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Unit Design for the 21st Century Learner

Kathy BoguszewskiCoordinator Library Media & Instructional Technology

21st Century Skills Symposium

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Typewriters and Scavenger Hunts

The way we were

What has changed?

What do we need to do?

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The way we were

Lecture or discussion, textbooks, library books, filmstrips, and tape recordings

Library Skills taught separately not 21st Century Skills taught collaboratively

Students communicated facts they copied in reports, speeches, with artistic visuals to the teacher or class

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What has changed?

Research on brain development Research on how children and

adults learn Access to multiple and powerful

technologies Roles of teachers, library media

specialists, technology coordinators

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Brain Research

The brain “creates” information experiences through mental activities such as comparing and contrasting, inferencing, interpreting and categorizing.

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Brain Research …. Cont.

Development is not only biological but an active process based on experiences

Critical or sensitive periods open the brain to new development

(Healy 132-137 and National Research Council 126-127)

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How We Learn - Adults and Children

Personal meaning is critical Learn more with challenging goals Prior knowledge is the base for new

learning Individuals learn differently Immediate assessment feedback

encourages growth

What do we need to do?:

Design relevant learning experiences

Use emotion to connect material

Incorporate peer teaching

Provide options for projects

Use a variety of teaching strategies (UDL

Principles & PBL)

Use colors, mapping, and graphic organizers

Provide social interaction

Include active learning opportunities

Provide immediate feedback

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What is different about today’s learning environment?

Model Collaboration Designing Implementing Assessing

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Collaborative Team Roles Clarifier Compromiser Elaborator Encourager Gate-Keeper Harmonizer

Initiator Opinion Giver Summarizer Tension Reliever Tester

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Who are you?

What roles work best for your team and who plays them well

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What is different about today’s learning environment?

Evolution of teaching roles still the main impetus for motivating

students to learn curriculum content from sole information giver > co-learner

and co-investigator from being the fount of all knowledge >

becoming the facilitator of active learning experiences

from evaluator of end products and tests > co-assessor of the learning processes

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How has the Library Media Program evolved?

Library Media Specialist’s Role From the gatekeeper of traditional print

information > information specialist in all formats

From warehouse manager > instructional partner of information literacy

From isolated library media specialist > collaborative unit planner and staff developer

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Evolution of Technology Focus

Technology Coordinator’s Role From network manager > instructional partner

of technology literacy License - “Instructional Technology

Coordinator” teach how to access and use technological

tools with confidence From a behind the scenes administrator >

collaborative teacher and staff developer

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Again Collaboration is the Key

Research studies Students achieve more on

standardized tests Robust library media program Technology applications that involve

higher order thinking

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Collaborating - Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and 21st Century Skills

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What Is PBL? A teaching strategy

Meets the needs of all students Is challenging and rigorous Requires

Decision making Collaborative learning Use of real world tools Higher order thinking

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Based on Constructivist Learning Theory An active building of knowledge

based on prior knowledge

Students build knowledge based on what they currently understand

Dynamic interaction with information and experience

The major components of PBL

(http://www.tweedmouthpriorpark.northumberland.sch.uk/industry.htm)

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Marriage of content and skill development

Students learn content knowledge along with skills in inquiry development critical thinking problem solving

collaborative learning

time management

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PBL

Focuses on “doing” something rather than

learning “about” something challenging real problems reflective

of the content learning 21st Century Skills inquiry – higher level questions

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Inquiry – “Thinking Like an Historian”

Cause and Effect What were the causes What were the effects?

Change on Continuity What has changed? What has remained the same? Who has benefitted from the

changes? Who has not benefitted and why?

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Inquiry – “Thinking Like an Historian” cont.

Using the Past How does the past help us make

sense of the present? Turning Points

How did past decisions or actions affect future choices?

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Sample Inquiry Questions

How does logging impact Wisconsin forests, jobs, and the environment?

How did the history of Janesville affect changes that are occurring today?

What if you did not have bones? Are animals better off living in the

rainforest or savanna in Africa or in a zoo?

Why was President Kennedy killed?

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Authenticity

Has personal meaning to the student

Can be tackled by an adult at work or at home or in the community

Students believe they can make a difference and their ideas have value

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Teachers model ability to work smoothly with others

work together to achieve higher academic standards

assessment is critical

Collaborative learning

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Think – Pair - Share

How does PBL relate to what you are already doing?

How is PBL different from “read your textbook” or lecture strategies?

At what age can students start problem solve?

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Break – 10 min

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Framework: 21st Century Learning

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Life and Career Skills

► Flexibility & Adaptability ► Initiative & Self-Direction ► Social & Cross-Cultural Skills ► Productivity & Accountability ► Leadership & Responsibility

www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=266&Itemid=120

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Learning and Innovation Skills

► Creativity and Innovation Skills

► Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills

► Communication and Collaboration Skills

www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=120

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Information, Media, and Tech Skills

► Information Literacy

► Media Literacy

► ICT (Information, Communications & Technology) Literacy

www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61&Itemid=120

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Information, Media, and Tech Skills

Information Literacy ► Accessing information efficiently and

effectively, evaluating information critically and competently and using information accurately and creatively for the issue or problem at hand

► Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

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Information, Media, and Tech Skills

Media Literacy ► Understanding how media messages are

constructed, for what purposes and using which tools, characteristics and conventions.

► Examining how individuals interpret messages differently, how values and points of view are included or excluded and how media can influence beliefs and behaviors.

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Information, Media, and Tech Skills

ICT (Information, Communications & Technology) Literacy

► Using digital technology, communication tools and/or networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information in order to function in a knowledge economy

► Using technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information, and the possession of a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

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Targeted 21st Century Skills

1. Collaboration

2. Inquiry

3. Critical Thinking

4. Problem Solving

5. Information Literacy

6. Communication Skills

7. Technology Skills

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21st Century Learning Unit Design Rubric

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Why a rubric for unit plans?

Current quality of Internet lesson plans

Where is “Higher Order Thinking?”

Use as a tool to assess your current lesson or lessons you find from the Internet

Use as a guide to design a Collaborative Quality 21st Century Skills Unit

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Rubric –

Introduction Glossary of Terms1 Critical Information1 Learning Environment1 Unit Focus1 Planning Process

5 Problem/s & Scenarios6 Assessment Strategies7 Tools and Resources8 Reflections

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Continuum

Communicates various levels of complexity

No one unit will fall into the third column all of the time

Purpose: foster discussion and thinking before begin designing unit

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Continuum … cont.

Categories vary Objectives Student expectations Higher order thinking Degrees of collaboration Degrees of independence

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2. Learning Environment Three columns Teacher-Centered > Learner Centered From 1 teacher > Teaching and

Learning team From modeling inquiry skills > student

initiated questions From needs of some students > needs

of all students From classroom setting with 1

computer > to mini labs or flexibly accessed lab > virtual

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3. Unit Focus - Title

Questions What is the History of Wisconsin Native People?

better How did the lives of Wisconsin’s native

people change because of the fur trade?

(Wisconsin Our State, Our Story: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 2008.)

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3. Unit Focus - Goals

Understand Universal Design Principleshttp://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html

Incorporate 21st Century Skills Communicate the curriculum content via

problem solving and inquiry Establish a student-centered learning

environment Model collaboration skills with

professional staff

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Examples of Goals1. The collaborative team of teachers will

design and evaluate assessment tools needed for successful completion of the unit

2. Students will examine how the native Wisconsin people’s lives and traditions changed over time and how the communities are unique.

3. Students will work in collaborative groups to prioritize, define and solve problems related to their particular focus

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3. Unit Focus- Objectives examples

1. The student groups will brainstorm what they presently know about Wisconsin native people using a graphic organizer.

2. Students will brainstorm what they need to discover about the Wisconsin native people and add to graphic organizer

3. Students will use the Big 6 problem solving model to structure their research journey.

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3. Unit Focus - Standards Alignment

Social Studies Connections: Content Level B.4.10 Performance Level: Explain

the history, culture, tribal sovereignty, and current status of the American Indian tribes and bands in Wisconsin

Information and Inquiry: Content Level— B.4.1 Performance Level: determine

what is already known about the information problem or question

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4. Planning Process (Who, What, Where, When) Who designs plan? What are the specific roles and

responsibilities of the design team?

What are the student expectations? some are basic some are developmental or

scaffolded What is the Timeline?

Realistic > Considers others > Communicating

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5. Problem/s and Scenarios

Foundation of the assignment Bloom’s Taxonomy Inquiry questions Thinking Like an Historian Big 6 Research Model

4th Grade example – states or regions

A local travel agent has asked for our help in planning brochures for family vacationers.

What do we need to research and how can we present the information in a “kid friendly” way?

Historical information?

National and state parks?

Other attractions along the way?

Daily mileage? Potential hazards? Local wildlife? Recommended

campsites and restaurants?

Temperature ranges?

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Summary - 21st Century Skills – Team Approach

Recognize the evolving roles of teachers, library media specialists, technology coordinators, and staff support

Plan for flexible scheduling

Practice collaboration and facilitation skills

Plan for time to collaborate on designing 21st Century Skills units

Share student projects and teacher’s unit plans

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Technology Integration Rubric

Adapt to Janesville’s needs

Principal and teaching team

Plan to present on Friday

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Action 3rd grade Science (Wed) Begin the planning process Plan and discuss your unit theme,

roles and contributions Use IMPACT with the 21st Century

Skills Unit Design Template – brainstorm how to begin

4:00 Science Share & WIKI Reflection

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4th Grade and 3rd Grade Social Studies

Websites examination

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Questions?

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Assessing 21st Century Skills

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Key element - Assessment

Process not end product

Articulates expectations

Develops “habits of the mind”

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Difference between assessment and

evaluation or testing?

Assessment: “the careful judgement from close

observation: results from sitting down beside someone.”

Evaluation: “lacks ... collegiality and instead

means literally to place value.”(Jean

Donham)

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Assessment strategies

Journals or Learning Logs Rubrics Scoring Guides Conferencing Checklists Portfolios

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21st Century Skills Assessments

Sample Handouts

Modify – reading levels