21st Century Learning

21st Century Learning

Summer ConferenceAugust 12-14, 2009Canmore, Alberta

Sharon Friesen, PhD

OverviewOverviewOverviewOverview

n 21st Century Realities

n Changes in the work place

n Advances in digital technologies

n Global connections

n Changes in our understanding of learning

n Implications For Leaders

n Effective leadership practices

n Arenas for change

2121stst Century Realities Century Realities2121stst Century Realities Century Realities

n Changes in the work place

n Advances in digital technologies

n Global connections

n Changes in our understanding of learning

Requirements for Requirements for Participation in Today’s Participation in Today’s

Society Society

Requirements for Requirements for Participation in Today’s Participation in Today’s

Society Society n Strong disciplinary knowledge – deep

conceptual understanding of complex concepts.

n Work creatively with concepts to generate new ideas, new theories, new products and new knowledge – the capacity to uncover and clarify new problems, questions and phenomena.

n Critically evaluate what is read.

n Express ideas and thoughts verbally and in writing using a variety of media.

n Connect and integrate ideas from a variety of disciplines turning that into usable knowledge -- the ability to integrate ideas from different disciplines or spheres into a coherent whole and to communicate that integration to others.

n Respectful – awareness of and appreciation for differences among human beings and human groups.

n Self directed – learn how to learn.

n Ethical – Pondering the nature of your work in relationship to needs of the society in which you live.

Advances in Digital Advances in Digital TechnologiesTechnologies

Advances in Digital Advances in Digital TechnologiesTechnologies

Instantaneously Connected Instantaneously Connected GloballyGlobally

Instantaneously Connected Instantaneously Connected GloballyGlobally

Changes In Our Changes In Our Understanding Of LearningUnderstanding Of Learning

Changes In Our Changes In Our Understanding Of LearningUnderstanding Of Learning

CEA What Did You Do In School CEA What Did You Do In School Today Today

FIRST YEAR FINDINGSFIRST YEAR FINDINGS

CHALLENGE

High

Low

High

Low SKILLS

Students likely to feel apprehensive or anxious about learning

Students likely to feel apathetic towards

learning

Students may find school work boring or of little relevance

Students feel interested and successful

25% 37%

5% 33%

Willms, Friesen & Milton, 2009

CANADA

CANADA

2121stst Century Learning Century Learning EnvironmentsEnvironments

2121stst Century Learning Century Learning EnvironmentsEnvironments

Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 2000

Learning Changes The BrainLearning Changes The BrainLearning Changes The BrainLearning Changes The Brain

MINDSMINDS

Text

Example: The Practice of Example: The Practice of ScienceScience

Example: The Practice of Example: The Practice of ScienceScience

COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATIVE ENDEAVOUR

ENDEAVOUR

COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATIVE ENDEAVOUR

ENDEAVOUR

Collaborative Knowledge Collaborative Knowledge BuildingBuilding

Collaborative Knowledge Collaborative Knowledge BuildingBuilding

P2P: Untapped Potential

P2P: Untapped Potential

Technologies For Technologies For Knowledge BuildingKnowledge Building

Technologies For Technologies For Knowledge BuildingKnowledge Building

Digital Technologies and Digital Technologies and 2121stst Century Learning Century Learning

Digital Technologies and Digital Technologies and 2121stst Century Learning Century Learning

Scaffolding is ImportantScaffolding is ImportantScaffolding is ImportantScaffolding is Important

Sawyer, 2006; Greeno, 2006

Assessment For Learning is Assessment For Learning is EssentialEssential

Assessment For Learning is Assessment For Learning is EssentialEssential

for student learning

Feedback In ActionFeedback In ActionFeedback In ActionFeedback In Action

Peer FeedbackPeer Feedback

Feedback In ActionFeedback In ActionFeedback In ActionFeedback In Action

Self FeedbackSelf Feedback

for teacher learning

Formative AssessmentFormative AssessmentFormative AssessmentFormative Assessment

Intervention Extra Months of Learning Gained Per Year

Classroom Cost per Year

Class-size reduction by 30% (30 students to 20 students)

3 $30,000

Formative assessment

6 to 9 $3,000Wiliam, 2007

Instructional Practices Matter

Instructional Practices Matter

1 2 3 4

Engagement Disengaged Ritualistic Compliance

Academic Engagement

Intellectual Engagement

Cognitive Investment

Passive – copying notes, info recall

Some group work Active information play

Academically rigourous knowledge building

Instructional Style Instructionist – one size fits all

Interactive Differentiated Responsive - conforms to learners

Authenticity No value beyond activity

Some attempt at application

Application beyond school

Value beyond school

Improving InstructionImproving InstructionImproving InstructionImproving Instruction

The quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers. World’s Best Performing School Systems, 2008.

World’s Best Performing School Systems, 2008.

(Leithwood et al, 2007)

Leadership MattersLeadership Matters

Leadership is second only to teaching and learning in its impact on student learning

Leading 21st Century Learners

Leading 21st Century Learners

Participating in teacher learning and development.

0.91

Leading teachers to base teaching decisions on formative evaluations

0.90

Planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching, curriculum and pedagogy (direct involvement, regularly visiting classrooms, formative feedback and feed forward) .

0.74

Ensuring teachers are intellectually stimulated about current research informed practices .64

0.64

Strategic resourcing, (aligning resource selection and allocation

0.60

Actively challenge status quo 0.60

Establishing goals and expectations

0.54

Maintaining an orderly supportive environment

0.49

Elmore, 2006; Friesen & Jacobsen, 2009; Hattie, 2009; Leithwood, 2007;

Marzano, 2006

    Change for 21Change for 21stst Century Century LearningLearning

                          

Conditions of learning

and teaching for students and adults

Competencies of adults

Improving

Teaching and

Learning

 

Culture of

classrooms,

schools, districts

Shared values, beliefs,

assumptions,

expectations, &

behaviors.

External “architectur

e” that influences

student learning and the ability to

improve student learning.

Skills and knowledge that impact

and influence student learning.

Wagner, 2008

2121stst Century Learning Century Learning2121stst Century Learning Century Learningn Authentic to disciplinary ways of knowing,

doing and being.

n Discipline and interdisciplinary-based inquiry

n Collaborative knowledge building

n Scaffolded

n Oodles of formative assessment

n Teaching and learning decisions are based on evidence

n Digital technologies are part of the culture of how we do things around here

Outcome: 21Outcome: 21stst Century Century LearnersLearners

Outcome: 21Outcome: 21stst Century Century LearnersLearners

n Strong disciplinary knowledge – deep conceptual understanding of complex concepts.

n Work creatively with concepts to generate new ideas, new theories, new products and new knowledge – the capacity to uncover and clarify new problems, questions and phenomena.

n Critically evaluate what is read.

n Express ideas and thoughts verbally and in writing using a variety of media.

n Connect and integrate ideas from a variety of disciplines turning that into usable knowledge -- the ability to integrate ideas from different disciplines or spheres into a coherent whole and to communicate that integration to others.

n Respectful – awareness of and appreciation for differences among human beings and human groups.

n Self directed – learn how to learn.

n Ethical – Pondering the nature of your work in relationship to needs of the society in which you live.

n What are you going to put into place so that you can lead 21st century learning in your school/s and/or school district?