th Century.” Retrieved January 10, 2007, from www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1568480,00.html

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21st Century Workplace: Skills for Success

Most Americans agree that the workplace is changing and that the skills necessary for success in the 21st century workplace are different from those needed in the 20th century. In his book A Whole New Mind, author Daniel H. Pink writes that we are "moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age" [Pink, 2005, p. 33]. He argues that the workplace is changing as a result of three factors--Asia, abundance, automation-and that to remain competitive workers will need new skills [Pink, 2005, p. 46]. According to Pink "in the Conceptual Age, what we need . . . is a whole new mind"--one that incorporates both right brain and left brain directed aptitudes (Pink, 2005, p. 51). Where the left brain is "sequential, logical, and analytical," the right brain is "nonlinear, intuitive, and holistic." He notes that while the "defining skills of the previous era are necessary," they are "no longer sufficient." Instead he argues, the "right brain qualities of inventiveness, empathy, joyfulness, and meaning increasingly will determine who flourishes and who flounders" (Pink, 2005, p. 3).

The Changing Workplace

Pink's findings concur with those of other experts and researchers who have studied the changing workplace and the skills that will be needed for continued work success. The enGauge 21st Century Skills notes in its report on Literacy in the Digital Age that "experts at the U.S. Department of Labor... assert, ‘The influence of technology will go beyond new equipment and faster communication, as work and skills will be redefined and reorganized' " (enGauge, 2003, p. 8). The enGauge report asserts that "rapid change and increased competition require that workers use their ‘soft skills' to adapt quickly to changing technologies and organizational structures" (enGauge, 2003, p. 8).

According to this study "As society changes, the skills needed to negotiate the complexities of life also change. In the early 1900s, a person who had acquired simple reading, writing, and calculating skills was considered literate. Only in recent years has the public education system expected all students to build on those basics, developing a broad range of literacies. To achieve success in the 21st century, students also need to attain proficiency in science, technology, and culture, as well as gain a thorough understanding of information in all its forms" (enGauge, 2003, p.15).

The workplace and employer expectations have changed over time. "For businesses, it's no longer enough to create a product that's reasonably priced and adequately functional. It must also be beautiful, unique, and meaningful...," writes Pink [Pink, p. 35]. In addition many jobs are being outsourced. "White collar work of all sorts is migrating to other parts of the world," Pink notes [p. 38]. "The main reason is money." Workers in other parts of the world can do what American workers can do--only for less money.

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Automation is also changing the workplace as we know it: Computers are now doing tasks better, faster, and cheaper [Pink, 2005].

"The future belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different type of mind," warns Pink [p.1]. Workers will need to build on the skills of the 20th Century by mastering a new and different set of skills in the 21st Century. "We must perform work that overseas knowledge-workers can't do cheaper, that computers can't do faster, and that satisfies the aesthetic, emotional, and spiritual demands of a prosperous time," writes Pink [p. 61]. For example, "engineers and programmers will have to master different aptitudes, relying more on creativity than competence, more on tacit knowledge than technical manuals, and more on fashioning the big picture than sweating out the details," Pink writes. [p. 44-45].

In their book The new division of labor: How computers are creating the next job market, Frank Levy and Richard Murnane argue that two categories of skills will be more valued: "expert thinking--solving new problems for which there are no routine answers" and "complex communication--persuading, explaining, and in other ways conveying a particular interpretation of information" [Pink, 333].

Schools must prepare students for a different workplace--one that values innovation, imagination, creativity, communication, and emotional intelligence [Pink, 233].

The 21st Century Workplace Skills

The enGauge report identified four skill clusters as essential to success in the 21st Century workplace. These skills "were developed through a process that included literature reviews, research on emerging characteristics of the Net Generation, a review of current reports on workforce trends from business and industry, analysis of nationally recognized skill sets, input from educators, data from educator surveys, and reactions from constituent groups. In addition, data was gathered from educators at state-level conference sessions in 10 states, surveys, and focus groups Chicago and Washington, D.C." (enGauge, 2003, p. 13).

The four skill clusters are:

Digital-age literacy, which includes the various competencies expected in a 21st century workplace.

Inventive thinking, which includes the ability to think outside the box. Effective communication, which is the ability to clearly communicate with a

wide range of audiences. High productivity, which will be a requirement of success in the 21st Century

workplace.

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Mastering the Skills

Within these skill clusters are a subset of skills and competencies that workers will be expected to have mastered. EnGauge further defines the subset of skills for each skill as follows:

Digital-age literacy encompasses:

Basic literacy: This is defined as the ability to read, write, listen and speak as well as to compute numbers and solve problems.

Scientific literacy: This is defined as a general knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes.

Economic literacy: This includes an understanding of basic economic concepts, personal finance, the roles of small and large businesses, and how economic issues affect them as consumers and citizens.

Technological literacy: This includes an understanding about technology and how it can be used to achieve a specific purpose or goal.

Visual literacy: This includes good visualization skills and the ability to understand, use, and create images and video using both conventional and new media.

Information literacy: This includes the ability to find, access, and use information as well as the ability to evaluate the credibility of the information.

Cultural literacy: This includes the ability to value diversity, to exhibit sensitivity to cultural issues, and to interact and communicate with diverse cultural groups.

Global awareness: This is an understanding of how nations, individuals, groups, and economies are interconnected and how they relate to each other.

Inventive thinking will be prized in the 21st Century and a successful individual needs to develop and cultivate these essential life skills: (enGauge, 2003, p. 35)

Adaptability and managing complexity: This is the ability to recognize and understand that change is a constant, and to deal with change positively by "modifying one's thinking, attitude or behavior" to accommodate and handle this new environment.

Self-direction: This is the ability to work independently, whether developing goals or plans, managing one's time and work, or evaluating one's knowledge or learning process.

Curiosity: This is the desire to learn more about something and is an essential component of lifelong learning.

Creativity: This is the means of producing something new or original that is either personally or culturally significant

Risk taking: This is a willingness to think about a problem or challenge, to share that thinking with others, and to listen to feedback. It is a willingness to go beyond a safety zone, to make mistakes, to creatively tackle challenges or problems with the ultimate goal of enhancing personal accomplishment and growth.

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Higher-order thinking and sound reasoning: The higher-level thinking processes include the ability to analyze, compare, infer, interpret, evaluate, and synthesize. Sound reasoning applies common sense and acquired knowledge and skills to ensure good problem solving and decision making.

Effective communication is the ability to communicate with both individuals and groups in a positive manner. Effective communication involves: (enGauge, 2003, p. 47)

Teaming and collaboration: Teaming is a situation in which individuals share a common goal, bring unique capabilities to the job of achieving, work in a structured environment, and exhibit trust and respect towards one another. Collaboration is the cooperative interaction between the members of the team as they work together to achieve their goal.

Interpersonal skills: This is the ability to manage one's behavior, emotions, and motivations to foster positive interactions with other individuals and groups. The ability to effectively manage conflict is also an important interpersonal skill necessary for success in the 21st Century workplace. These skills are exhibited both in one-on-one situations and in emails, conference calls, and videoconferences.

Personal responsibility: Personal responsibility in the 21st Century workplace requires one to understand the legal and ethical issues related to technology and to mange and use technology in a responsible manner.

Social and civic responsibility: This requires that individuals use and manage technology to promote the public good and to protect society and the environment.

Interactive communication: This requires that individuals learn to communicate using a wide range of media and technology. They must select the most effective method of communication for the intended audience and use it responsibly and effectively to enhance the dissemination of information.

High productivity is expected of workers in the 21st Century workforce. Individuals need to master these skills if they are to be productive. (enGauge, 2003, p.59)

Prioritizing, planning, and managing for results: These organizational skills help an individual achieve the goals that have been set through efficient management of time and resources, effective problem solving, and strong leadership skills.

Effective use of real-world tools: This requires that individuals master current and new technology to communicate and collaborate with others, to effectively problem solve, and to accomplish tasks. They must learn how to select the appropriate tools for the task at hand and to apply these tools efficiently and effectively to achieve results.

Ability to produce relevant, high-quality products: This is the "ability to produce intellectual, informational, or material products that serve authentic purposes and occur as a result of students using real-world tools to solve or communicate about real-world problems" (enGauge, 2003, p. 59).

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Conclusion

Our changing workplace requires that all 21st Century workers master the skills required in a knowledge-society as well as the new skills necessary to move beyond the Information Age into the Conceptual Age. The enGauge report identifies "three significant things that need to occur if students are to thrive in today's knowledge-based, global society. These are: (enGauge, 2003, p. 2)

The public must acknowledge 21st century skills as essential to the education of today's learner.

Schools must embrace new designs for learning based on emerging research about how people learn, effective uses of technology, and 21st century skills in the context of rigorous academic content.

Policymakers must base school accountability on assessments that measure both academic achievement and 21st century skills.

As the workplace changes and evolves, so must its workers if they are to be successful.

References

NCREL and Metiri Group. (2003). "enGauge 21st century skills: Literacy in the digital age." Napierville, IL and Los Angeles, CA: NCREL and Metiri.

Pink, Daniel H. (2005). A whole new mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age. New York: Penguin Group.

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21st Century SkillsClassroom Application

21st CenturyWorkplace Skill Examples of Application in Social Studies

Digital-age Literacy

Basic, scientific, economic, and technological literacies

Use understanding of statistical techniques, sampling bias, and population parameters in simulated settings to study the effects on outcomes. Analyze these factors in published scientific or economic reports, and use knowledge of statistical techniques to evaluate the validity of the reports' findings.

Visual and informational literacy

Create an age-appropriate electronic portfolio of maps and other geographic projects, and write a reflective essay explaining how selected portfolio pieces reflect what they have learned about specific topics


Conduct analysis using demographic data in a geographic information system to analyze voting patterns and determine redistricting guidelines

Inventive Thinking


Create a high-quality digital map product, including data that has been gathered in the local area, to submit to an agency outside the classroom (e.g., national contest, local newspaper, community member)

Self-direction Create a culminating project that demonstrates content knowledge and conceptual understanding in at least three distinct content areas; project should demonstrate problem-solving ability and ability to draw connections between social studies content and real world settings.


Use a geographic information system to analyze information on soil, hydrology, and other factors in order to choose the best site for a sanitary landfill in an urban region, and prepare an informational video to present findings


Using the Internet and digital libraries, identify and compare alternative, sustainable economic activities in regions of significant resource depletion



Create a public awareness campaign to encourage product recycling in order to reduce the amount of refuge that is deposited in the local landfill each week.

Personal, social and civic responsibility

Collect, analyze, and comply data that reflects current political candidates position on pending legislation and future agenda as a public service tool.

Interactive communication Prepare an informative oral presentation that evaluates alternative land use proposals using various presentation tools (e.g., multimedia slide show) and incorporating spatial data and maps.

High Productivity

Ability to prioritize, plan and manage for results

Employ more complex problem-solving methods to develop a deeper understanding of the planning and management of a construction project (within certain material & budget constraints).


Formulate, approach, and solve problems beyond those studied using a variety of problem-solving tools such as graphing calculators, probes, GPS, and geometry tool software.

Ability to produce relevant, high quality products

Use data and maps prepared in a geographic information system to compare and analyze alternative land use proposals and communicate conclusions using such tools as html, advanced multimedia applications, and video technologies

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21st CenturyWorkplace Skill Examples of Application in Language Arts



Choose a social issue or controversy that has been a subject of protest songs. Primary sources (print, digital, or community resources), research an aspect of the issue to use as background in writing an original protest song or lyrics.


Create a visual representation (any media) of life combining family interviews and historical significant events.


Analyze the portrayal of bosses in popular media (comic strips, TV comedies, dramas, movies), identifying stereotypes found and identifying the kinds of "real life" bosses that are not included.

Inventive Thinking


Create digital videos that present a persuasive argument that calls for social action or community change.

Self-direction Create and produce a DVD or website promoting personal responsibility.


Develop a "Frequently Asked Questions" type research paper (that explains a topic thoroughly, based on likely questions about the subject) as a webpage.


Evaluate information found on the internet to distinguish between information and propaganda, satire, or commercialism on the Internet.



As a team use video cameras and editing software to create a DVD of a collaboratively written play.


Maintain a generative self-reflective journal (either print or online) that is utilized and referenced throughout the development of a project or unit that has social and or civil implications. For example researching the legal, moral, health, and social consequences of lowering the legal drinking age to 18.

Interactive communication Select and organize abundant materials (digital and print) according to the basic principles of information management. Read and understand the organizational efforts of others. Students can demonstrate this by creating a substantial web site of personal portfolio materials that is not only easy to navigate and read at the interface level, but also organized and understandable at the file-management level.

High Productivity


Participate in an online interactive debate with student panels and evaluator-experts.


For a selected topic, evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of electronic information sources.


Create digital videos that present a persuasive argument that calls for social action or community change.

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21st CenturyWorkplace Skill Examples of Application in Science



Read and evaluate technical information about measuring instruments for the purpose of deciding which instrument is the most economic for the job.


Develop a graph to illustrate the optimal amount of fertilizer and pesticides for maximum crop yield from tables of experimental data.


Investigate the impact of genetic engineering of crops on global and local food production, and populations.

Inventive Thinking


Devise a strategic plan to network all the company computers. At the last minute a division is added. You changed design to a wireless network to accommodate the additional computers.

Self-direction Research a scientific problem by writing grants and supporting the research.


Conventional belief is that stomach ulcers are created by excess stomach acid. You observe a certain type of bacteria in all stomach ulcers and suggest that the bacterium is the cause of the stomach ulcer. Colleagues laugh at you and you lose grant support. Years later, antibiotics are standard treatment for stomach ulcers.


Cancer drugs work by killing cancer cells. You have an idea that by cutting off blood supply to the tumor, you kill the tumor. You find the chemical signal to make blood vessels grow and devise a drug to block the chemical signal.



A team designs a new candy. The candy is tested by the sensory and marketing departments. The design, sensory, and marketing teams meet and recommend changes in the candy formulation.


Test and analyze results of local water systems. Share the results of an investigation of water quality with neighboring communities in order to increase public awareness.

Interactive communication Design an educational software site to aid in teaching specific content material. Run a beta test program with teachers. Analyze and incorporate the suggestions from the teachers into the program. Run a beta test again and make the necessary changes. Continue with the design cycle until desired results are accomplished.

High Productivity


Create a report for local authorities highlighting the pros and cons (E.G. economic, personal, and scientific factors) of long term storage of radioactive waste materials.


Run a computer simulation and design an aircraft wing. Build a scale model and test the wing in a wind tunnel. Repeat cycle several times until the wing design uses 5% less fuel.


Design a new computer operating system that runs on a wide variety of computers, adapts to new hardware easily, and boots up very quickly.

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21st CenturyWorkplace Skill Examples of Application in Mathematics



Research, graph and analyze school attendance and the effect it has on the school and the community.

Visual and informational literacy Use physical and digital models to demonstrate mathematical concepts. Research, design, and create model of a safe playground for a day-care center.


Use online bulletin boards to engage in discussions of math concepts with people (students and/or experts) from around the world; demonstrate tolerance and respect for the points of view of others.

Inventive Thinking


Provided with a salary, setup a workable budget for living independently as an adult.

Self-direction Create a culminating project that demonstrates content knowledge and conceptual understanding in at least three distinct content areas; project should demonstrate problem-solving ability and ability to draw connections between mathematics content and real world settings.


Use graphing calculators and probes to collect and analyze environmental data (e.g., pH of streams) or contextual data (e.g., speed of cars in school zones).


Develop an audience-appropriate presentation that uses analysis, interpretation and display of data and related inferences to describe the situation and possible solutions for the speeding cars in a school zone.



After researching community needs/restrictions, design and layout the dimensions for a community multi-purpose entertainment center.


Use estimation to determine the reasonableness of an answer and use word-processing software to explain the process. How soon will the local landfill be full based upon the property availability dimensions and the rate of refuge deposited weekly?

Interactive communication Design a presentation to sell the multi-purpose entertainment center concept to an entrepreneur for financial packing. Include startup, construction cost compared to potential revenue generated.

High Productivity


Employ more complex problem-solving methods to develop a deeper understanding of mathematics, such as simulating a construction project (within certain material & budget constraints).

Effective use of real-world tools Select and research a stock listed on the New Stock Exchange. Estimate the projected outlook and profit margin, track, document, and offer rationale for its gain or loss over a period of time.


Design a cost effective efficient container to mass produce for industry according to specific requirements.

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Course Objectives






Unit 3: The 21st Century Teacher

Section 3.1: The 21st Century Teacher

Topic 3.1.1: What Is the Role of the Teacher in a 21st Century Classroom?




Complete Course Activity—Rationale for 21st Century Change K-L-D Chart 10 minutes NA


Read article titled Characteristics of a 21st Century Classroom 15 minutes 1,2


Complete Course Activity—Instructional Practice Analysis 40 minutes 1,2

Complete Course Activity—Personal Change 30 minutes 1,2,4

Topic 3.1.2: What Knowledge and Skills Are Needed by the Teacher to Meet the Needs of 21st Century Students?


Read article titled Elements of Differentiation 15 minutes 1,2

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Read article titled Defining Inquiry-Based Learning 10 minutes 1,2

Read article titled Defining Project Learning 10 minutes 1,2

Complete Course Activity—Skill Application Reflection 20 minutes 2

Complete Prediscussion Activity—Successes and Challenges 10 minutes 3

Participate in Discussion Activity—Successes and Challenges 20 minutes 3

Topic 3.1.3: What Are the Perceived Obstacles to 21st Century Teaching?

View Multimedia Segment 5 minutes 2,3,4

Complete Prediscussion Activity—Current State of Readiness 10 minutes 2,3,4

Participate in Discussion Activity—Current State of Readiness 20 minutes 2,3,4

Participate in Sync Point Discussion (excluding Self-study Version) 75 minutes 1,2,3,4



Unit 3 Time Totals




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The 21st Century Teacher K-L-D Chart












Learning into Doing




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Learning into Doing





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Learning into Doing




Characteristics of a 21st Century Classroom

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As we move further into the new millennium, it becomes clear that the 21st Century classroom needs are very different from the 20th Century classroom needs. In the 21st Century classroom, teachers are facilitators of student learning and creators of productive classroom environments in which students can develop the skills they will need in the workplace. The focus of the 21st Century classroom is on students experiencing the environment they will enter as 21st Century workers. The collaborative project-based curriculum used in this classroom develops the higher order thinking skills, effective communication skills, and knowledge of technology that students will need in the 21st Century workplace. The interdisciplinary nature of the 21st Century classroom sets it apart from the 20th Century classroom. Lectures on a single subject at a time were the norm in the past and today collaboration is the thread for all student learning.

20th Century teaching strategies are no longer effective. Teachers must embrace new teaching strategies that are radically different from those employed in the 20th Century classroom. The curriculum must become more relevant to what students will experience in the 21st Century workplace.

Changes in the Classroom

The 21st Century classroom is student centered, not teacher centered. Teachers no longer function as lecturers but as facilitators of learning. The students are learning by doing, and the teacher acts as a coach, helping students as they work on projects. Students learn to use the inquiry method, and to collaborate with others--a microcosm of the real world they will experience once they leave the classroom.

Students no longer study each subject in isolation. Instead, they work on interdisciplinary projects that use information and skills from a variety of subjects and address a number of essential academic standards. For example, books assigned in reading or English, may be set in a country that is also being explored in social studies. The final reading of an English book report may require that specific social studies standards be met as well.

Textbooks are no longer the major source of information. Students use multiple sources, including technology, to find and gather the information they need. They might keep journals, interview experts, explore the Internet, or use computer software programs to apply what they have learned or to find information. Instead of being reserved only for special projects, technology is seamlessly integrated into daily instruction.

In this new classroom, flexible student groupings, based on individual needs, are the norm. The teacher still uses whole group instruction, but it is no longer the primary instructional method used. Teachers assess student instructional needs and learning

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styles and then draw on a variety of instructional and learning methods to meet the needs of all the students in the classroom.

The focus of student learning in this classroom is different. The focus is no longer on learning by memorizing and recalling information but on learning how to learn. Now, students use the information they have learned and demonstrate their mastery of the content in the projects they work on. Students learn how to ask the right questions, how to conduct an appropriate investigation, how to find answers, and how to use information. The emphasis in this classroom is on creating lifelong learners. With this goal in mind, students move beyond the student role to learn through real world experiences.

Just as student learning has changed so has assessment of that learning. Teachers use a variety of performance-based assessments to evaluate student learning. Tests that measure a student’s ability to memorize and to recall facts are no longer the sole means of assessing student learning. Instead, teachers use student projects, presentations, and other performance-based assessments to determine students’ achievement and their individual needs.

The goal of the 21st Century classroom is to prepare students to become productive members of the workplace.

Changes in Teacher Behavior

Just as the classroom is changing, so must the teacher adapt their roles and responsibilities. Teachers are no longer teaching in isolation. They now co-teach, team teach, and collaborate with other department members. Teachers are not the only ones responsible for student learning. Other stakeholders including administrators, board members, parents, and students all share responsibility with the teacher for educating the student.

Teachers know that they must engage their students in learning and provide effective instruction using a variety of instructional methods as well as technology. To do this, teachers keep abreast of what is happening in the field. As lifelong learners, they are active participants in their own learning. They seek out professional development that helps them to improve both student learning and their own performance.

The new role of the teacher in the 21st Century classroom requires changes in teachers’ knowledge and classroom behaviors. The teacher must know how to:

act as a classroom facilitator. They use appropriate resources and opportunities to create a learning environment that allows each child to construct his or her own knowledge. The teacher is in tune with her students and knows how to pace

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lessons and provide meaningful work that actively engages students in their learning.

establish a safe, supportive, and positive learning environment for all students. This requires planning on the part of the teacher to avoid safety risks, to create room arrangements that support learning, and to provide accessibility to students with special needs. The teacher is skilled in managing multiple learning experiences to create a positive and productive learning environment for all the students in the classroom. Classroom procedures and policies are an important part of creating a positive learning environment. The teacher evaluates and implements effective classroom management techniques in a consistent manner. She uses routines and procedures that maximize instructional time. Students know what is expected of them, and the teacher knows how to effectively handle disruptions so there is no adverse impact on students’ instructional time.

plan for the long-term and short-term. foster cooperation among students within the classroom. The teacher models

and promotes democratic values and processes that are essential in the real world.

encourage students’ curiosity and intrinsic motivation to learn. The teacher helps students become independent, creative, and critical thinkers by providing experiences that develop his/her students’ independent, critical and creative thinking and problem solving skills. The teacher provides enough time for students to complete tasks, and is clear about her expectations. Students are actively involved in their own learning within a climate that respects their unique developmental needs and fosters positive expectations and mutual respect.

make students feel valued. The teacher emphasizes cooperative group effort rather than individual competitive effort through collaborative projects and a team spirit.

communicate effectively with students, parents, colleagues, and other stakeholders. The teacher uses written, oral, and technological communication to establish a positive learning experience and to involve other stakeholders in student learning.

use language to foster self-expression, identity development, and learning in her students.

listen thoughtfully and responsively. foster cultural awareness and cultural sensitivity in her students. The teacher

encourages students to learn about other cultures and instills in her students a respect for others and their differences.

(Commitment to the Role of Teacher as a Facilitator of Learning, 2007)

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Conclusion

If students are to be productive members of the 21st Century workplace, they must move beyond the skills of the 20th Century and master those of the 21st Century. Teachers are entrusted with mastering these skills as well and with modeling these skills in the classroom. The characteristics of the 21st Century classroom will be very different from those of in the classrooms of the past because the focus is on producing students who are highly productive, effective communicators, inventive thinkers, and masters of technology.

References

Commitment to the role of the teacher as a facilitator of learning. (2007). Retrieved January 30, 2007 from http://www.onu.edu/a+s/cte/knowledge/facilitator.shtml

Change From Description Change To Description

Teacher-centered Teachers spend time disseminating information to students through direct instruction

Student-centered Teachers act as facilitators, coaching students as they work on authentic projects

Content Coverage Teachers cover content through direct instruction and move at a pace to ensure that all material is presented, whether it is learned or not.

Learning and Doing Teachers design projects to address essential academic standards. Student performance on projects demonstrates proficiency or deficiency with respect to standards. Intervention is done for students not meeting standards.

Memorizing information Teachers spend most time involved in direct instruction, with assessment occurring as a test at the end where recall of information is tested.

Using information Teachers have students use information to develop authentic projects where mastery of information is demonstrated in the way information is used in the project.

Lecturer Teachers spend most of their time involved in “stand and deliver”. Knowledge comes from the teacher.

Facilitator The teacher provides projects that involve students doing research and assimilating the knowledge themselves. Teachers act as coaches and provide support as needed by students. They take on the role of project manager.

Whole Group Configuration All students receive the same instruction. One size fits all.

Flexible Grouping Configuration Based on Individual Student Needs

Teachers group students based on needs. Instruction seldom is to the whole group. Rather, instruction occurs with individuals, pairs, or small groups as needed.

Single Instructional and Learning Modality

Multiple Instructional and Learning Modalities to Include All Students

Memorization and Recall Tests are the primary means of assessment and focus on recall and lower level thinking.

Higher Order Thinking Skills Teachers assign projects to the class that requires higher order thinking (synthesis, analysis, application, and evaluation).

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Single Discipline The class is conducted in an isolated manner without connections to other classes or subjects.

Interdisciplinary Teachers have students complete projects that are designed to use information and skills that cut across other subject areas. Some projects and assignments may be done collaboratively between two or more classes (e.g., history, science, and language arts – a study of what really might have happened at the Little Big Horn)

Isolated Students are encouraged to work individually

Collaborative Teachers allow students to work collaboratively on projects and network with others in the class, as well as experts outside of school.

Quiz and Test Assessments Students are assessed through tests only.

Performance-based Assessments Teachers utilize projects as well as other products and performances as assessments to determine student achievement and needs. Assessments are tailored to the talents/needs of the students.

Textbook Dependent The teacher may follow the textbook chapter by chapter, page by page. The text book is the major source of information.

Multiple Sources of Information Including Technology

Teachers use the textbook as just another resource, which is used in conjunction with the internet, journals, interviews of experts, etc.

Technology as a luxury The teacher is the main user of technology, primarily as a means of presenting information.

Technology fully integrated into the classroom

Teachers have students regularly use technology to find information, network/communicate with each other and experts, and to produce and present their projects, assignments, and performances.

Teachers teaching to the one learning style

Teachers teach to one learning style (nearly) all the time (e.g., always talking only, or always giving notes on the board only). Teachers also expect student submissions to always be the same most or all of the time (e.g., all work is submitted in written form).

Teachers addressing the learning styles of all learners

Teachers use different means of presenting information. Methods are based on the preferences of individual students or groups. Students are able to convey information to the teacher via their projects/ performances/ assignments in a variety of modalities, based on their preferences (written, spoken, music, acted out, etc.).

Learning content The focus is on covering content Learner-directed Learning Through projects, teachers have students learn how to ask the right questions, do an appropriate investigation, get answers, and use the information so they can continue to learn all their lives.

Learning isolated skills and factoids

Facts and skills are learned out of context and for their own sakes.

Using a variety of types of information to complete authentic projects

Teachers devise projects that help students learn information and skills through using them in situations similar to the way they would in real life.

Acting purely as a student Students are involved in strictly academic endeavors (e.g., note taking, listening to lectures).

Students acting as a worker in the discipline

Teachers set up student assignments, projects, and performances to allow students to operate the way a person would working in the field in the real world (as a scientist, writer,

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mathematician, etc).

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Teaching in isolation Closing the door and working alone with no contact or help from outside the classroom

Teaching in collaboration

Teachers take part in co- and team teaching, as well as working collaboratively with department members to improve learning for students

Teaching in such a way as to disengage students

Students become bored because school is not engaging and they feel they have to power down.

Engaging the 21st Century student

Teachers consider how to utilize the unique characteristics of the 21st century brain and the habits of the 21st century digital native to provide engaging and effective instruction.

Teaching content Teachers focus on subject matter alone.

Teaching to prepare students for the 21st Century workplace.

Teachers incorporate elements of the 21st Century workplace into the classroom to prepare the student with 21st century workplace experiences and skills.

Teachers alone educate the student

Teachers have the primary responsibility for educating the student and focus most if not all of the load.

Shared responsibility for educating the student

Teachers communicate with all stakeholders (administrators, school board members, parents, students) and enlist the help and inputs of all to effectively educate students.

“Sit and get” professional development

Teachers take part and accept passive and ineffective professional development

21st Century professional development and learning communities

Teachers take an active part in planning and participating in professional development that regularly utilize learning communities to improve student learning and achievement.

Teacher looks for one answer for students

Teachers pose low-level questions that require recall answers. Emphasis placed on correct answer.

Teacher looks for multiple answers from students.

Teachers pose questions that require high level thinking with multiple solutions. Emphasis placed on the types of questions.

Teachers reflect on student results Teachers analyze assessment scores for the sake of progress reporting progress.

Students reflect on student results with teachers.

Teachers with students analyze assessment scores for the purpose of identifying strengthens and weakness to prescribe instruction and academic supports.

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Range of Instructional Practice



Glossary

Artificial Context: Level of authenticity where students are exposed to instruction that contains drill and practice and results are self-contained within the classroom

Real World Context: Level of authenticity where students use processes of inquiry to solve real problems and create knowledge that is valued by persons or communities outside the school environment

Basic Skills: Lower complexity of learning that includes the use of knowledge and comprehension thinking skills

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Higher Order Thinking Skills: Higher complexity of learning that includes the use of application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation thinking skills

Didactic: Instruction involving lecture and the textbook rather than demonstration and laboratory study

Constructivist: Individuals are active agents, they engage in their own knowledge construction by integrating new information into their schema, and by associating and representing it into a meaningful way

Drill and Practice: Instruction designed to build a student’s fluency with a specific skill

Integrated Learning Systems: A curriculum bundle that provides instructional content as well assessment and management tools

Productivity Tools: Student use of software for processing, storing, analyzing, and/or communicating data

Expression and Visualization Tools: Student use of software such as graphics, charting, or video editing packages that enables the use to express ideas primarily using images

Communications and Virtual Collaboration: Students participate in systems that enable users to communicate face-to-face as well as electronically

Online Research: Student use of search engines, browsers, and intelligent strategies to find information purposefully

Simulations: Recreates real world phenomenon in the classroom experience, enabling the student to have an experience often times not possible any other way

Problem Solving with Real Data Sets: Students using technology to access, process, analyze, and communicate solutions to problems using relevant, real-world situations/data

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Instructional Practice Analysis Tool

1. Identify the amount of time you spend using each of the following instructional strategies.

Instructional Strategy Never Little Frequent Always

Drill & Practice

Lecture or Demonstration

Teacher-led discussion—low level, factual

Teacher-led discussion w/ purposeful questions to students

Working with individual students

Working with small groups

Integrated Learning Systems

Productivity Tools

Expression and Visualization Tools

Online Research

Collaborative learning—informal

Collaborative learning—formal roles

Communication and Virtual Collaboration

Simulations

Problem Solving with Real Data Sets

For #2 through #4 think of a specific lesson or unit that you and your students experienced a high degree of success.

2. Analyze the complexity of your instruction and assign a percentage that represents the time you have student spending on the different levels of complexity. The total should equal 100%.

_____% Creation-To put information together in a unique way to solve a problem

_____% Evaluation-To make quantitative or qualitative judgments using standards of appraisal

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_____% Analysis-To examine a concept and break it down into its parts

_____% Application-To apply or use information in a new situation

_____% Understand-To interpret, classify, summarize, infer or explain information

_____% Remember-To recall and memorize

*For more information about the revised taxonomy please visit one of the following websites:

a. http://www.coe.uga.edu/epltt/bloom.htm b. http://social.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/hi216/learning/bloom.htm c. http://www.odu.edu/educ/llschult/blooms_taxonomy.htm

Please note: website(s) at the time of course development were active.

3. Analyze your instructional style on a scale from “Didactic” or teacher-directed, to “Constructivist” or student-directed and student-centered. Place an “X” on the continuum to represent your style.

Didactic Constructivist4. Analyze the authenticity of your instruction. Does your instruction have a “real-world”

context or is it characterized as artificial and exercise based, such as worksheets or essays that summarize content for teacher use only? Place an “X” on the continuum to represent your style.

Artificial Real World

In order to build on your previous success, how will you improve this specific lesson or unit to make the learning more authentic for students?

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For #5 and #6 consider your overall instruction when completing the questions.

5. To what extent do you make an effort to provide explicit instruction or to employ strategies to develop the following 21st Century skills: Please refer to the course document entitled 21st Century Workplace: Skills for Success for the specific definitions of the following skills.

21st Century Skill Not at all Somewhat Substantially

Digital-age literacy

Basic literacy

Scientific literacy

Economic literacy

Technological literacy

Visual literacy

Information literacy

Cultural literacy

Global awareness

Inventive thinking

Adaptability and managing complexity

Self-direction

Curiosity

Creativity

Risk taking


Effective communication

Teaming and collaboration

Interpersonal skills

Personal responsibility

Social and civic responsibility


High productivity

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Prioritizing, planning, and managing for results


Ability to produce relevant, high-quality products 6. Give examples of how you provide explicit instruction or employ strategies to develop

the following 21st Century skills:

21st Century Skill Examples

Digital-age literacy

Basic literacy

Scientific literacy

Economic literacy

Technological literacy

Visual literacy

Information literacy

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Cultural literacy

Global awareness

Inventive thinking

Adaptability and managing complexity

Self-direction

Curiosity

Creativity

Risk taking


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Effective communication

Teaming and collaboration

Interpersonal skills

Personal responsibility

Social and civic responsibility


High productivity

Prioritizing, planning, and managing for results


Ability to produce relevant, high-quality products

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Elements of Differentiation

The biggest mistake of past centuries in teaching has been to treat all children as if they were variants of the same

individual, and thus to feel justified in teaching them the same subjects in the same ways.

Howard Gardner (in Siegel & Shaughnessy, 1994)Phi Delta Kappan

Most effective teachers modify some of their instruction for students some of the time. Many of those teachers also believe they differentiate instruction, and, to some degree, they do. It is not this book's goal, however, to recount the sorts of modifications sensitive teachers make from time to time, such as offering a student extra help during lunch or asking an especially able learner a challenging question during a review session. This book offers guidance for educators who want to develop and facilitate consistent, robust plans in anticipation of and in response to students' learning differences.

The Teacher Focuses on the Essentials

No one can learn everything in every textbook, let alone in a single subject. The brain is structured so that even the most able of us will forget more than we remember about most topics. It is crucial, then, for teachers to articulate what's essential for learners to recall, understand, and be able to do in a given domain.

In a differentiated classroom, the teacher carefully fashions instruction around the essential concepts, principles, and skills of each subject. She intends that students will leave the class with a firm grasp of those principles and skills, but they won't leave with a sense that they have conquered all there is to know. The teacher's clarity ensures that struggling learners focus on essential understandings and skills; they don't drown in a pool of disjointed facts. Similarly, the teacher ensures that advanced learners spend their time grappling with important complexities rather than repeating work on what they already know. Clarity increases the likelihood that a teacher can introduce a subject in a way that each student finds meaningful and interesting. Clarity also ensures that teacher, learners, assessment, curriculum, and instruction are linked tightly in a journey likely to culminate in personal growth and individual success for each child.

The Teacher Attends to Student Differences

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From a very young age, children understand that some of us are good with kicking a ball, some with telling funny stories, some with manipulating numbers, and some with making people feel happy. They understand that some of us struggle with reading words from a page, others with keeping tempers in check, still others with arms or legs that are weak. Children seem to accept a world in which we are not alike. They do not quest for sameness, but they search for the sense of triumph that comes when they are respected, valued, nurtured, and even cajoled into accomplishing things they believed beyond their grasp.

In differentiated classrooms, the teacher is well aware that human beings share the same basic needs for nourishment, shelter, safety, belonging, achievement, contribution, and fulfillment. She also knows that human beings find those things in different fields of endeavor, according to different timetables, and through different paths. She understands that by attending to human differences she can best help individuals address their common needs. Our experiences, culture, gender, genetic codes, and neurological wiring all affect how and what we learn. In a differentiated classroom, the teacher unconditionally accepts students as they are, and she expects them to become all they can be.

Assessment and Instruction Are Inseparable

In a differentiated classroom, assessment is ongoing and diagnostic. Its goal is to provide teachers day-to-day data on students' readiness for particular ideas and skills, their interests, and their learning profiles. These teachers don't see assessment as something that comes at the end of a unit to find out what students learned; rather, assessment is today's means of understanding how to modify tomorrow's instruction.

Such formative assessment may come from small-group discussion with the teacher and a few students, whole-class discussion, journal entries, portfolio entries, exit cards, skill inventories, pre-tests, homework assignments, student opinion, or interest surveys. At this stage, assessment yields an emerging picture of who understands key ideas and who can perform targeted skills, at what levels of proficiency, and with what degree of interest. The teacher then shapes tomorrow's lesson—and even today's—with the goal of helping individual students move ahead from their current position of competency.

At benchmark points in learning, such as the end of a chapter or unit, teachers in differentiated classrooms use assessment to formally record student growth. Even then, however, they seek varied means of assessment so that all students can fully display their skills and understandings. Assessment always has more to do with helping students grow than with cataloging their mistakes.

The Teacher Modifies Content, Process, and Products

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By thoughtfully using assessment data, the teacher can modify content, process, or product. Content is what she wants students to learn and the materials or mechanisms through which that is accomplished. Process describes activities designed to ensure that students use key skills to make sense out of essential ideas and information. Products are vehicles through which students demonstrate and extend what they have learned.

Students vary in readiness, interest, and learning profile. Readiness is a student's entry point relative to a particular understanding or skill. Students with less-developed readiness may need

someone to help them identify and make up gaps in their learning so they can move ahead;

more opportunities for direct instruction or practice; activities or products that are more structured or more concrete, with fewer steps,

closer to their own experiences, and calling on simpler reading skills, or a more deliberate pace of learning.

Advanced students, on the other hand, may need

to skip practice with previously mastered skills and understandings; activities and products that are quite complex, open-ended, abstract, and

multifaceted, drawing on advanced reading materials; or a brisk pace of work, or perhaps a slower pace to allow for greater depth of

exploration of a topic.

Interest refers to a child's affinity, curiosity, or passion for a particular topic or skill. One student may be eager to learn about fractions because she is very interested in music, and her math teacher shows her how fractions relate to music. Another child may find a study of the American Revolution fascinating because he is particularly interested in medicine and has been given the option of creating a final product on medicine during that period.

Learning profile has to do with how we learn. It may be shaped by intelligence preferences, gender, culture, or learning style. Some students need to talk ideas over with peers to learn them well. Others work better alone and with writing. Some students learn easily part-to-whole. Others need to see the big picture before specific parts make sense. Some students prefer logical or analytical approaches to learning. Other classmates prefer creative, application-oriented lessons. (See the Appendix and the end of this chapter for sources to learn more about readiness, interest, and learning profile.)

Teachers may adapt one or more of the curricular elements (content, process, products) based on one or more of the student characteristics (readiness, interest, learning profile) at any point in a lesson or unit. However, you need not differentiate all elements in all possible ways. Effective differentiated classrooms include many times in which whole-class, nondifferentiated fare is the order of the day. Modify a curricular element

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only when (1) you see a student need and (2) you are convinced that modification increases the likelihood that the learner will understand important ideas and use important skills more thoroughly as a result.

All Students Participate in Respectful Work

In differentiated classrooms, certain essential understandings and skills are goals for all learners. However, some students need repeated experiences to master them, and other students master them swiftly. The teacher in a differentiated classroom understands that she does not show respect for students by ignoring their learning differences. She continually tries to understand what individual students need to learn most effectively, and she attempts to provide learning options that are a good fit for each learner whenever she can. She shows respect for learners by honoring both their commonalities and differences, not by treating them alike.

For example, some students grasp an idea best when they see it directly tethered to their own lives and experiences. Others can think about the idea more conceptually. Some students strive for accuracy and eschew the uncertainty of creativity. Others thirst for the adventure of divergence and deplore the tedium of drill. Some students want to sing their understanding of a story, some want to dance the story's theme, some want to draw it, and some want to write to the author or a character.

In the end, it is not standardization that makes a classroom work. It is a deep respect for the identity of the individual. A teacher in a differentiated classroom embraces at least the following four beliefs.

Respect the readiness level of each student. Expect all students to grow, and support their continual growth. Offer all students the opportunity to explore essential understandings and skills at

degrees of difficulty that escalate consistently as they develop their understanding and skill.

Offer all students tasks that look—and are—equally interesting, equally important, and equally engaging.

The Teacher and Students Collaborate in Learning

Teachers are the chief architects of learning, but students should assist with the design and building. It is the teacher's job to know what constitutes essential learning, to diagnose, to prescribe, to vary the instructional approach based on a variety of purposes, to ensure smooth functioning of the classroom, and to see that time is used wisely. Nonetheless, students have much to contribute about their understanding.

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Students can provide diagnostic information, develop classroom rules, participate in the governing process grounded in those rules, and learn to use time as a valuable resource. Students can let teachers know when materials or tasks are too hard or too easy, when learning is interesting (and when it isn't), when they need help, and when they are ready to work alone. When they are partners in shaping all parts of the classroom experience, students develop ownership in their learning and become more skilled at understanding themselves and making choices that enhance their learning.

In a differentiated classroom, the teacher is the leader, but like all effective leaders, she attends closely to her followers and involves them thoroughly in the journey. Together, teacher and students plan, set goals, monitor progress, analyze success and failures, and seek to multiply the success and learn from failures. Some decisions apply to the class as a whole. Others are specific to an individual.

A differentiated classroom is, of necessity, student-centered. Students are the workers. The teacher coordinates time, space, materials, and activities. Her effectiveness increases as students become more skilled at helping one another and themselves achieve group and individual goals.

The Teacher Balances Group and Individual Norms

In many classrooms, a student is an "unsuccessful" 5th grader if he falls short of 5th grade "standards." That the student grew more than anyone in the room counts for little if he still lags behind grade-level expectations. Similarly, a child is expected to remain in 5th grade even though she achieved those standards two years ago. About that student we often say, "She's fine on her own. She's already doing well."

Teachers in a differentiated classroom understand group norms. They also understand individual norms. When a student struggles as a learner, the teacher has two goals. One is to accelerate the student's skills and understanding as rapidly as possible for that learner, still ensuring genuine understanding and meaningful application of skills. The second is to ensure that the student and parents are aware of the learner's individual goals and growth and the student's relative standing in the class. The same is true when a learner has advanced beyond grade-level expectations.

A great coach never achieves greatness for himself or his team by working to make all his players alike. To be great, and to make all his players great, he must make each player the best that he or she possibly can be. No weakness in understanding or skill is overlooked. Every player plays from his or her competencies, not from a sense of deficiency. There is no such thing as "good enough" for any team member. In an effectively differentiated classroom, assessment, instruction, feedback, and grading take into account both group and individual goals and norms.

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The Teacher and Students Work Together Flexibly

As in an orchestra composed of individuals, varied ensemble groups, sections, and soloists, the differentiated classroom is built around individuals, various small groups, and the class as a whole. They all work to "learn and play the score," albeit with varied instruments, solo parts, and roles in the whole.

To address the various learning needs that make up the whole, teachers and students work together in a variety of ways. They use materials flexibly and employ flexible pacing. Sometimes the entire class works together, but sometimes small groups are more effective. Sometimes everyone uses the same materials, but it is often effective to have many materials available. Sometimes everyone finishes a task at 12:15, but often some students finish a task while others need additional time for completion. Sometimes the teacher says who will work together. Sometimes students make the choice. When the teacher decides, she may do so based on similar readiness, interest, or learning profile needs. Sometimes assignment to tasks is random. Sometimes the teacher is the primary helper of students. Sometimes students are one another's best source of help.

In a differentiated classroom, the teacher also draws on a wide range of instructional strategies that help her focus on individuals and small groups, not just the whole class. Sometimes she finds learning contracts helpful in targeting instruction; at other times, independent investigations work well. The goal is to link learners with essential understandings and skills at appropriate levels of challenge and interest.

Two Organizers for Thinking About Differentiation

Figure 2.1 presents an organizer for thinking about differentiation, and it is a way of thinking about this book as well. In a differentiated classroom, a teacher makes consistent efforts to respond to students' learning needs. She is guided by general principles of facilitating a classroom in which attention to individuals is effective. Then she systematically modifies content, process, or product based on students' readiness for the particular topic, materials, or skills; personal interests; and learning profiles. To do so, she calls upon a range of instructional and management strategies.

The teacher does not try to differentiate everything for everyone every day. That's impossible, and it would destroy a sense of wholeness in the class. Instead, the teacher selects moments in the instructional sequence to differentiate based on formal or informal assessment. She also selects a time in her teaching plans to differentiate by interest so that students can link what is being studied to something that is important to them. She often provides options that make it natural for some students to work alone and others together, for some to have a more hands-on approach to making sense of ideas and for others to arrive at learning in a visual way. Differentiation is an organized

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yet flexible way of proactively adjusting teaching and learning to meet kids where they are and help them to achieve maximum growth as learners.

All classrooms are multifaceted. A differentiated classroom, however, differs in key ways when compared with traditional classrooms. Figure 2.2 (p. 16) suggests some ways in which the two approaches to teaching may vary. Feel free to add your own comparisons to the chart as you think about your own classroom and as you read through the rest of the book. Remember that there is much middle ground between an absolutely traditional classroom and an absolutely differentiated one (assuming either extreme could ever exist). For an interesting self-assessment, think of the two columns in the chart as continuums. Place an X on each continuum where you believe your teaching is now, and place an X on where you'd like it to be.

For More Information

To learn more about the concept of differentiating instruction through readiness, interest, and learning profile, see the Appendix and the following sources:

Kiernan, L. (producer) (1997). Differentiating instruction: A video staff development set. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Tomlinson, C. (1995). How to differentiate instruction in mixed ability classrooms. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Tomlinson, C. (1996). Good teaching for one and all: Does gifted education have an instruction identity? Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 20, 155-174.

Tomlinson, C. (1996). Differentiating instruction for mixed-ability classrooms. [An ASCD professional inquiry kit]. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

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Figure 2.2Comparing Classrooms

Traditional Classroom

Student differences are masked or acted upon when problematic

Assessment is most common at the end of learning to see "who got it"

A relatively narrow sense of intelligence prevails

A single definition of excellence exists

Student interest is infrequently tapped

Relatively few learning profile options are taken into account

Whole-class instruction dominates

Coverage of texts and curriculum guides drives instruction

Mastery of facts and skills out-of-context are the focus of learning

Single option assignments are the norm

Time is relatively inflexible A single text prevails Single interpretations of

ideas and events may be sought

The teacher directs student behavior

The teacher solves problems

The teacher provides whole-class standards for grading

A single form of assessment is often used

Differentiated Classroom Student differences are studied as a

basis for planning Assessment is ongoing and diagnostic

to understand how to make instruction more responsive to learner need

Focus on multiple forms of intelligences is evident

Excellence is defined in large measure by individual growth from a starting point

Students are frequently guided in making interest-based learning choices

Many learning profile options are provided for

Many instructional arrangements are used

Student readiness, interest, and learning profile shape instruction

Use of essential skills to make sense of and understand key concepts and principles is the focus of learning

Multi-option assignments are frequently used

Time is used flexibly in accordance with student need

Multiple materials are provided Multiple perspectives on ideas and

events are routinely sought The teacher facilitates students' skills at

becoming more self-reliant learners Students help other students and the

teacher solve problems Students work with the teacher to

establish both whole-class and individual learning goals

Students are assessed in multiple ways

Defining Inquiry-Based Learning

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What is inquiry-based learning? There are as many specific answers as there are people to ask, but there are common themes to the descriptions that represent a core of belief about inquiry. The list below is loosely based on Nickerson (1988), but includes some additional thematic elements and some connections to technology.

Constructivism. The major claim of this theme is that learning is an active process, described as forming new mental models rather than as assimilating information. Students continually create their own mental models as they encounter new material. It is questionable if "passive learning" could even exist. Integral to the concept of constructivism is the notion that much of learning comes from grappling with complex problems, for which there may be multiple approaches. The interaction a learner has with others engaged in the task adds to the learning potential; language is the most important carrier of these inquiry-supporting interactions. Out of such experiences, learners build their own knowledge.

Importance of conceptual understanding, rather than procedural efficiency. Especially in math and science, much of the knowledge students are often expected to know is procedural; that is, how to follow particular rote recipes. If this knowledge is not situated in an understanding of how and why the procedures work, students may not be able to know when and how to use them. Conceptual understanding includes a much richer and more flexible array of knowledge that makes it possible for students to think deeply even without a procedure, to know when and how to apply proper procedures, and to interpret their results appropriately.

Responsiveness to what students already know. No student enters a class as an empty vessel. Education must take account of what students bring with them. Based on life and school experiences, every student has formed many ideas about math, science, social studies, writing, etc. Some of these pre-existing ideas are valuable bases for continued learning; others are wrong and would lead the student further into territory that is not educationally useful. Students' incorrect ideas have sometimes been called "misconceptions" and inquiry-oriented methods to help students reform their ideas into more correct conceptions have been designed. Technology can play a role in this regard by assisting teachers in understanding students' knowledge and current conceptions, as many pieces of software help students display their thinking and procedures in a more accessible form.

Connections to the world outside of schools. Research is beginning to show that one problem with school learning is that students often fail to connect it to what they have learned outside school. Students often bring knowledge to class that is directly relevant to what they are learning, but fail to see the connection. In response to this issue, some of the new curriculum efforts are focusing on the creation of authentic tasks which meet needs and goals that students either have already or might have in the future. Furthermore, students often fail to see how the work they do in school is related to their lives at home. Parents can do much to support home-school connections, but research has documented most parents' lack of connection with their children's schools. Chris Dede (O'Neil, 1995) claims that "We know that the biggest single impact that we could

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make in the lives of many children would be to involve their parents more deeply in their learning" (p. 10).

Metacognition. Students need to know how to take responsibility for managing and monitoring their own thinking and learning activities. These kinds of skills (e.g., knowing when you have learned something or planning to use your most effective learning strategies to master some content) are sometimes called "metacognitive skills" because they require the students to examine their own learning practices. In an inquiry-based perspective, students need to reflect on the steps they take to generate questions about a new topic, how they collect information to help focus on a smaller set of questions, how they evaluate the relevance of the information, how they decide to what steps to take next, and how they communicate their conclusions. Unfortunately, most curricula do not explicitly call for a focus on metacognitive learning.

Lifelong learning. The students of today will need to learn throughout their lives. In the past, technology and jobs changed relatively slowly, but today's world can change practically overnight. Many of today's jobs require facility with technologies that didn't exist 20 years ago, and reeducation is the only way some people can continue to work at skilled jobs. Students need to prepare in school to continue to learn for the rest of their lives; in terms of inquiry, this means cultivating curiosity, knowing where learning resources might be, having experience with tacking complex problems, and knowing how to work with others in crafting approaches to difficult situations.

What does a classroom in which inquiry is taking place look like? Commonly, some or all of the following characteristics are present:

Questions are, in general, complex. Answers to questions are open-ended. Most questions have more than one right answer or more than one way to get to

a right answer or both. Students are assessed by how they get to the answer, as well as the answer

itself. Discussion among students or between students and teacher is part of the

process. Students have to plan and organize as part of their work on a problem. Communication takes place in multiple modalities and forms--both oral and

written, pictorial, graphical, and symbolic. Teachers play a role as facilitators of learning, rather than as transmitters of

information.

Used with permission from TERC (Cambridge, MA)

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Defining Project-Based Learning

by Diane Curtis

Start with the Pyramid

Ask Seymour Papert, renowned expert on children and computing, why students are turned off by school, and he quickly offers an example:

"We teach numbers, then algebra, then calculus, then physics. Wrong!" exclaims the Massachusetts Institute of Technology mathematician and pioneer in Artificial Intelligence. "Start with engineering, and from that abstract out physics, and from that abstract out ideas of calculus, and eventually separate off pure mathematics. So much better to have the first-grade kid or kindergarten kid doing engineering and leave it to the older ones to do pure mathematics than to do it the other way around."

In a growing number of schools, educators are echoing Papert's assertion that engaging students by starting with the concrete and solving hands-on, real-world problems is a great motivator. Ultimately, they say, such project-based learning that freely crosses disciplines provides an education superior to the traditional "algebra at 9, Civil War at 10, Great Expectations at 11" structure.

Advocates also say that the availability of technology that can call up the knowledge of the world's best thinkers with the click of a mouse, that can graph in two seconds what once took hours, and that can put scientific instrumentation in a pocket-sized computer further argues for moving away from century-old models of instruction.

"Everybody is motivated by challenge and solving problems, and we don't make use of that in schools enough," says Bruce Alberts, distinguished cell biologist and president of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). "Project-based learning gives everybody a chance to sort of mimic what scientists do, and that's exciting. And it's fun if it's done well."

Projects Run the Gamut

Examples of projects applicable to the here and now abound.

At Mountlake Terrace High School in Mountlake Terrace, Washington, teams of students in a high school geometry class design a state-of-the-art high school for the year 2050. The students create a site plan, make simple architectural drawings of rooms and a physical model, draw up a budget, and write a narrative report. They present their work to real architects, who judge the projects and "award" the contract.

At Newsome Park Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, second graders curious about the number of medicines a classmate takes and her frequent trips to the doctor investigate — with the classmate's permission — the causes of cystic fibrosis.

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They invite experts to tell them about the disease, write up their research, use graphs and PowerPoint® to tell the story, sell pledges to a cystic fibrosis walkathon, and participate in the walkathon.

At The Mott Hall School in New York's Harlem, a fifth-grade project on kites involves using creative writing skills in poems and stories with kite themes. While designing their own kites on the computer and then making them by hand, students learn about electromagnetism and the principles of ratios and proportions. A casual remark by one student leads to an in-depth study of the role of kites in various cultural celebrations.

The Big Picture

In project-based learning, students try to answer a question — one that has relevance for them — that is greater than the immediate task at hand. In its book Connecting the Bits, the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education gives the example of students at a Kentucky elementary school conducting surveys, doing research, building models, and taking field trips with the goal of determining the best kind of new bridge to build over the Ohio River.

Students conduct research using a variety of sources, from the Internet to interviews with experts. They work on the project over an extended period of time — six weeks or more — because of the in-depth nature of the investigation. Like adults trying to solve a problem, they don't restrict themselves to one discipline but delve into math, literature, history, science — whatever is appropriate to the study.

"One of the major advantages of project work is that it makes school more like real life," says Sylvia Chard, professor of elementary education at the University of Alberta and co-author of Engaging Children's Minds: The Project Approach, a popular guide for teachers and others on project learning.

"In real life, we don't spend several hours at a time listening to authorities who know more than we do and who tell us exactly what to do and how to do it," she says. "We need to be able to ask questions of a person we're learning from. We need to be able to link what the person is telling us with what we already know. And we need to be able to bring what we already know and experiences we've had that are relevant to the topic to the front of our minds and say something about them."

Chard doesn't like the term project-based because she says it implies a focus on projects to the exclusion of other legitimate learning methods. "Younger children will play and explore as well as engage in projects," says the The Project Approach Web site. "Older children's project work will complement the systematic instruction in the program."

In-Depth Investigation

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She defines project learning as an "in-depth investigation of a real-world topic worthy of children's attention and effort." She advocates a three-phased approach: Phase 1 involves an initial discussion of a project topic, including children's firsthand experiences related to the topic. Phase 2 involves fieldwork, sessions with experts, and various aspects of gathering information, reading, writing, drawing, and computing. Phase 3 is the presentation of the project to an audience.

The NAS' Alberts says one reason he believes project-based learning hasn't caught on more is that parents weren't taught that way. But many parents who witness the transformation of their children become ardent converts. "There's a visible hunger to learn," says Ingo Schiller, parent of two children at Newsome Park Elementary in Virginia. "When we sit down to dinner, the kids talk nonstop for 20 minutes, telling us what they did and what they saw. This is literally every day!"

And conversations with teachers who use project-based learning in a meaningful way tend to use the same words: "excitement," "engagement," "enthusiasm."

A Host of Benefits

Enthusiasm alone isn't enough of a justification to advocate project-based learning, but the results of that enthusiasm argue in its favor, say educators and researchers who have studied or used project-based learning.

Kids who are excited about what they learn tend to dig more deeply and to expand their interest in learning to a wide array of subjects. They retain what they learn rather than forget it as soon as they disgorge it for a test. They make connections and apply their learning to other problems. They learn how to collaborate, and their social skills improve. They are more confident talking to groups of people, including adults. And, as a number of research reports suggest, project-based learning correlates positively with improved test scores, reduced absenteeism, and fewer disciplinary problems.

"I've seen test scores of students rise because of the engagement in project-based learning," says Gwendolyn Faulkner, former technology coordinator at Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Washington, D.C. "I saw my students mainstream out of ESL (English as a Second Language) into the mainstream classroom. I saw my mainstream students scoring three and four grades above their grade level on standardized tests. ... I'm a convert."

Three Good Reasons

Eeva Reeder, the math teacher who led the project on designing a school for the year 2050, said she started project-based learning for three reasons: First, her students were not learning concepts deeply enough to apply or even remember them for a long period. Second, a growing body of research upheld the view that concepts are best understood using concrete examples constructed by the students themselves. Third, while taking a break from teaching to finish a master's thesis, Reeder took a job at a bridge design

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company and realized, when she was asked to do a task, that she had never applied her knowledge of mathematics in a real-world situation.

"And that, fundamentally, was the final piece that shifted my thinking to the point where I realized I can't go back to the classroom and do things the same way I always have."

If schoolchildren are given the gift of exploration, society will be the beneficiary, both in practical and in theoretical ways, scholars say. "This is the way that mathematics started," notes Papert. "It started not as this beautiful, pure product of the abstract mind. It started as a way of ... controlling the water of the Nile, building the pyramids, sailing a ship. ... And gradually it got richer and richer."

The following Web sites appeared in this article:

Seymour Papert: www.glef.org/php/people.php?id=C502225

Bruce Alberts: www.glef.org/php/people.php?id=C517672

Mountlake Terrace High School: www.glef.org/php/orgs.php?id=org_403694

Newsome Park Elementary School: www.glef.org/php/orgs.php?id=org_403686

The Mott Hall School: www.glef.org/php/orgs.php?id=org_403863

Connecting the Bits: www.glef.org/php/resources.php?id=item_217267

NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education: www.glef.org/php/orgs.php?id=org_300316

Sylvia Chard: www.glef.org/php/people.php?id=C517804

Engaging Children's Minds: The Project Approach,: www.glef.org/php/resources.php?id=item_217200

The Project Approach: www.glef.org/php/resources.php?id=item_217283

research reports: www.glef.org/php/article.php?id=Art_887

Eeva Reeder: www.glef.org/php/people.php?id=C517711

Copyright © 2005 The George Lucas Educational Foundation | All Rights Reserved

Unit 3 - Page 157


Course Objectives






Unit 4: Working Together to Accomplish the 21st Century Transformation

Section 4.1: Accomplishing the Transformation

Topic 4.1.1: What Is the Importance of a Shared Vision?




Complete Course Activity—Accomplishing the Transformation K-L-D Chart 10 minutes NA


Complete Prediscussion Activity—Shared Vision 15 minutes 3,4

Participate in Discussion Activity—Shared Vision 20 minutes 3,4

Topic 4.1.2: How Is the Interaction Between Teachers Different in the 21st Century?


Read article titled Effective Teamwork 15 minutes 3,4

Complete Course Activity—Teacher Interaction 15 minutes 3,4


Complete Course Activity—Specific Actions 10 minutes 3

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Topic 4.1.3: How Do Academic Departments Transform in the 21st Century?


Read article titled 21st Century Department Activities 20 minutes 3

Read case study titled 21st Century Department Case Study 15 minutes 3

Complete Course Activity—Department Analysis 30 minutes 3,4

Topic 4.1.4: How Do you Communicate 21st Century Approaches to Stakeholders?


Read article titled Partnering with Stakeholders to Improve Student Achievement 20 minutes 5

Complete Course Activity—Stakeholder Communication Analysis 20 minutes 5

Participate in Sync Point Discussion (Blended Study Group Version) 210 minutes 1,2,3,4

Participate in Sync Point Discussion (Non-blended Graduate Version) 75 minutes 1,2,3,4

Participate in Sync Point Discussion (Blended Graduate Version) 210 minutes 1,2,3,4



Unit 4 Time Totals



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Accomplishing the Transformation K-L-D Chart












Learning into Doing




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Learning into Doing





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Learning into Doing




Effective Teamwork

The following is a chapter excerpt from Michael Schmoker's book, Results: The Key to Continuous School Improvement, Second Edition. For more information, feel free to contact Mike Schmoker at [email protected].

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The best thing to invest in right now is collegiality. The number one skill that teachers will need is to be team-based, collegial, sharing their knowledge and wisdom.

—Alan November 1998 (p. 6)

Teams get results.—Katzenbach and Smith 1993

In Chapters 1-3, I examine the key components that favor results and improvement: teamwork, goals, and the selective and judicious use of data. Individually, they have limited impact; combined, they constitute a powerful force for improvement—without necessarily consuming large amounts of time or money (though, if properly spent, more of each is always desired). Together, these elements cannot help but promote better results in any context, as the many school examples in these pages will affirm.

Success depends on the interdependency between collaboration and goals; between both of these and purpose. Though teamwork is fundamental in this scheme, it is "the means, not the end" (Katzenbach and Smith, 1993, p. 12). Similarly, Huberman says that collegiality is not a "legitimate end in itself unless it can be shown to affect...the nature or degree of pupil development" (Huberman, in Fullan 1991, p. 136). Chapter 1 defines and discusses the importance and interdependence of effective team collaboration, goals, and data, essential yet often misunderstood issues.

Teacher Isolation

When Thomas Edison was asked why he was so prolific an inventor, he replied that it was a result of what he called the "multiplier effect." He placed his team of inventors near each other to encourage them to consult with one another so that each member of the team benefited from the collective intelligence of the group. His teams not only worked better but faster (Smith 1985).

We must acknowledge that schools would perform better if teachers worked in focused, supportive teams:

Collegiality among teachers, as measured by the frequency of communication, mutual support, help, etc., was a strong indicator of implementation success. Virtually every research study on the topic has found this to be the case (Fullan 1991, p. 132).

Unfortunately, teacher isolation—the opposite of teamwork—is one of the most obvious realities of a teacher's life (Lortie 1975). Lortie saw the negative effects of this isolation: "Teacher individualism is not cocky and self-assured; it is hesitant and uneasy" (p. 210).

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Such isolation promotes professional insecurity. Many teachers, comfortable in their isolation, may find the transition to teamwork a little daunting. But the teachers Lortie (1975) interviewed were wise enough to know that the limited, hermetically sealed world of the classrooms they inhabited did not favor their growth or a sense of confidence that they were doing a job well. Why? Because, as he discovered,

Individualism combines with presentism to retard the search for occupational knowledge. Teachers who work in isolation cannot create an empirically grounded, semantically potent common language. Unless they develop terms to indicate specific events, discussion will lack the clarity it needs to enlighten practice...Individualism supports presentism by inhibiting work with others in a search for common solutions. Teachers do not undertake the collegial effort which has played so crucial a role in other occupations (p. 212).

This passage is worth rereading. The first point it makes is that teachers, the front line in the battle for school improvement, are working in isolated environments that cut the lifeline of useful information. Such isolations thwarts them in developing common solutions through dialogue. Isolation tacitly assumes that practitioners have nothing to learn from each other. When I look back on when I taught English, nothing is more apparent to me than the fact that isolated experience, by itself, was not the best teacher. And I had virtually no opportunity to learn from my colleagues. We did come together for periodic department meetings, but that type of gathering is not what is meant here by collaboration or teamwork.

The crush of what Lortie calls "presentism" —of myriad daily events and duties—kept us from reflecting collaboratively on such obvious and challenging concerns as how to teach composition more effectively, how to conduct discussions about literature more effectively, and how to make literature exciting. We did not know if or how anyone was teaching composition—or even what that meant. So we worked, consciously or unconsciously, toward our own goals, within the limitations of what each of us knew and did not know. Day-to-day concerns kept us from reflecting on what our most important goals should be.

The absence of a common focus and, by extension, common solutions, can be explained by the absence of what Goodlad (Goodlad et al. 1970) calls clear-cut, specific goals for school at all levels of responsibility. These kinds of goals can only be obtained when professionals regularly collaborate and communicate in an effort to define and reach such goals.

An irrational and indefensible isolation continues to prevent professionals from learning from each other. The bottom line is what kids continue to miss out on as a result.

Isolation is unique to the teaching profession and, by implication, to the whole educational system (Lortie 1975). This observation should shock us, as it did Donald Peterson (1991), former president of Ford Motor Company; Peterson was dismayed by the isolation in which teachers work. A number of circumstances account for this

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situation: "the organization of space, time, and task seriously constrains interactions" (Little 1990, p. 514); and "the traditional school organization minimizes collective, collegial behavior" (Donahoe 1993, p. 299). School systems in other countries do a far better job of creating regular opportunities for productive planning and interaction (Stevenson 1998).

Because so much inhibits work-related teacher interaction, we might be persuaded to believe that this problem is insurmountable. Not so, as the teacher teams highlighted in this book demonstrate. Everyone in the educational community must work diligently to change the structures that impede teamwork. But meanwhile, we must take advantage of the opportunities that already present themselves—and which others have demonstrated can eventuate in better results.

Benefits

Teachers at Donaldson Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona, were reluctant to spend large chunks of their early-out times in meetings supposedly intended to promote "continuous improvement." But when they began to see collective progress, a direct result of their focused collaboration, the meetings became more meaningful. A good example is what happened when we discussed a key weakness in 2nd grade writing: students' difficulty in writing descriptive settings. After the team brainstormed, a team member proposed having students first draw then describe in writing the setting they imagined for their stories. The number of students able to write high-quality descriptions went from just a few to almost the entire 2nd grade class.

Evidence for the benefits of collaboration, rightly conducted, are overwhelming. The nature of the complex work of teaching "cannot be accomplished by even the most knowledgeable individuals working alone" (Little 1990, p. 520). In the typical school, however, teacher practice is "limited to the boundaries of their own experience," without any outside scrutiny or objective analysis. Such boundaries introduce a "conservative bias," which is the enemy of risk and innovation and a recipe for perpetuating the status quo at a time when change is manifestly necessary (Little 1990, pp. 526-527). Little found a strong relationship between the right kind of collegiality and improvements for both teachers and students:

Remarkable gains in achievement. Higher-quality solutions to problems. Increased confidence among all school community members. Teachers' ability to support one another's strengths and to accommodate

weaknesses. The ability to examine and test new ideas, methods, and materials. More systematic assistance to beginning teachers. An expanded pool of ideas, materials, and methods.

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Little also quotes Lortie to make the point that the prevailing isolation in which teachers work does little to "add to the intellectual capital of the profession" (Lortie, in Little 1987, pp. 501-502). In the business of teaching and school improvement, intellectual capital—ideas, fresh solutions, and effective teaching methods—is the most precious commodity.

Business literature from theorists such as such as Tom Peters and W. Edwards Deming is equally as emphatic about how teamwork benefits intellectual and professional capital. For Deming, "there is no substitute for teamwork"; without it, "dissipation of knowledge and effort, results far from optimum," exists (1986, p. 19).

An excellent resource for this topic is The Wisdom of Teams (1993) by Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith. Their study of teams in 47 organizations corroborates educational studies by educators like Judith Little and Michael Hubermann. "It is obvious that teams outperform individuals," that "learning not only occurs in teams but endures" (Katzenbach and Smith 1993, p. 5). Teams "bring together complementary skills and experiences that, by definition, exceed those of any individual on the team...bringing multiple capabilities to bear on difficult issues" (Katzenbach and Smith 1993, pp. 18-19).

Both author Michael Fullan (private communication 1998) and Dennis Sparks, Executive Director of the National Staff Development Council, have recently remarked that effective collaboration is perhaps the most effective form of staff development. For Sparks,

The image of the future would be a group of teachers sitting around a table talking about their student's work, learning and asking, "What do we need to do differently to get the work we would like from the kids?" (1998b, p. 19)

We must not undervalue research or the best kind of staff training (the subject of Chapter 5). Nonetheless, as Fullan and Hargreaves (1996) point out, we often underestimate teacher expertise—which emerges in the right kind of focused, targeted teamwork. They exhort us to "avoid creating a culture of dependency among teachers by overrating the expertise of published research and underrating the practical knowledge of teachers" (p. 24). We need more—lots more—of both research and optimistic, instructionally-focused collaboration. Teachers—this may surprise us—learn best from each other (Rosenholtz 1991). The best research on teaching is grossly underused. But it is often the logistical and practical knowledge of teachers that makes or breaks the successful implementation of a research-based strategy or program. And we have all seen improvements occur without the help of published research.

Two 1st grade teachers at Prince Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona, have been getting exceptional results for years with students from one of its least advantaged areas, many of whom arrive with very limited skills. What they have learned from each other has enabled them to ensure that an exceptional percentage of their students leaves 1st grade able to read and write on grade level.

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Thunderbolt Middle School in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, adopted the highly effective, research-based "Accelerated Reader" program. But no program is context-proof. The two Title I teachers at this school met regularly to review data on progress and to brainstorm for solutions to time and logistical problems—which will always be with us. As a result of this dialogue, the program—and the results—improved significantly.

At Wilkerson Middle School in Birmingham, Alabama, teacher teamwork was the key to immediate, dramatic improvements in every category and at every grade level. Their home-grown strategies and programs led to a 26-percent increase in reading; schoolwide math gains included a 46-percent improvement in the 6th grade (Cox 1994).

In the area of reading improvement, a tremendous opportunity may await us. I am always impressed with what happens when teachers meet to honestly scrutinize and improve their early elementary reading program after carefully reviewing the research on the improvement. Teachers from Peck Elementary School in Arvada, Colorado, chose reading as one of their improvement goals. We met one afternoon to (1) review the research on effective reading instruction and then (2) refine instruction, structures, and time allotments to conform to best practice. Fullan is right: Progress is indeed "a social process." The teams worked both within and among the grade levels to share and develop complementary strategies to ensure better results. At every grade level, the teachers helped one another to see opportunities for significant, positive changes that they could not have implemented by themselves.

As Judith Little discovered, the right kind of teamwork leads to a more effective examination and implementation of best practice. Research, by itself, has had less impact than we would like. Let's face it: The solutions to many local, personal, and logistical problems simply aren't spelled out in the research. In Lake Havasu City, teams focused on improved reading performance. This led to a districtwide examination of best practices and programs. This study required us to review our own resources, to collaborate yet further to allocate those resources, and to invent and then adjust structures and new procedures. This combination of best practice and ongoing collaboration led to better results at several schools—most of them coming in the first year. A school with the district's highest poverty rate—72 percent—made particularly dramatic gains at the end of the 1998 school year.

Collaboration works. And it also addresses an essential social dimension of improvement. Successfully implementing innovative procedures "is very much a social process" (Fullan 1991, p. 84). Studies show that people who are members of effective teams "consistently and without prompting emphasized the fun aspects of their work together" (Katzenbach and Smith 1993, p. 19).

I was struck by this same spirit in dozens of workers from the Toyota plant in Kentucky. When I visited them, miles away from their employment, an ex-jockey told me that on Sunday evenings, he "couldn't wait to get with his team to hit the ground running on Monday mornings." Meaningful, purposeful collaboration addresses the social and emotional demands of teaching (Little 1990). And we should not underestimate the

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social significance of Little's observation that effective collaboration creates that rear arena in which teachers can receive credit and praise for their "knowledge, skill, and judgment" (pp. 18-19). Teamwork provides opportunities to enjoy the social and psychic satisfactions of collective effort.

The Dark Side of Collegiality

In the face of all this evidence, why do we persist in denying these benefits to the profession? The explanation can be found in our failure to be results oriented. Industry is littered with stories about "quality circles" that came and went. Why? Few realized any palpable results, and so they were regarded as a waste of time—the kiss of death for any innovation. Similarly, many teachers find their first attempts at collaboration clumsy and unrewarding. Subsequently, the time they spend in meetings appears to take away from lesson planning and instruction. Predictably, "unproductive" meetings are abandoned (Little 1987, p. 493).

Unproductive, unrewarding meetings—we have all been to them. And because of these experiences, many people simply do not believe that teams perform better than individuals. Katzenbach and Smith (1993) saw how "members waste time in unproductive discussions, which cause more trouble than they are worth...and actually generate more complaints than constructive results" (p. 20). They regard this problem as a lack of discipline and disciplined action, which embodies the essential conditions that favor productive collaboration.

We must clearly distinguish between effective collaboration and the appearance of teamwork. We can begin by stating what teamwork, for the purposes of this book, is not. "The term collegiality has remained conceptually amorphous....Much that passes for collegiality does not add up to much" (Little 1990, p. 509). Similarly, the word teamwork "courts imprecision" (Katzenbach and Smith 1993, p. 19). Much of what we call teamwork or collegiality does not favor nor make explicit what should be its end: better results for children. The unfortunate reality is that most of what goes on in the name of collegiality is ineffective or counterproductive. "Most alliances among teachers" are not task oriented at all. Instead, they "appear to be informal, voluntary, and distant from the real work in and of the classroom" (Little 1987, p. 507.) This kind of collegiality not only consumes valuable time but can also promote the consequences of isolation that we deplore:

I argue that the most common configurations of teacher-to-teacher interaction may do more to bolster isolation than to diminish it; the culture that Lortie described as individualistic, present oriented, and conservative is thus not altered but is indeed perpetuated by the most prevalent examples of teacher collaboration and exchange (Little 1990, p. 511).

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Alas, the weaker, more common forms of collegiality "serve only to confirm present practice without evaluation its worth." Collegiality may "supply sympathy of the sort that dissuades teachers from the kind of closer analysis of practice that might yield solutions to recurrent problems" and thus accounts for continuing practices that are its ostensible enemy (Little 1990, p.517). Less formal kinds of collegiality accommodate, even promote, the course of least resistance. This characteristic is part of the "dark side" of collegiality (Fullan 1991, p. 131).

The "bright side" (if you will) is found less frequently. It is rooted in a concern with results, with what Little calls "joint work" that affects gains and classroom performance and involves monitoring student progress and the "thoughtful, explicit examination of practices of their consequences" (Little 1990, p. 519). Huberman writes that collegiality "is not a fully legitimate end in itself, unless it can be shown to affect...the nature or degree of pupil development" (Huberman, in Fullan 1991, p. 136).

The bright side of collegiality can be found at Northview Elementary School in Manhattan, Kansas. Students realized huge gains between 1983 and 1989, when teachers began to collaborate. In reading, 4th and 6th grade scores on district achievement tests rose from 59 to 100 percent, and from 41 to 97 percent, respectively. In math, 4th grade scores rose from 70 to 100 percent; 6th grade scores, from 31 to 97 percent. How? Principal Dan Yunk began to arrange for teams of teachers to meet routinely to analyze scores, identify strengths and weaknesses, and develop ways to effectively address them (Schmoker and Wilson 1993). Something powerful happens when teachers begin to regularly discuss instructional challenges and their solutions.

Collaboration as Action Research

Effective teamwork that leads to results is a discipline—and requires a scientific disposition. The experience of teams I have worked with confirms Little's 1990 findings that collaboration is not often enough characterized by a "thoughtful, explicit examination of practices and their consequences" (p. 519, emphasis added). Effective collaboration is really action research—carefully conducted experimentation with new practices and assessment of them.

Listen Before You Leap

To be more effective, teams must resist the impulse to leap prematurely to solutions and actions. Before selecting and elaborating on a potential solution, we should carefully consider (1) its consistency with what we know from pertinent research and (2) our sense of its probable or potential impact on student learning. To take full advantage of the collective expertise of the team, we can listen carefully—and nonjudgmentally—to each other's best ideas (brainstorming is a fast, efficient way to do this both well and

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quickly). Listening helps to ensure that we select the best of several alternatives. The collective wisdom of the team can then inform the all-important direction the team will take. This kind of thoughtful approach will have a high payoff in student learning.

Provide Follow-Up

Another problem is lack of follow-up, the failure to begin each meeting with a concise discussion of what worked—and didn't. Too many meetings begin with no reference to commitments made at the last meeting. A teacher at an elementary school recently informed me that he and his colleagues were "burned out" on brainstorming (a method we were using to generate and select effective reading improvement strategies). His frustration was justifiable. He was tired, he said, of filling chart paper with ideas and that is the end of it—no follow-up on if or how well the ideas had even been implemented or if they had in fact helped students learn.

Careful, methodical follow-up, essential as we know it to be, has not been education's strong suit. But if we want results, a scientific, systematic examination of effort and effects is essential—and one of the most satisfying professional experiences we can have. For all the relentless search for better methods and structures puts the odds of improvement heavily in our favor.

Create Effective Structures

Collaborative teams must carefully design the format for their work (see the Appendix for a suggested format for an effective 30-minute meeting). Participants should arrive knowing that the meeting will open with questions like the following:

Were you able to successfully implement the strategy we decided to try at the last meeting? (e.g., provide more time for sustained silent reading).

What was the impact of the strategy on learning and achievement? What evidence or results can you report? (e.g., students read more fluently or performed better on comprehension tests when we provided more silent reading time; student work revealed growth in an identified area of difficulty or weakness).

What difficulties did you encounter? (e.g., students are selecting books that are too easy or too difficult for sustained reading time).

How can we overcome these difficulties? (e.g., by developing a system with the librarian that ensures that students select books at appropriate level).

When the group is ready, it can move on to the next most urgent learning problem relative to the measurable goal (e.g., many students are still having difficulty comprehending main ideas from their reading).

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Then the group might do the following:

1. Carefully explore a variety of possible alternatives in light of collective deliberation or proven practice—through brainstorming or discussion of a research-based strategy.

2. Carefully select a strategy or solution that they believe has the greatest potential for impact.

3. Commit—as a team—to experimenting with the new strategy and to being ready to report on student impact and implementation at the next meeting.

Successful teams need to have such focused interaction on a fairly regular basis—probably once a month for each student learning goal that we set. Experience has taught us that any less than six strategically scheduled opportunities per year can kill momentum and severely jeopardize the chances of improvement.

Teamwork That Gets Results

Teams in Amphitheater Schools began to brainstorm for solutions to student problems they had identified by using data. A team from Holaway Elementary School met regularly and used data to determine that the greatest area of difficulty in solving multistep math problems was students' ability to write out the steps that led to math solutions. The team then generated possible strategies:

Provide students with good examples and models of what the writing should look like.

Ask students to write each step as they complete it, rather than write the entire problem after they have completed the problem.

Share the writing rubric more explicitly with the students; give them copies. Ask students to start their explanation for each step with the phrase, "I did this

because." Require that students self-assess their work against a specific rubric before they

hand in their work.

These ideas were among others that the team generated during only seven minutes of brainstorming (the entire meeting took only about 30 minutes). Implementing these ideas brought the team closer to its improvement goal by the next month. Such activity generates "intellectual capital," and by not tapping into it, we deny teachers and students a precious and essential resource in helping greater numbers of students receive a higher-quality education.

A good example attesting to the power of teamwork, clear goals, and data analysis is Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Teachers work in department teams that conduct ongoing analyses of performance data. Superintendent Richard DuFour said that each team meets once a month to collaborate. They analyze results at

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least four times a year, and the times are built into the calendar. Nine times a year, students come to school at 10:30a.m. to give teachers time to collaborate. Many schools have benefited from such late-ins and early-outs, which have been incorporated into school schedules across the United States.

At Stevenson High School, what happened when time was provided for results-oriented teamwork? In 1985, before the process was introduced, the school did not rank in the top 50 schools in the 13-state Midwest region. In 1992, when goals were established and collaborative time was instituted:

The school ranked first in the region, and by 1994, it was among the top 20 schools in the world....Last year, the school established new records in every traditional indicator of student achievement, including grade distributions, failure rates, average ACT scores, average SAT scores, percentage of honor grades on Advanced Placement examinations, and average scores in each of the five areas of the state achievement test (DuFour 1995, p. 35).

Administrative Collaboration

We have been speaking of teacher collaboration—which is of primary importance. But there is a precious shortage of achievement-focused administrative collaboration. It is well documented that as often as administrators meet, they seldom discuss student learning issues; instead, they focus almost exclusively on procedural or political matters (Smith and Andrews 1989). What would happen if administrative teams carved out even 30 minutes, once a month, to more directly share and discuss triumphs and frustrations, to identify problems, and then brainstorm for ideas and solutions for managing academic improvement?

Just imagine the benefits if administrators began to do their own action research on effective ways to promote a culture of effective collaboration and data-driven improvement? Have administrators nothing to learn from each other? Can we afford to assume that they will learn all they need about improvement on their own? If we can't engage in such action research at the district level, how can we expect teachers to engage in it at the grade and site level?

In many school districts, such discussion is long overdue. Administrators and schools and students have everything to learn and much to gain from doing so.

The Need for Hope and Optimism

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For all we have said about an intelligent, scientific approach to improvement, there is an element that transcends any method or mechanism or approach. It is the attitude and spirit of the team.

For starters, learning always requires a measure of humility. Fullan and Hargreaves (1996) found that improved schools are marked by a profound if seemingly obvious feature—the belief that they will never stop learning. As we have seen, there is a strong strain of independence in the teaching profession. It is not always easy to admit that there may be a better way to teach something than the way we have always done it.

Unless...

the team believes strongly in each member's capacity to develop practical solutions to everyday teaching and learning problems;

there is a belief that regardless of a school's social or economic circumstances, improvement can and will occur, gradually, but inexorably; and

the team arrives at each meeting anticipating that informed trial and error will inevitably lead to better teaching and hence to higher learning,

...then no mechanism or set of practices will succeed.

To help us maintain this hope, we must celebrate and elevate success. We should regularly read and learn about schools that have overcome great odds. Staff development in practices that have manifestly had an effect on learning must be a regular feature of our school life. This should not be left to chance. One of the primary roles of the staff development or district office staff should be the collection, dissemination, analysis, and discussion of success stories from within and outside the district. Through such positive and proactive means, we can fill the air with hope and optimism about the results that are, in fact, within our reach.

Good teamwork among grade-level, department, school, and administrative teams will give us results we once only dreamed of. Chapter 2 defines the most salient feature of good teamwork, or the "serious collaboration," which Little found to be so rare (1987, p. 513). We have already touched on it: the importance of clear, specific performance goals.

Excerpted with permission from Results: The Key to Continuous School Improvement, Second Edition by Mike Schmoker ([email protected])

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21st Century Department Activities

The world in the 21st century is a very different place than just a hundred years ago and that cannot be more evident than in our schools. Our school systems are in transition, struggling to meet the changing needs of society while balancing the needs of the students. The departmental meeting must evolve into more than an avenue for bureaucratic deadlines. It must be a starting point for change by offering purposeful conversation among an interdisciplinary team about what works and what does not work for students that will ultimately lead to establishing a supportive, empowered, learning team. While the departmental meeting must look and function differently, it must remain true to the strong moral conviction that reflects back to the question, "What is best for the student?" The ultimate goal must first and foremost center upon improving student achievement.

The first step to reaching the goal of improved student achievement in the departmental meeting is to create a democratic process of education that corresponds with joint responsibility by identifying collective student needs. Why is Johnny failing? Schools do not improve without educators asking hard, concrete questions. Identifying a trend is not a method used to place blame, but is simply a means to reflect upon what is and what could be. In order to identify a starting point, review as a group various sources and forms of student data, such as state-based performance assessments, school-wide assessments, content specific, and/or school performance statistics—to name a few—in order to focus on a student need.

The second step is to recognize and embrace the philosophy that learning is cumulative and teaching is a lifelong pursuit. Teachers will need to embrace learning in order to change and improve student outcome. The departmental meeting is an arena to explore and change the elements of the learning environment as it reflects upon the identified area of student need. As a result, the second step must reveal what the teacher will study to become knowledgeable and skillful in order to meet those needs of the students.

Finally, the third step is to develop a collaborative group that functions as a research team in order to identify the strategies the group will use to master the new knowledge and skills learned. The team will research, plan, create, test, and assess the change process based upon student need. The following specific strategies that will enable the departmental meeting to evolve into an interdependent learning community will be explained here (Murphy & Lick, 2005).

Examining student work Sharing observations of student work Providing professional development Researching action

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Studying lessons Co-mentoring Listening to and shadowing students Videotaping Developing curriculum Reading professional resources and academic content Creating journals and portfolios

Examining Student Work

A key strategy to identifying student need is to look at student-produced work. This strategy immediately asks teachers to step out of their comfort zone for a variety of reasons. The most obvious is that examining and critiquing is not a common practice and hits upon the workplace tradition of noninterference. Teachers naturally look at student work daily and possibly with the student and/or parents. However, the focus is usually limited to establishing a grade for the produced work. Specific student work and the overall implications of the work are usually never discussed with a colleague. In addition teachers may feel that examining student work is subjecting themselves to criticism or fault-finding, or that the student work examination is really to view the result of their teaching.

Examining student work is a basic element of collaboration and the acceptance of joint responsibility for student learning. It is the logical starting point to understanding student need. It is the student work that will support and generate the action plan for change. Researcher Megan Tschannen-Moran found that if collaboration is an "important mechanism" for finding solutions to problems, trust will be necessary for schools "to reap the benefits of greater collaboration" (Tschannen-Moran 2001, p.327). The use of protocols will help build trust, frame the discussion, and secure a safe avenue for growth with colleagues. Framing precise dialog with group-established protocols will take the focus and pressure off the teacher while offering supportive alternatives.

Specifically, a protocol is an agreed-upon set of guidelines that fosters purposeful conversation about teaching and learning. It provides a safe method for exchanging and asking challenging questions, allows the participants to practice active and reflective listening skills, manages the time, and creates an environment that fosters new or different perspectives that could enable new instructional or assessment approaches. The latter result is, of course, most important.1

A member of the group will provide student work, teacher-made tests, rubrics, or anything that requires discussion or raises a question that reflects back to the area of student need identified earlier by the group. A facilitator will be designated to manage both the time and the focus of the group.

1 More information at www.lasw.org/protocols.html or http://scs.aed.org/rsw

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The basic models of a student work protocol will vary but should include:

1. Preparing or Focusing a. A question, problem, or task is posed by the teacher/presenter and

generated from the student-need topic 2. Presenting

a. Presenter explains the purpose of the material b. Removes student names — focus must remain on what can be learned

from the work 3. Analyzing and Responding

a. Group examine the material b. Ask clarifying questions c. Suggest what can be identified or learned from the examination

concerning the students' performance d. Respond directly to the question, problem, or task posed e. Focus on positive comments that reflect the students' understanding f. Presenter becomes an active listener g. Group offer specific solutions or suggestions

4. Reacting or Providing feedback a. Presenter again moderates b. Group listens c. Presenting teacher offers feedback concerning the group responses (This

is not a time to be defensive or feel a need to explain. It should be a time to think aloud about the original concern of the material and the process that was shared by the group.)

5. Reflecting or Conversing a. Group open dialog among all members b. Brainstorm solutions

6. Debriefing a. Formulate action plan – what will be done differently?

The group should keep the focus of the work on student achievement as well as teacher growth and support by identifying issues they see in the student work and by working together as a group to address the issue.

Sharing Observations of Students at Work

Observing students at work in a classroom is another tradition-breaking concept. Teachers usually are not comfortable with inviting other teachers into their isolated worlds. It's a scary and possibly intimidating thing to say, "Come on in and tell me what you see." It requires the need for mutual respect and trust within the group setting which only truly comes as a result of talking, working, and learning together. The real difference here is that the observation is based upon a shared collaboratively developed

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lesson based upon student need. The true focus of the observation is how the student is responding to the instruction. While the whole group has collaboratively developed the lesson for the student observations members will pair with a partner to share the observation duties. The whole process can be managed with group-established norms that reflect exactly how the observation will be handled and may include some of the following (Murphy & Lick, 2005):

Observation is focused on student response to instruction and upon student need Specific required data is identified Data is used for ongoing intervention Information is shared only with group members Since it is a collaboratively developed lesson – observation needs to be only 10

minutes in length Purpose is to observe student reaction Observations should be used monthly as an ongoing data-collection system Gathered data should be entered into specific observation log

Providing Professional Development

The departmental meeting is a perfect avenue for professional development based upon hearing the expert voice. The expert voice references both the critically acclaimed expert in the field, which may include an author, college professor, researcher and/or trainer as well as colleagues who are considered experts in their work. The expert voice may take on many facets and be reflected in a variety of ways but must always reflect the principle that the "work is public" which means that teachers need to be encouraged to share the good, the not-so good, and their failures even when it may be uncomfortable. It is through the sharing that collaborative learning develops. It should also be recognized that professional development in a departmental meeting is not a "sit and get" process but an actively engaged pursuit, where learning can be applied in the classroom. The expert voice should include but not be limited to the following (Murphy & Lick, 2005):

Group invites guest speaker o Outside school faculty o Member of school faculty

Connect with a resource person for ongoing support Training is ongoing for area of need Group take a course together off-campus One member takes a course off-campus and then shares the resources with the

group who then develop and practice the application of the new information

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Researching Action

The departmental group meetings will be by the very nature of design, a research team. The ultimate goal of the meetings is to improve student achievement, and that requires research. The first step of action research requires the use of data for decision-making instruction, which for many is not a familiar or routine practice. It's impossible to plan ahead if you don't know where you are beginning. Using data is the logical first step but until lately, very limited in its use, especially by the classroom teacher who is dealing with time restraints and/or lack of experience in data analysis. In certain incidences, data has also received a bad reputation because of its purpose of placing blame in the past.

Data should be used to recognize a need and then used to establish an instructional plan for meeting that need. It is the catalyst that forces reflection, growth, and change. Often the data reveals information that was simply not available or not accurate until made visual.

Action research should look like a continuous cycle of the following steps (Murphy & Lick, 2005):

Establish baseline data Review current research that addresses the student need Develop lesson Evaluate student work as a result of the lesson Re-evaluate classroom data to determine whether the need has been met Repeat cycle either by revisiting a need or by identifying a different need

o Repeating cycle of Plan-Act-Reflect

Studying Lessons

The difference between lesson planning and lesson study is that lesson study is a collaborative effort and focuses on what the group want the student to do (Richardson 2004). Richardson stated that in a lesson study the group develops the lesson. While one member teaches the lesson, the others observe the students responding. Reflection and revision are part of the debriefing that follows.

Use the following steps to conduct a lesson study in the departmental meeting (Murphy & Lick, 2005):

Focus of lesson will be based on the identified student need Plan for the lesson (This may take a month if meeting weekly.)

o Research o Assess current knowledge

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o Estimate student response Prepare for the lesson observation

o Create norms for observations o Design specific recording material

Teach and observe the lesson o Observe how students construct understanding o Devise methods for problem solving

Debrief the lesson Reflect and plan — group may decide to revise and re-teach or apply their

knowledge to a new area

Co-mentoring

The simple fact is that all people regardless of their age or experience have something to offer if we only stop and listen. The other simple fact is that for many, asking for or accepting feedback or help is viewed as a weakness, a negative image that creates tension, anxiety, and resistance. Still another consideration that could explain the resistant factor to mentoring is the belief that what an observer sees or hears in your classroom could be turned against you in the form of administrative spying. To reiterate the purpose of the group, improving student achievement can only be accomplished when we focus on what can be changed for improvement instead of placing blame. Co-mentors among the department group decide when and how to offer assistance whether it is to plan together, teach lessons, demonstrate effective practices or serve as coaches. Regardless of the involvement level, the atmosphere must be one of trust and support for the good of the student.

Listening to and Shadowing Students

Students themselves are probably the most under-utilized resource for school improvement. Students are stakeholders and when asked, can provide valuable information about school climate, instruction, and classroom structure, which can help shape and identify student needs. When students are provided a voice and realize that that voice is heard, it empowers them to take ownership in the school improvement plan. Various methods exist for activating student voices whether it is a select group of students or the whole school being interviewed or surveyed. Involving students also forces the group into more of an action mode. The departmental group should decide exactly what they want to learn from an interview or survey as it reflects the student needs that have been identified.

As the expression, "walk a day in my shoes," implies there is no quicker way to learn what is working and what is not in the real world than actually walking the walk, in this situation, shadowing the student.

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As with the other suggested activities, the beginning focus should be student needs. From there, participants can further identify what exactly will be the subject target while shadowing. For example, perhaps effective communication skills are the group focus, so the activity should be to observe and document where and when students use those skills. A variation of the student shadowing is "Data in a Day" which incorporates educators from outside the school, students, and community members to review a predetermined focus point or student need. An adult and student are paired up to observe informally and document specific instances that exemplify the focal point.

Whatever method is used, the most valuable component of the shadowing procedure is compiling and analyzing the information in order to get a clear view of the whole system by viewing individual parts. An issue may arise when students, teachers, or both are reluctant to permit the observing process due to the fact that a taboo is, once again, being broken. In order to ensure cooperation, concern will need to be expressed that this step in the process is not a fault-finding mission but one in which potential growth and school improvement is the goal.

Videotaping

As the group develops and implements intervention methods for meeting the student needs, videotaping a lesson may add new insight into the process. As has been the case, the focus is on student response during the lesson. The teacher videotapes the student learning, evaluates the effectiveness of the lesson based upon the student response and uses it as a tool for improving instruction. The procedure is as follows (Murphy & Lick, 2005):

Teacher from the group videotapes a lesson that addresses the focal point The actual videotaping should be recording student responses Reviews the lesson in private

o Makes notes of positive elements o Lists areas for change

Erases the tape Discusses the information with the group Process repeated by other members of group May share and critique tape (if comfortable) with group

Developing Curriculum

While the department meetings will not be responsible for writing the curriculum, it can be a systematic component of the curriculum-writing process. Because the departmental meeting focus is consistently on student need, when the curriculum is to be revised, the departmental groups should be involved. They would be the best vehicle

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to assist the curriculum committee in identifying student need, searching for best practices and materials, applying materials and strategies, and then assessing the results of the instruction.

Reading Professional Resources and Academic Content

Teachers need to be experts in their fields in order to stimulate and expand student knowledge. As a result, teachers need to immerse themselves in their academic content area and best-practice strategies. Teachers, during the meetings, can expand and enrich their expertise by talking with each other to gain understanding, and searching for new ways to apply knowledge or enable more effective teaching. Experience is the best teacher, and case studies illustrate elements of the school improvement process that worked and those that did not. Research and review case studies that support, encourage, and offer suggestions for the continuing development of the learning community.

Professional readings are a generally accepted practice of all professions, and education is no exception, whether they are in the form of books or articles. The department meetings are a perfect avenue for sharing and learning about the ever-changing teaching profession. The group decides which resources to read to enhance the knowledge of the identified student need. They then follow this pattern:

Identify resources to read o All participants do not need to read the same material — numerous

methods for shared or group readings Debrief Act on the new information by implementing the technique Respond or reflect Begin cycle again

o Plan-Act-Reflect

Creating Journals and Keeping Portfolios

Writing a journal is an excellent technique for documenting change. It is highly encouraged as a means not only to document the process of school improvement, but also to track the impact on student learning. A reflective journal can also provide an outlet for personal release of frustrations, anxieties, joys, and successes of a new initiative.

Portfolios are an excellent tool for reflecting upon the process, the struggles, and the successes of the departmental meetings, especially since change (student achievement) is the cornerstone of the meetings. The group and/or individuals may

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decide to maintain a portfolio as a tool to document the professional growth. Regardless, it can become a powerful tool for growth that then can be shared at the end of the year or used as a resource for the following year.

Departments Collaborating

Each interdisciplinary departmental group is unique and holds great potential but only if acted upon in the classroom and if the knowledge learned is shared within the organization — specifically among the departments. The vital link to moving from a collaborating department team to a learning organization is effective communication. Good communication not only shares information but encourages trust among the organization because all stakeholders know what is happening in the departmental meetings. No hidden secretive agenda exists; everything from the department meeting is open for public examination and use.

Suggestions for effective communication among departments include (Murphy & Lick 2005):

On a rotating basis, one member of the departmental group shares the group process and progress with other departmental groups, usually every 4-6 weeks.

Highlights of departmental meetings will be added to the agenda for grade-level, team, and/or whole faculty meetings.

Institute whole-faculty sharing, usually twice a year — to celebrate the work. Share with board members, district leaders, parents, students, and the general

public. Sharing with students, parents, and community members models the life-long learning process in action.

Post in a public place an electronically written documentation of the meeting process, action, and progress.

Share new resources, instructional techniques or post questions at a faculty website.

Showcase what works — invite observations Provide for newsletters for faculty, home, and community. Create brochures to illustrate helpful findings. Present exhibits and seminars of departmental meeting results during open

house, PTA meetings, or parent/ teacher conferences. Create bulletin boards to share successes or tips.

Challenges, Barriers, and Tips

Any type of change is often viewed with skepticism because the immediate question is always, "How will this affect me?" Skepticism is relative to the opening question of, "What is best for the students?" Viewed by an educator, the two questions are

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intertwined, and in the process of providing what is best for the students, the educator will inevitably be changed. As with most change, people are asked to move into areas that have traditionally not been opened. In initiating the process, working slowly is good in a way that offers support, guidance, and learning to change. Working together in steps provides no surprises as to expectations except in what group efforts provide in student understanding and school improvement.

The changes in the departmental meeting must be supported by all stakeholders, including the school board, central office, superintendent, principal, and faculty. It must be recognized that while the collaboration is valuable, the true value of the collaboration is when it results in student achievement. While the departmental meetings can establish a shared leadership role, the department chairs, principals, and/or district leaders will be central for success. The department chairs, principal, and/or district leaders will not only be initiators and implementers but will also provide sources of continual support by making connections with teachers about the specifics of the group process, the progress of the groups, and maintaining the idea that the groups must keep on target.

Time during the workday must be found and allocated for department meetings and must be a top priority supported from all levels of administration and the community. The idea of time for professional development and collaboration is usually rare, but it is a vital component for success. Teachers need time to talk about their work with other teachers. This is a non-negotiable component. It is that important that days and weeks should be restructured to accommodate the needs of the student. This first step begins with providing teachers time for collaboration.

Finally, everyone on the professional staff has to be involved and focused on school improvement and student achievement; there is no room for exceptions. Many teachers may not value collaboration with colleagues for a number of reasons suggested earlier in this article, but the quick and constant message from the administration must be that this how business is done in the school, and all teachers are expected to participate if employed there. Change is difficult but the goal of building a team of learners that will transform the school into a community of learners is noble.

References

Bambino, D. (2002 Spring) Protocols in practice. [Electronic version] Connections: a journal of the national school reform faculty, 14-15. Retrieved December 19, 2006 from http://www.harmonyschool.org/www/pdf/connections/connections1.2.p15.pdf

Bambino, D. (n.d) Student as learner, teacher as coach: putting collaboration to work at s. a. douglas high school. [Electronic version] Retrieved December 19, 2006 from http://www.nsrfharmony.org/centers_pa.html

Barnes, F. (2004 April). Making school improvement part of daily practice. Retrieved December 19, 2006 from http://www.annenberginstitute.org/tools/guide/SIGuide_intro.pdf

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Barnes, N. (2000). Teachers teaching teachers. Education Weekly, 19(19), 38,42.

Brewster, C & Railsback, J (2003 September) Building trusting relationships for school improvement: implications for principals and teachers. [Electronic version] Retrieved December 19, 2006, from www.nwrel.org/request/2003sept/trust.pdf

Davidson, J. (2005). Talks with Warren Simmons: "smart districts". Horace, 21(3).

Lick, D.W. & Murphy, C.U (2007). The whole -faculty study groups fieldbook. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Listening to student voices (2001). Retrieved December 18, 2006 from http://www.nwrel.org/scpd/scc/studentvoices/toolkit.shtml

Murphy, C.U. & Lick, D.W. (2005). Whole-faculty study groups. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Protocols (n.d.) Retrieved December 19, 2006, from http://www.lasw.org/protocols.html

Richardson, J. (2004). Lesson study. Tools for schools. NSDC. February/March 2004.

Sample protocol to guide a structured conversation (n.d) Retrieved December 19, 2006, from http://www.annenberginstitute.org/tools/guide/SIGuide_intro.pdf

Tschannen-Moran, M. (2001). Collaboration and the need for Trust. Journal of educational administration, 39(4), 308-33

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21st Century Department Case Study

Location

Southridge High School9625 S.W. 125th AvenueBeaverton, OR 97008

Contact

Sarah Boly, PrincipalPhone: (503) 259-5400E-mail: [email protected] site: www.beavton.k12.or.us/southridge

Setting: SuburbanSize: 1,950 studentsStudent mix: 7 percent enrolled in the free and reduced-price lunch program, 4.6 percent receiving English as a Second Language services, and 11 percent receiving Special Education services.

Introduction

Southridge High School is profiled on NWREL's Web site as part of NWREL's Schools Making Progress Series. The series highlights the U.S. Department of Education's Smaller Learning Communities grantees that are making considerable progress toward attaining the benefits of smaller learning communities. Schools receive technical assistance from regional centers coordinated nationally by NWREL.

We chose to highlight Southridge for this By Request because of the school faculty's emphasis on creating professional learning communities using Critical Friends Groups, a program developed by the Annenberg Institute for School Reform. CFGs provide staff a safe, structured setting of mutual support and honest feedback from trusted peers to work on student learning strategies. In 2002 Southridge was recognized as an Exemplary Smaller Learning Communities Project site by the U.S. Department of Education.

By Request authors thank Sarah Boly for her insights, and Bruce Miller for graciously allowing us to adapt parts of his Schools Making Progress profile. To read the entire profile, visit the Schools Making Progress Series site at www.nwrel.org/scpd/sslc/descriptions/index.asp

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Background

Southridge High School is the newest of five high schools in Beaverton, the third largest school district in Oregon. From its architecture to its modes of communication, the school is designed to promote learning, a sense of community, and shared decision making. This emphasis on relationships— among school staff members, students, parents, and community members—was central to the design and planning of the new high school, a project led by Principal Sarah Boly.

In 1997, Boly formed a planning team of 18 teachers and counselors from across the district who spent a year researching design concepts that explored aspects of school culture, organization, and curriculum and instruction. The school sought prospective employees who shared this commitment and were willing to tolerate ambiguity as practices were developed and implemented in the school's first years of operation. All employees were hired through a review and screening process involving students, parents, and community members.

The invitation letter to faculty members to be on the planning committee emphasized the active participation of all planning group members. Team members, the letter said, "would have the responsibility for conceptualization of learning communities within the school, for the development of a coherent curriculum … and have the primary responsibility for the implementation of a substantive professional development program that ensures all staff are prepared to meet their new roles and responsibilities and for the support of school governance and leadership structures."

The planning committee worked closely with the community in the planning process. Through surveys, phone interviews, focus groups, and numerous forums with students, families, and members of the business community and community groups, the following priorities were identified and underlie the core values of the school:

Personalized learning Real-world application of knowledge through contextual learning Professional learning communities to promote shared decision making and

continuous learning Democratic decision making Community engagement

After reviewing research findings, attending conferences, visiting schools, and reflecting on how to incorporate the community's goals in a school design, the planning team developed a framework of shared leadership that included strategies, ideas, and programs. Southridge opened in 1999 with shared decision making and mentoring relationships as essential features of life. This is evident in nearly every aspect of its structure and practices, as described below.

Neighborhoods. Four neighborhoods bring together a cohort of teachers and school staff members with about 475 students. Students are assigned to each neighborhood in

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heterogeneous groups. Each neighborhood has its own identity and governance structure and functions as a "smaller learning community" under the direction of its neighborhood faculty. Each faculty cohort includes ninth-, tenth-, and eleventh-grade interdisciplinary teams, a counselor, an administrator, and classified support staff. Teachers in teams share responsibility for the curriculum, instruction, evaluation, and sometimes scheduling, and have a shared planning time at the ninth- and tenth-grade levels. Students stay within their assigned neighborhood for all three years of teaming although they may take electives outside their neighborhood. These teams build a sense of community, and help ensure that all students are known well by their teachers who understand their specific learning needs. This enables students to learn more and meet increasingly higher standards.

Advisory program. Teacher advisory programs are at the heart of smaller learning communities. One teacher is assigned to advise 20–25 students during the course of their high school careers, ensuring personalized attention to students' needs. Advisory periods are scheduled each month to deliver a wide range of academic advisement functions such as assisting students to manage their academic plan and profile (MAPP), plan a course of study, assist with career academy contracts, and assist with the management of state testing completion and work sample collection. The advisory periods also help solve school culture issues through the student/ staff action democratic process, and serve as a vehicle for accomplishing student-developed diversity awareness and appreciation agendas.

Skytime. During a 45-minute period twice a week, students can choose to meet with teachers or counselors, complete laboratory activities, or work on projects. The Skytime teacher is also the student's adviser and the student will stay in that mentoring relationship for as long as the student remains at Southridge. This helps ensure that every student is known well by a caring adult in the school.

Link Crew. A transition program for ninth-graders in which 12th-grade students serve as mentors.

Trimester schedule. A trimester schedule makes it possible to offer students more options, more instructional time, while promoting a depth of learning. The district requires students to take 23 credits to graduate; however, Southridge students can take 28 credits, which results in acceleration of learning in many areas.

Depth of learning. All students are required to take advanced study in a career academy (focus area) or be an International Baccalaureate Diploma Candidate to graduate. During their junior or senior year, students will take up to 15 additional courses (some at Portland Community College), and complete career-related learning experiences, 60 hours of service learning, and a senior exhibit, all of which must be tied to their focus area in order to earn an endorsement (Certificate of Advanced Mastery). A commitment to interdisciplinary team teaching, contextual learning, and personalized support for all students supports this priority.

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Career academies. Career academies foster mentoring relationships between students and professionals in the community. As sophomores, students choose one to three career academy endorsements to follow in their junior and senior years from the areas of science; information technology; business leadership; engineering and design; social, human, and government services; health and related services; and arts and communication.

Demonstrated student learning through exhibition. Students show what they know and can do through such things as senior projects and portfolios.

Critical Friends Groups Focus on Building Trust to Facilitate Collaboration

Because staff members were selected for their willingness to participate in a collaborative school community, there wasn't much worry about staff members being resistant to new ideas. However, bringing a group of teachers and administrators together who had never worked together before had its own share of challenges, says Boly.

Unlike established schools, no one in this group had worked together before, and therefore trust was not necessarily "a given." Regardless of age or experience, most of the teachers were new to team teaching and collaborative decision making processes. Boly frankly admits that even with one year of planning, it was a "chaotic" opening year and she could see that something needed to be done to enable staff members to rise above destructive communication patterns that came from a sense of helplessness and fear. "We had all of these wonderful smaller learning communities in place, but we didn't have staff-to-staff relationships built upon trust. We had a very strong staff who didn't know each other. It was pretty clear that we needed more opportunities for staff to get to know each other and to engage in effective communication around effective teaching practices." Research has shown that students' emotional safety is critical for them to learn. Boly emphasizes that attention to the development of positive staff and student relationships is crucial to creating a culture of mutual trust and respect because "we can't create safe classrooms unless there is trust at every level."

Boly wanted the Southridge whole-school decision making model to be influenced and supported through the protocols being used by the Critical Friends Group Model. She believed that providing the staff with the opportunity to engage in Critical Friends Groups on a regular basis would provide teachers with the emotional safety necessary to holding honest discussions about student work and personal teaching practices. Boly believes that this would in turn, influence the quality of whole-school decision making. In 2001 Southridge applied for and received a U.S. Department of Education Smaller Learning Community Center grant that enabled the school to use the Critical Friends Group model.

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Nearly 90 percent of the full-time staff at Southridge participate as members of Critical Friends Groups (CFGs). These professional learning communities focus on the intimacy and vulnerability of teacher practice, helping to build relationships of trust that allow the privacy of practice to emerge into the public light of collegial examination. In each neighborhood, two staff members serve as CFG coaches, facilitating the activities and modeling trust-building behaviors and such protocols as peer observation and feedback. Each CFG consists of about eight staff members, including classified staff who meet once a month. Learning CFG protocols, or codes of behavior, has provided staff members with a common language and understanding for coaching and modeling trust-building behaviors, problem solving, giving supportive feedback, and engaging in reflective dialogue. As a result, these protocols have been woven into daily activities at Southridge. Critical Friends Groups have been a crucial strategy at Southridge because the school's goals and visions for learning require that all teachers engage in intense collaborative work.

Shared Decision Making

The Critical Friends Groups have enabled a shared decision making process to develop more effectively. Following the lead of planning team members, the entire school staff adopted a shared decision making process that included five action steps:

1. Key issues or problems are identified 2. The staff votes (or reaches consensus) to investigate the issue further 3. An action task force or committee is convened to develop a proposal for action 4. All stakeholders are consulted regarding a draft proposal and are given the

opportunity to ask clarifying questions and provide both warm and cool feedback 5. The proposal is submitted to the staff for a vote or consensus to adopt or reject

the proposal

In all group meetings, staff members use a consensus strategy called the "five-finger vote" and protocols associated with the CFG model for structuring discussions. In a fivefinger vote, individuals show the degree of their approval with a show of fingers—five being the highest level of approval and one being the lowest. A closed fist indicates unwillingness to accept the proposal as written and a desire to present a new alternative. At the time a proposal is submitted, staff members and students can ask clarifying and probing questions, and offer warm (positive) and cool (negative) feedback, in that order.

To support shared decision making and ensure that neighborhoods are integrated into the larger context of the whole school, staff members unanimously approved a governance model that includes many committees representing all school community members, including a site council consisting of parents, school staff members, and community members. It serves as school-community liaison on matters of school reform, improvement, and fiscal management of grants.

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Results

The dropout rate for the 2001–2002 school year was 3.2 percent, one of the lowest in the state; for the 2002–2003 year, the rate dropped to 1.3 percent from an anticipated 5. 8 percent. State assessment results have shown gains in all areas (e.g., in 2003, 77 percent of students met or exceeded standards, up from 45 percent the previous year). Southridge has met Adequate Yearly Progress standards in 60 areas, including Hispanic, African American, IEP, and ELL students. Southridge was named an Exemplary Smaller Learning Communities site by the U.S. Department of Education and has been recognized throughout Oregon for its accomplishments in developing smaller learning communities.

Conclusion

Boly has noticed quite a change from the first year with the Critical Friends Groups having been implemented for three years. One is that staff members feel comfortable laying their issues on the table where they can be discussed. "They can say openly, I feel disrespected," says Boly. "This is how trust is built."

Critical Friends has empowered teachers to make decisions on their own. Vice Principal Amy Gordon reflects, "Empowering people fosters a sense of ownership. Sometimes I hear something I don't want to hear, but the process keeps everyone honest— there is a lot of communication, which is the key."

One might be tempted to dismiss Southridge's accomplishments because the school serves a highly educated community, was designed "from the ground up" with strong community and district support, and staff members were hired based on their common vision of schooling. True, these conditions greatly facilitated success at Southridge, but they are not sufficient. Most important is a leadership approach that empowers others to share in decision making. This is no easy task, of course, but Southridge's path to success can be instructive for other schools seeking to implement smaller learning communities for students and staff members.

Students consistently report in focus groups that Southridge is a positive environment where, according to one pupil, "The power to impact school action, thus the community, has allowed me to express my interests and make a difference." This sentiment is shared by staff and community members, and it was earned through hard work and an abiding vision and expectation about what people can accomplish when they are empowered to make decisions.

Used with permission from Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory

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Partnering With Stakeholders to Improve Student Achievement

Epstein and Salinas offer some compelling reasons to create inclusive learning communities in our schools. They suggest six types of involvement schools can embrace as part of their school-improvement planning process to enhance student achievement: parenting, communicating, learning at home, decision making and collaboration. (Epstein and Salinas, 2004) Their examples illustrate the power of partnerships in supporting and improving student achievement.

This text will examine the need to expand on these ideas by asking educators to embrace systems thinking and to reevaluate who we engage in conversations about teaching and learning. It will invite readers to think within and beyond the school gates to define the school system and its stakeholders. Readers will consider different ways to engage stakeholders and to communicate results. The sense of urgency for most schools is real; we need to advance student achievement in unprecedented ways, in a short time frame, and we need to garner all the support available to us to achieve this goal. We must invite stakeholders to assess the current reality and to create a collective vision of what they want our schools to be. However, vision is not enough; we must collaborate to translate that vision into commitment and action. (Dufour, 2004)

Who are our partners?

If we are to move beyond structural change toward cultural change and sustainability we need to communicate with our partners in new ways. This will mean rethinking with whom we meet, how those meetings are conducted, and how we share information across the current boundaries of our system of schooling. The first step is to identify logical stakeholders in the business of schooling. Some obvious groups that can be readily identified are: "educators, students, parents and community partners." (Epstein and Salinas, 2004)

Some overlooked groups within our schools also can provide us with insight and wisdom about ways we can create a learning environment that allows for the success of all students. These groups are found in our own buildings, but are seldom engaged in conversations about teaching and learning. These groups may include: students, assistant principals, related arts teachers, career and technical teachers, instructional and special education aides, outdoor play supervisors, school security officers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and custodial staff. These people care about, interact with, and reach students every day. They may have insights that can help us round out our knowledge of the students in our classrooms. Their perspectives could help teachers better serve all students, yet many of these school community members are not part of school improvement or strategic planning initiatives in our schools.

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External stakeholder groups might include: textbook publishers and vendors, politicians, taxpayers, local scout masters, recreational sports coaches, police officers, clergy, social service agency personnel, medical professionals, librarians, and neighborhood watch associations. These stakeholders have perspectives about students outside the school. Some see our students in activities they are passionate about, while others see our students with their families and in their neighborhoods. We need their perspectives to truly know the students who sit before us.

How often have you seen a group representing some, or all, of these stakeholders assembled to talk about and plan for successful schools? Our task of achieving proficiency for all students is venerable. How will we tackle this task and who will be involved?

We currently tend to stay in the perceived safety of our traditional same-role silos and try to manage the load alone. The load is growing bigger than any one group can bear. Reaching across boundaries seems a logical way to proceed in order to create the kind of learning environment in which all our students can and will succeed.

How do we engage our partners?

Once we identify our partners, we need to find meaningful ways to engage them in a collaborative process. Group members will participate to the degree they feel included, according to their perceived sphere of influence in the group, and the value they attach to their ability to contribute to the group. Our challenge is to make sure all group members feel equally invited to be instrumental members. (Weisbord, 2004)

The first step in creating a well-functioning learning group is to ensure that the participants have a common language and shared concern about the mission, vision and tasks of the group. Within our profession we often have a common language, and we assume shared concern about a particular strategy or practice that isn't there. Few of us take the time to check on understanding and rely on vocabulary as our sole means of comprehension. Neglecting to create shared concerns can result in conflicting messages sent to stakeholders about a particular initiative or innovation.

For example, many schools are implementing "walk throughs" as a professional development design. While some district and school leaders see this as a way for principals and supervisors to gauge the climate of the school or the implementation of an initiative on an ongoing basis, other school and district leaders use a one-time, checklist strategy to rate a school's progress in order to place them in corrective action. They also call this practice a "walk-through." The term "walk throughs" can have very different interpretations depending on the participants' assumptions, perceptions, purposes and intended outcomes.

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We cannot assume that presenting or imposing a new idea without assuring shared understanding about what that idea will look and sound like, once implemented well, will yield the results we are looking for: increased student achievement. Shared meaning leads to mutual ownership, something every new initiative needs to find success and an eventual place in institutional history.

How do we sustain momentum toward eventual institutionalization of an innovation?

Checking for understanding on an ongoing basis is critical for the success of any new initiative or innovation in a school. Stakeholders engaged in an innovation cycle must understand change as a process, not an event.

Every initiative has three phases: initiation, implementation and institutionalization. Ideally the initiation phase is given time and attention to ready the school community for the initiative, whether it is a textbook adoption, a schedule change, or the introduction of a new position in the school. While the initiation phase needs attention, too much attention on this phase can lead to frustration and apathy.

The implementation phase of an initiative is the time to "just do it." During this phase teachers must be encouraged to try the new strategy or use the new materials multiple times. Encouraging reflection and correction during this phase is critical. Implementers need to feel safe while developing capacity. This is the time to celebrate progress and distance traveled. Highlight successes at every meeting and in home and school publications during this phase of an initiative's development. (Collins, 2001)

The final phase of the initiative comes with institutionalization of the innovation. At this phase all members of the school community recognize the initiative or practice as part of the culture of the school. Attention is paid to recruiting new members who are familiar with the strategy or process or are willing to learn. Reflection is an integral part of this phase too. Regular evaluation of school culture will confirm that the adopted process or strategy is still serving the needs of the learning community.

Hord and Hall's Concerns Based Adoption Model (C-BAM) is a tool that is useful to gauge whether an initiative is needed or taking hold in a learning community. The model measures the levels of concern about an innovation as well as the levels of use by employing innovation configuration maps (IC's). IC's are a rubric-like tool to help a learning community reflect at each stage of an implementation process. IC's can be developed for each stakeholder group depending on their involvement in the initiative. More detailed information about innovation configuration maps and the C-BAM model can be found at SEDL's website www.sedl.org.

Many initiatives enjoy initial enthusiasm and success among implementers, only to experience an implementation dip as time moves forward. (Fullan, 2001) An

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implementation dip is a predictable part of any new initiative. It occurs when participants lose interest due to inattention and support, and revert back to their comfortable habits. Using tools like IC's can help identify and address the concerns that cause the shift in enthusiasm for an initiative.

For example, a local high school is implementing SSR (sustained silent reading) for the first time. The first half of the school year is spent providing professional learning opportunities for the teachers, assembling students, and conducting informational sessions for parents and community members. Also included are school board resolutions, assessment for student reading levels, surveys of students, parents and teachers about literary interests, materials acquisitions for the classrooms and libraries, and schedule adjustment to allow for 20 additional minutes to be added to periods five and six every other day. The stage is set for SSR to begin after winter break. It is launched with great success and students are regularly reading books of high interest at their independent reading levels. This energy lasts through the end of the school year with students reading an impressive number of books by the end of the year. Teachers report success stories based on data from formative and summative assessments. Everyone is happy as they leave for summer vacation.

Over the summer, several teachers retire or leave the district. September comes, and the administration expects SSR to take off at the level it ended in June. They check this matter off their to-do list. As they tour the building in September and October, they are disappointed to see fewer classes engaged in SSR and wonder what happened.

Implementation dips often occur with change in leadership or a shift in staff. Without constant monitoring and attending to the details of an initiative — the training and support needed for new staff, support and supplies needed for successful implementation, its place on staff and student agendas, and celebrations of successes — initiatives may never get out of the dip to become institutionalized best practices. Experiencing too many initiatives stuck in the dip may cause learning community members to be cynical about progressive thinking.

How do we shift the culture?

To best serve today's youth, instruction must embrace a continuum of strategies to reach all learners. Emphasis is moving away from rote memorization toward authentic learning experiences and assessments. These experiences tap into students' schema and help them connect their learning to real life, while guiding them to see relevancy in that learning.

Most stakeholders come to the table with a lifetime of experience in the "teacher tell-and-student-listen" model of instruction (Dufour, 2004 p.178). In order to compel them to accept and adopt 21st century instructional practices, they need to have positive experiences in using them with students and as students. Inclusive stakeholder

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meetings convened to plan innovation processes in schools must be designed to model the practices we are asking teachers and other stakeholders to embrace. For example, participants need to have the opportunity to work in groups of various sizes with members they do not usually encounter. They need to have tasks that require creativity and collaboration, and outcomes that are tangible and readily replicated. Opportunity for reflection must also be part of every meeting.

Aronson and Stiles have distilled the "Big 8 principles" and the "8 also big principles" of successful large group meetings from The Handbook of Large Group Methods by Bunker and Alban. These principles are:

Clarity of purpose Active engagement, around real work and real decisions System complete within the room Development of a shared understanding of context Self-management of working groups Discovery of common ground Focus on the future Equal standing of participants

And… Open (visible) data and data bases Experience of the equal humanness of all participants Transparent decision making Full attendance (Each time a group changes participants, it is a new group.) Development of group perspectives from individual data Knowledge within the people Conflict rationalization Length of meeting is proportional to the breadth and complexity of purpose and

the degree of system fragmentation (Aronson and Steil, 2006)

Designers of any large group meeting of school stakeholders should hold these principles constant in order to create successful meeting designs that result in concerted action, that create coherence—the extent to which the school's programs for students and stakeholders are coordinated, focused on learning goals, and sustained over a period of time. (Fullan, 2001) Principals, teacher leaders and professional learning coordinators will find these principles useful as they begin to create inclusive learning communities.

What does professional learning need to be in our schools to achieve our goals?

Both students and teachers need time to share their learning with one another. They need the opportunity to share and grow with colleagues if they are expected to develop new habits of practice in today's classrooms. The National School Reform Faculty (NSRF) endorses a structure called Critical Friends Groups or CFG's as a way to gather

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teachers in small groups to talk about such topics as students' work, classroom dilemmas, or teaching successes in a structured conversation designed to accomplish the task at hand in a limited amount of time. These groups are ongoing and stress reflection and action. For further information about CFG's and protocols please visit www.nsrfharmony.org.

Many professional learning designs achieve the ideal professional practice in schools, which can be described as getting teachers together to talk about teaching and learning in a regular and meaningful way, which leads to action that will positively affect student achievement. The challenge is to sustain the enthusiasm and commitment of time required for these ongoing reflective sessions. Other responsibilities can begin to erode the time set aside for this professional learning unless it is firmly established and valued by the learning community. In other words, professional learning and collaboration are part of the culture in schools where this work is sustained.

What do these strategies and principles look like in practice?

The most prevalent collection of stories from the field that illustrate sustained improvement comes from the literature about professional learning communities. This literature endorses many of the practices suggested here, but the focus in PLC's is on specific stakeholder groups within the school. A culture that supports learning for all; collegial and collaborative practices; transparency of data; and action orientation are all concepts shared in the PLC stories and the scenarios below. The difference is that the compiled common dilemmas that follow include examples of how multiple stakeholder groups could collaborate to create viable solutions.

High Stakes Testing

Stakes are high for today's schools. Achievement is measured by a single snapshot of a moment in time, which is the state standardized test. This fact should be compelling educators to partner with any and all stakeholders to create the kind of rigorous educational experiences our students need to succeed on this and other measures of achievement throughout their school careers. Instead, we tend to try to solve the problem alone and often create a learning environment where students practice using a facsimile of a testing instrument, not learning to problem-solve by using variety of assessment tools and strategies. Opportunities to work with other students, to solve problems, and create original works are sacrificed in order to prepare for the "TEST".

Teachers must be afforded the opportunity to discover how rigorous learning activities and thoughtful questioning throughout the year will support students' achievement on state tests and connect students to their learning. When students are connected to their learning and expectations are made transparent, they will understand the import of the state assessment and work hard to perform their best.

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One way to achieve this experience is to design professional learning that has teachers working together to design lessons that include authentic common assessment. Once data is collected teachers can share this data with their colleagues, their students and their parents. Analyzing this data will be the task of the group, not just the teacher. Students can then be given the opportunity to edit or correct their assignment and reassess their comprehension. These kinds of experiences are what Stiggins calls assessment for learning. Assessment for learning offers all students the possibility of success and a means of celebrating that success. (Stiggins, 2002)

Transitions

Students experience many transitions in their K-12 careers. Articulation among stakeholders at each of these junctures can make the transition smoother for students, parents and teachers. Much time and energy is lost if students don't understand and embrace expectations at the next level. Even more time is lost if mixed messages are conveyed by any of the stakeholders. Taking time to check understanding at each stage of the journey can serve to forge a more coherent experience for all stakeholders involved.

For example, in a district that serves three levels of schooling, structures need to be in place for K-12 curricular conversations; study groups to study data and share with study groups at other levels; and teams that support the details of the transition at each level. All of these collaborations need to be ongoing for transition to become less of a potential hazard and more of a natural condition. Too often these details are not attended to. One level doesn't know the expectation from the next level or how to prepare their students adequately for success. Those that suffer most are the students.

One way to remedy this confusion is to hold a large-group, community-based meeting inviting internal and external stakeholders to participate in a process to develop a district wide transition plan. This planning team may propose turning the district's schedule upside down, having the elementary students starting first and the high school students starting their day later. They may create a system of cross-level ambassadors who are advocates for their level at district council meetings convened regularly to check the progress of the plan. Whatever the group determines, the powers who requested they construct this plan must be ready to give to the group's recommendations serious consideration. If their hard work is dismissed, participants will disengage and perhaps even undermine the community.

Basic Skills vs. Rigor

Many argue that students still need to learn basic skills in order to succeed with higher order learning. Fundamentals are indeed necessary at every level for students to succeed. Basic skills practice, direct teacher delivery systems and memorization activities are still viable strategies in some circumstances. However, they cannot define a teacher's practice or a student's experience if we want to engage all students to achieve at high levels. Teachers and students must see learning as a process that has

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checkpoints along the way to measure understanding. Teachers must value alternate assessment strategies such as; project-based learning, creative student presentations of learning, or other processes that illustrate student understanding of content. Students must be given multiple opportunities to demonstrate and celebrate understanding. One way to include multiple stake holders would be to invite them to be part of the audience when students present their culminating projects or presentations.

Opportunities to write several times a day will help students improve their written communication skills. Frequent opportunities to read texts of high interest at an independent reading level will help students improve reading stamina. Reteaching material to a classmate or retelling a story will help a student refine his or her comprehension skills. Asking students to stop and jot or think, pair, and share will help students take time needed to clarify their own thinking before sharing with the group. Think alouds will make the teacher's thinking visible to students and offer them expert strategies to try in their own learning. These opportunities to write, read, talk and think help students develop habits of mind that will increase their engagement in learning and improve their achievement in school and on standardized tests. All of these strategies provide rigor and differentiation while giving students time to practice basic skills. Stakeholders should be aware of the rationale for using a variety of instructional strategies and the effect that using these strategies will have on student achievement. Opening the school on a regular basis so community members, parents, administrators and others can observe rigorous learning in action is another way to communicate instructional priorities to all stakeholders.

Now what?

Including multiple stakeholders in school governance and planning processes can offer a school community perspectives that might never have been accessed in previous planning, but that provide insights, which could positively impact student learning and achievement. Inclusivity and transparency are new concepts in most schools and school systems. Becoming proficient at designing meetings and structures that support inclusive practices and openly share and consider data will take time, study and practice. Shifting educational cultures to embrace these strategies in the classroom, in the faculty room, and in the Board room will mirror the learning cycle we ask our students and teachers to espouse and endorse every day. We need to create the space for our learning communities to learn, try, reflect, make course corrections, try, and reflect again. Creating this safe and rigorous learning community is what we need to do so that all our students are successful in 21st century classrooms, and so that all stakeholders develop shared meaning and understanding of the expectations for performance and achievement in these classrooms.

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Resources

Aronson, N. and Steil, G. (2006) Large group meeting design and facilitation. Participant Binder. Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Bunker, B.B., and Alban, B. T. (2006) The handbook of large group methods: creating systemic change in organizations and communities. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

DuFour, R, DuFour, R, Eaker, R and Karhanek, G. (2004) Whatever it takes: how professional learning communities respond when kids don't learn. Bloomington, Indiana: National Educational Service.

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Unit 4 - Page 199


Course Objectives


1. identify the needs and preferences of the 21st Century learners 2. recognize the gap that exists between current instructional practices and the skill

set needed by students for success in the 21st Century workplace 3. understand the role collegial collaboration plays in establishing a 21st Century

classroom 4. establish more effective communication among stakeholders


Unit 5: Culminating Activity

Title Estimated Time Objectives Identified

Blended Study Group Version 4 hours 1,2,3,4

Graduate Version 14 hours 1,2,3,4

Blended Graduate Version 14 hours 1,2,3,4


Unit 5 - Page 200

Rubric for Action Plan


Identify an area of priority

Clearly states the priority chosen and gives in-depth reasons for the selection.

Clearly states the priority and gives some reasons for the selection.

The priority is stated and provides limited reasons for the selection.

The priority is stated but does not provide reason(s) for the selection.

Steps to solution of the analyzed root cause problem

The steps are very clear and logical. There is strong evidence that the plan includes all components of 21st century teaching and introduces new/improved aspects of producing stronger results for students to the building/district

The steps are clear and logical. There is ample evidence that the plan includes components of 21st century teaching and introduces new/improved aspects of producing stronger results for students to the building/district.

The steps are vague and contain only those things that should already be in place in the classroom/ building/ district. There is nothing new/improved for stronger results for students to the building/district.

The steps are unclear and/or illogic. Evidence suggests that the teacher does not really understand the components and no change was indicated for stronger results for students.

Resources for each step

Includes a comprehensive list of resources needed to complete the action plan and includes innovative uses of resources already available.

Additional resources are listed and appear to be reasonable in terms of educational goals and dollars spent. Some use of materials already available is included.

The additional resources show no link to the stated goal. There is no innovative use of current resources included in the plan.

The additional resources appear to be unnecessary and/or are unreasonable in terms of cost.

Unit 5 - Page 201

Plan to evaluate the action plan

The evaluation plan includes evidence of feedback from staff, peers, and supervisors (if applicable). Included are specific criteria on how each step of the plan will be evaluated. Also included will be the steps to analyze data on student achievement with the priority chosen.

The evaluation plan includes evidence of feedback from staff, peers, and supervisors (if applicable). Included are steps on how most of the steps of the plan will be evaluated and what assessment will be used to track student achievement on the priority chosen.

The evaluation plan includes no evidence of feedback from staff, peers, and supervisors (if applicable). Included are general statements about how the plan will be evaluated and an assessment is mentioned but does necessarily relate to the priority chosen

The evaluation plan includes no evidence of feedback from staff, peers, and supervisors (if applicable). There are general statements about how the plan will be evaluated but no assessments are listed.

Conventions

Excellent evidence of correct spelling, grammar, mechanics, usage, and sentence formation — No more than 2 errors

Adequate evidence of correct spelling, grammar, mechanics, usage, and sentence formation — No more than 5 errors

Some evidence of correct spelling, grammar, mechanics, usage, and sentence formation — No more than 10 errors

Limited evidence of correct spelling, grammar, mechanics, usage, and sentence formation — More than 10 errors


Unit 5 - Page 202

Documents

21st Century Teaching and Learning Series:nhs-cff.wikispaces.com/file/view/A+Need+for+Change.doc · Web view21st Century Teaching and Learning Series: A Professional Development System