Connecting the DotsUsing 21st Century Tools and Topics

Sharon BowersNIA and Virginia Beach City Public Schools

February 13, 2010

Today’s Objectives

• Define our audience

– Characteristics of 21st century students

– Challenges for 21st century teachers

• Build a common understanding of 21st Century teaching and learning

• Explore and expand common ground– Impact on 21st century PD

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The National Institute of Aerospace (NIA)

Digital Native or Digital Immigrant?

Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants

Let’s Be “Digital Multipliers”

H. Sapiens Digital:From Digital Immigrants and Digital Natives to Digital Wisdom

Backup Education

The Role of Technology

Essential 21st Century Skills

Where do you fit?

Digital Immigrants

Slow controlled information release – limited sources

Singular process and single or limited taskProcessing orderText Picture, Video & Sound

Linear, logical sequential accessInteract/network simultaneously to fewComfortable in real spacesPrefer students to work independently“Just in case” learnersDelayed/differed access, rewards & gratification

Learning is to teach to the curriculum guide and standardized tests.

Digital Natives

Multiple multimedia information sources rapidly

Parallel process & multi-taskProcessing orderPicture, Video & Sound Text

Random access to interactive mediaInteract/network simultaneously to manyComfortable in virtual and real spacesPrefer interactive/network approach to work

“Just in time” learnersInstant access, reward & gratification

Learning is relevant, instantly useful and fun

Digital Native or Digital Immigrant

The majority of the people at my table are:

Text: 99503

Choices:455054564145670

21st Century Students

How would you describe today’s

students?

Text number:99503

Then … Begin your message with …9177 …your message

Today’s students …

• Ctrl + Alt + Del is as basic as 2+2 = 4.• They grew up with virtual pets to feed, water, and

play games with, lest they die.• Gas has always been unleaded.• They are wireless, yet always connected.• "Google" has always been a verb.• Text has always been hyper.• Bert and Ernie are old enough to be their parents.• Have always had blue Jell-O.

― Beloit College, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2012

When they enter Kindergarten

Worlds Collide

Baby Boomers

• TV generation

• Typewriters• Memos

GenerationX

Video gamesComputersEmail

Net Gen

The Web (now web 2.0)

Mobile devices Video mail Texting Online

communities

Hypertext Minds

Qualities

• Crave interactivity• Read visual images• Visual-spatial skills• Parallel processing• Inductive discovery• Fast response time

ConcernsConcerns

Short attention Short attention spansspans

Choose not to pay Choose not to pay attentionattention

Lack of ReflectionLack of Reflection

Text literacyText literacy

Source qualitySource quality

――Prensky, 2001Prensky, 2001――Prensky, 2001Prensky, 2001

Challenges Teachers Face

Did You Know?

A new taxonomy …

Bloom, et al, 1956 Anderson & Krathwohl, et al, 2000

21st Century Framework

Partnership for 21st Century

Teaching Core Subjects and 21st Century Themes

• English, reading, language art

• Mathematics• Science• Foreign Language• Civics and Government• Economics• Arts• History• Geography

Partnership for 21st Century Teaching

• Global Awareness• Financial, Economic,

Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy

• Civic Literacy• Health Literacy• Environment Literacy• STEM

Life and Career Skills

• Flexibility and Adaptability• Initiative and Self-Direction• Social and Cross-Cultural Skills• Productivity and Accountability

Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2003

Learning and Innovation Skills

• Creativity and Innovation• Critical Thinking and Problem

Solving• Communication and

Collaboration

The challenge now is to incorporate learning skills into classrooms deliberately, strategically, and broadly.”

Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2003

Information, Media and Technology Skills

• Information Literacy• Media Literacy• ICT (Information,

Communication, and Technology)

The challenge now is to incorporate learning skills into classrooms deliberately, strategically, and broadly.”

Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2003

LoTi – H.E.A.T. Framework

H – Higher- order Thinking

E – Engaged Learning

A – Authentic Learning

T – Technology

VBCPS Compass to 2015

What do 21st century classrooms look like?

“One can’t believe impossible things.” 

“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen.  “When I was your age I

always did it for half-an-hour a day.  Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six

impossible things before breakfast.”  Lewis Carroll,  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Traditional classrooms may look like this …

• Teacher directed; teacher lecturing• Rows of desks• Students working alone on assignments• Focus of instruction on memorization of facts

and concepts• All students doing the same assignment• No technology usage• Focus on getting the right answer• Textbooks rule• Paper-and-pencil tests, often multiple choice

• Teacher guidance• Focus of instruction is on understanding

concepts• Students problem-solve, problems are contrived• Teacher is using technology• Textbooks still the central resource, but hands-

on resources are also used• Assessments are more problem-solving based,

but still summative and mostly paper-and-pencil

Transitional classrooms may look like this …

• Students choose strategies to solve problems• Students collaborate on projects and assignments• Both students and teachers use technology• Focus of instruction on understanding and applying

concepts• Classroom arranged in clusters to facilitate interaction• Students learn facts and concepts in the context of

solving relevant, real-world problems (personal, local, national, global)

• Focus on exploring possibilities and testing hypotheses• Focus on producing quality products• Focus on communication• Assessments are ongoing with feedback throughout

21st century classrooms may look like this …

With 21st Century Tools

• Mobile computing (wireless cell phones and PDAs)

• Learning Management Systems

• Video Conferencing• Virtual

Reality/Simulations• Multimedia creation

tools Collaborative tools

• ADA software and hardware

• 3D Modeling• Blogs (social text)

• Alternative Instructional Methodologies

• Service Learning• Problem- or project-

based learning• Alternative

Assessment Methodologies

• Gaming

Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2003

“We are innovating the wrong thing. Our instructional practices are what need changing, not the technology.

Every learner is unique and has different learning styles, interests, and proficiencies, yet we still teach to the norm and use technology to automate poor instructional practice.”

“Technology should be able to enrich our ability to individualize, extend, and support instructional

experiences and connections in ways that would not be possible otherwise.

Real innovation also helps students discover that they can develop a personal vision of a future that is

far beyond the one their socioeconomic or ethnic backgrounds would normally provide. Technology in

the hands of a skillful teacher can remove barriers for all children so they not only see that future, but

also embrace it.”

“It is about changing beliefs, values, and cultures, not about just teaching skills and

constructing creative projects.

When children realize they are part of the global society because they actively

participate in it from their classrooms, they know the world of possibilities for

themselves is much bigger.” Don Hall, CIO for the Muscogee County School District

21st Century Professional Development

• Illustrates how a deeper understanding of subject matter can enhance problem-solving, critical thinking, and other 21st century skills.

• Helps teachers develop their abilities to use various strategies (such as formative assessments) to reach diverse students and to create environments that support differentiated teaching and learning.

• Encourages knowledge sharing among communities of practitioners, using face-to-face, virtual and blended communications

• Highlights ways teachers can seize opportunities for integrating 21st century skills, tools and teaching strategies into their classroom practice — and help them identify what activities they can replace/de-emphasize.

Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2003

What might this mean for us?

Seeing the world mathematically