Public ForumSchool District No. 78 (Fraser-Cascade)April/May 2011

Global Pressures Are Changing the World of Learning and the Place of Learning in Our World

“Half of what is known today was not known 10 years ago.

The amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past 10 years and is doubling every 18 months according to the American Society of Training and Documentation (ASTD).”

Gonzalez (2004), The Role of Blended Learning in the World of Technology

The three drivers for21st century skills

What the world’s like‘the perfect storm’

What we’re likelearning science

What we want to beour aspirations

Given the rapid rate of change, the vast amount of information to be managed, and the influence of technology on life in general, students need to acquire different, evolving skill sets to cope and to thrive in this changing society.

-Partnership for 21st century skills

Advances in the cognitive sciences show that learning increases significantly when students are engaged in academic study through authentic, real-world experiences.

-The Metiri Group

I've discovered that there are seven survival skills that all students must master to get-and keep-a good job in today's global knowledge economy, succeed in college, and be leaders in our communities.

-Tony Wagner

What is Personalized Learning?

Three core components:• Comprehensive, data-rich Learner

Profiles • Customized Learning Paths• Progress is Performance Based

QuestionsSection A

Think back …1. What did schools look like, sound like?2. What did the workplace look like?3. What did children’s play look like?4. What did a home look like? What were people

doing in that home?

Questions Section ASummary

1. What did schools look like?

• bricks and mortar - same as now• fewer behavior problems • corporal punishment• streaming according to intelligence and capacity• top down decisions (Ministry to classroom)• government exams• higher student population and larger classes• no parent voice

Questions Section ASummary

2. What did the workplace look like?

• end of the era where an untrained person could get a job

• employment was gendered• limited pensions• no health and safety committee • change was slow• industrial model used to organize work

Questions Section ASummary Continued

3. What did children’s play look like?• Family oriented• limited TV• Polaroid was the latest technology• healthy competition• creative, imaginative, less structured, more outside play• sense of community • feeling of safety• less globally aware• fundamental belief that all people were good, now a

culture of fear• developed into leaders based on how we structured our

play

Questions Section ASummary Continued

4. What did the home look like?

• Mom was foundational core of the family• children had daily chores• special needs students were institutionalized• working moms were rare• residential schools• multi-generations in homes• kids had a longer childhood• more family time (reading/discussion)• 2-parent, one car families• smoking was common• health and nutrition were better • larger families

We must cultivate new experiences of next

generation learning.Personalized Learning

World Class Learning/Skills

Authentic Student Voice

Performance-based Learning

Comprehensive System of Supports

Anytime, Anywhere Opportunities

21st Century Foundational Skills

3 R’s

• Reading• Writing• Numeracy

7 C’s• Critical thinking/problem solving• Creativity and innovation• Collaboration, teamwork, and

leadership• Cross Cultural Understanding• Communications, computing and

ICT literacy• Career and learning self-reliance• Caring for personal health and

planet earth

Promising Practices

QuestionsSection B

1. What will the world be like twenty years from now?

2. What knowledge and skills will our children and teachers need to be successful in this world?

3. What conditions contribute to your most powerful learning experiences?

4. What should our education system (and infrastructure) look like in order to ensure success for our students?

Personalized Learning

Possible IndependentStudyNow

21st Century

Personalized Learning

Our Task• Our task is to provide quality

education for the kids we have, not the kids we used to have, want to have, or kids that exist in our dreams.

Colleen Politano

Comments/Questions

Conclusion• Thank you for participating• Solid system • Innovative programs• Journey• Review feedback (committees)• Public Forum (fall)• Conceptualize what personalized learning means, what

it looks like in practice in terms of what everyone understands

• Celebrate/Share best practices• Meet more of the needs of more students more fully