I had the opportunity recently to facilitate a group of business, education, political and community leaders in a discussion about developing a workforce ready group of graduates in the 21st Century.
I was given the task of relaying the experience. I have decided to share with you to see if you agree or disagree with these leaders' ideas and action steps and why. I encourage you to read and weigh in in the comment section below. I look forward to your responses.
Executive Summary
As a precursor to the conference, held Jan. 9-10, 2009 at
Heritage High School, global and regional leaders in education, business and
religious organizations met to brainstorm together 21st century
learning concepts in a Global ThinkTank.
An electronic global panel discussion kicked off the day’s
events with an impressive group of thought leaders from Scotland, Thailand, and
the U.S. logging in to Elluminate, a webinar software platform, to share their
ideas and answer questions. Bios of the
guest speakers can be found here. An
archive of the conversation that took place can be found here.
In the following facilitated discussions, leaders were given a chance to voice their opinions about what they saw as barriers to implementation of 21st Century workforce readiness and a re-culturing of our curriculum to meet the needs of today’s changing student.
Education leaders saw disconnect between teacher preparation programs and the changing learning environment. High stakes testing was seen as another barrier to learning in the 21st century.
“That
accountability hinders the changes in curriculum and teaching practices needed
to impact instruction, problem solving, literacy…”
“If
pass rates are high, teachers/students feel a certain sense of fulfillment, but
the SOLs are a minimum competency assessment. They are not enough to prepare
kids for the future.”
A major theme from the breakout sessions was the disconnect between education and relevance.
“Students
need to have the tie in – that what they are learning has relevance to the
career they choose.”
“When
kids fall in love with learning it’s because they see the relevance.”
Leaders in the sessions admitted fear as a big barrier to 21st century learning – the fear of change, of trying something new. This fear hinders the modeling necessary in 21st century learning.
“Everyone
needs to model from top down. . . .Principals model to teachers, teachers model
to students, etc.”
After the facilitated discussions, leaders were asked to come up with proactive recommendations to the barriers addressed. From this long list, leaders filtered and organized their recommendations under different categories and then ranked the categories by the most important in their opinion. Some of the top ranked categories included leadership development, cultural awareness, professional/teacher development, partnerships/community involvement and student curriculum.
Empowering educators through leadership development,
building relationships and cultural awareness, training and modeling were some
of the most recommended steps to overcoming the barriers.
Out of the discussions recommended action statements
emerged:
- Inventory the technological skills already available in the division to identify and address gaps.
- Ask students to teach the teachers how they use technology and how they see these tools being used in a classroom.
- Allow teacher experts to train other teachers so there is no additional cost involved in the training. The business community can also provide in-kind support by providing training in these technologies.
- Build cultural awareness and infuse relevance into our instruction by teaching educators and students the facts of our global economy and community.
- Teach educators the importance of and how to build their own online personal learning networks as a 21st Century networking literacy leveraged for student growth.
- Teach students how to develop their own personal learning networks and discriminate information value and organization.
- Use technology to access and examine current events from various world perspectives through original sources and global connections.
- Teach the whole child by using inquiry driven approaches
that reexamine curriculum through a 21st Century lens.
- Work on belief systems, so that they produce citizens who can meet the challenges of this world
with confidence and embrace all its people with compassion.
- Develop leadership networks that collaboratively function
as professional learning communities to address and solve barriers to learning.
These networks would include administrators, teachers, school staff, community
and business leaders, and student leaders in the district, state and world. Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Lead a Group To review all data collected at the Global ThinkTank please
refer to the following appendices: Appendix A – Participants List- Removed Appendix B – Round Robin Discussions Appendix C – Categorization of Ideas Appendix D – Crafts of Recommendations Appendix E – Interview with Rebiya Kadeer Appendix F – Panel Discussion Archive Appendix B – Round
Robin Discussions After breaking down
into groups, participants engaged in round robin discussions of the barriers to
21st century learning. They responded to the question, “Thinking in
terms of the skills, knowledge, abilities and opportunities needed to prepare
today’s students for the 21st century workforce – what are the
barriers that are currently keeping this from happening in our classroom and
community?” One participant acted as scribe for the group, recording responses,
while another facilitated the discussion. The notes from these discussions are
reprinted below. Group A We got away from the basic skills. We still need to be able to read, write and
do multiplication tables. Attitudes
start at home and are nurtured at school regarding the importance of learning.
No matter whether their disposition is to go to college or not, these skills
are important and you are not a failure if you don’t go to college. And students ought not be stigmatized because
they want to be a carpenter. We ought to
help kids know what they want to do and then help them do it and not stigmatize
them if that means they don’t go to college. We are only allowing kids that can’t do to go to vocational
classes. NNPS has the burden of raising children because of societal
issues. So now schools have to be
responsible for social development too. Skills, Attitude and Disposition don’t cost a lot of money. We underestimate kids’ ability to learn. Expectations build the attitude that is
needed. There needs to be a better cultural awareness across schools
and business and finances need to be available.
Students need to be geared towards their interests not just
college. Tools to help students know their
interests are needed and the finances to provide them need to be there. You can’t just work with the students and then send them
back out in the community. It needs to
be a community effort. Young people have built their own community through
technology. Social networking, texting,
etc. We need to pick up on the skills
our kids have and build on that with kids.
As an instructor and parent, I am dealing with fear, not
knowing what the kids are doing.
Amazement at kids’ ability to write a report, listen to iTunes and text all at the same time. How uncomfortable are educators and
parents. Importance of educating our community… Money is a problem.
We don’t have enough equipment.
Teachers are afraid that they are going to break the equipment. They have to have critical thinking
skills. We are bad about the SOL’s but
they have to be able to think. It is
more than rote memorization. Group B The current structure is interrupting the learning
potential. I’m coming from a different background. I’m new to education. “My insight is four years out of high
school. I wish I had this in my high
school. Why didn’t we have smart boards
in high school or college?” A lot of
school board members are stuck in how school s use to be. If we focus on that point that people are
still involved in this process. Teachers
and students will be more willing to learn. A fear of learning something new
seems to prevent the progression of the 21st century concept. A Student’s perspective. Kids who start of in school are excited in the elementary
level and by the time they get to high school they are brain dead. “Why am I learning this?” Teachers have
technology in front of them, but they don’t have the role models to know how to
use it in the workforce arena because the have nothing to relate to. “We have
to train our teachers to learn and teach in a different way.” Relationship, relevance and investment. When kids fall in love with learning it’s
because they see the relevance. A lot of what kids learn in the old way of learning is not
relevant to what is happening in the real world. It doesn’t mean necessary learning technology
it means teaching kids so it’s meaningful. “We tend to teach kids how we were
taught.” Change is feared. Our
perspective is what limits our growth.
One of the largest bearers is not teaching kids collaboratively. “For us to see this type of education is amazing. We do not sit and discuss education in
China. In US a child can study any
subject they chose. That is not the case
in China. The Chinese education system
only praises the Chinese government.”
Embrace change! American students should understand how fortunate they
are and become global citizens to see how they can make the world a better
place. Later I was in prison for
speaking about lack of human rights in education. It is very important for me to let the
children know in America how fortunate they are. Besides the global competitive gap we need to get our kids to understand
the global haves and have-nots. We have
to compete and support in service projects, awareness projects, etc. Change is the wall that we need to overcome. “If we
introduce it the right way it enables one to overcome the obstacles.” Everyone needs to model from top down. . .
.Principals model to teachers, teachers model to students, etc. What points of consensus emerged in the discussion? The need
to learn, teach, train and communicate not only within our community but
throughout the world. On which points were the participants’ responses
divided? none On which points did participants reveal a wide range of
responses? Student learning, cultural
awareness, exposure and appropriate modeling, best practices Group C In the classroom, too much emphasis on lower levels of
learning due to standardized testing occurring- incredible peer pressure for
kids to fit in instead of being individuals. “Kids need knowledge” but we teach
facts, but not how they connect to their world.” A barrier for SPED pop is transition. I like European out of
the box thinking. “Keep the bar up, but we know were the students is heading.”
Look at the child’s ability and go that track. Train them so they are
vocationally sound by the time they exit school (rather than pushing them to be
college bound – when we know they may not be).
A barrier I see is a conformative mentality. We have lost
the sense of being an individual. It is not sportsmanship or working as a team.
WE have lost a sense of civility. We are not working in teams or offering
assistance. Emphasis on SOLs, NCLB, - schools, teachers, principals are
evaluated on how kids score on a mc test – critical thinking skills is missing.
“The soft-skills of team-work and problem solving need to be part of our
education to be ready for the work force.
We need situational leaders in addition to supervisors, etc. Know when
to lead, when to step back, be cross-functional” Barriers: homelife –
a major part for students who don’t have the support structures at home =
community issue School issue = playing the blame game on parents/community Not all children learn the same way – we teach like they
only learn one way. We teach in the same classroom environment as the one from
the civil war. We need to convert the methodology of teaching to using the
tools kids use today. = relevance! Kids don’t believe their teachers care about them. So many
distractions/baggage in the classroom. Teachers need to be thoughtful and think
in terms to being able to relate to a particular student who is different or
struggling…the teacher is influential –one of the most influential people in
children’s lives. Engagement between teacher and student is critical piece. All
the kids aren’t likeable – but they are all human beings, need to have a
future. I am not casting aspersions on all teachers, but teachers need to get
into the lives of kids – go beyond the content. Kids cannot relate what they are doing in the classroom that
day to the future. There needs to be a connection – this is why dropouts occur.
Serious systemic challenges Serious concern with the SOLs being the end all, be all of
education. And it shouldn’t be. If pass
rates are high – teachers/students feel a certain sense of fulfillment – but
the SOLs are a minimum competency assessment – they are not enough to prepare
kids for the future. Not enough articulation between colleges and public schools
– teacher prep programs. 1st year teachers often enter the teaching
field ill prepared for the reality of teaching and learning in the 21st
century. There is also a disconnect in the classroom in the classroom to the
real world = relevance. There is no
questions about the fact that we have different societal practices as before
but we cannot let community “situations” interfere with teaching kids. Global, 21st century is exciting, but we have to
pedal furiously like ducks on a pond. Lack of training, experiences and connectedness between
teacher prep training and teaching reality. From a SPED perspective, one of the barriers is isolation.
If you are the only teacher certified in a certain disability in a building, it
can be very isolating. The emulation
exercise could be an interesting way to connect people via technology. Lost sight of vocational side of education (for SPED
students). Unrealistic expectations for students based on their abilities. The preparation of elementary school teacher = 20 hours of
elementary ed. We only test knowledge, not can the teach the knowledge. Does
that teacher know how to communicate to that kid and teach him? Deficit model – we cannot give up on the children, let them
drop out and it becomes a community problem. Key barriers “Trust, communication, team work, caring and vision are
missing”. Issues: “we can’t give up on
kids” We can predict a roadmap of a student (in school, in
community) – we see it coming – there needs to be something we can do to
prevent it from happening. Prisons predict future jail population based on 3rd
grade reading pass rates of the SOL. Most issues were agreed upon by all---- Group D Barriers to 21st
Century Learning Respondent 1: Part of barrier in our community – most of the businesses in
our community are not global minded at this time – fear if school system goes
ahead, businesses are not going to be ready for the students when they come out
of school, her company builds buildings and the global market doesn’t impact
what they do on a daily basis – is a progressive student going to be satisfied
with what her company has to offer,” I can see there being problems”, students
coming out today seeing everything as flexible time as opposed to working
standard hours – doesn’t feel there is currently a demand for a supply of
technologically advanced students – are they going to be more attracted outside
the city of NN – not opposed to what the education system is doing just afraid
of the outcomes Respondent 2: Colleges and university teaching 1950’s education – works
with leadership and universities to redesign teacher and leadership programs –
colleges and universities not training teachers to teach in 21st
cent mindset – works with school division leaders as well – just redesigned the
principal leadership program – school districts are far ahead of colleges and
universities – until we get colleges and univ.’s in line with school divisions,
were not going to get there Respondent 3: One barrier is our history and educational bureaucracy – not
preparing teachers as we are preparing students – 21st cent.
Learning is larger than just the tools – values and work ethic – that is part
of the 21st century skill set as soft skills – schools are still
subscribing to minimum competency based standards that is scary concept–
economy is a barrier to the success of 21 c learning over the net few years Respondent 4: – this area loosing many of its best and brightest – the
numbers support that concept that there isn’t as much of a demand – we loose a
percentage of our brightest college candidates to other states because the jobs
aren’t here – while we focus so much on the tools of technology, there is a
loss of values, social skills, personal interactions, teaching respect, but we
can’t loose sight of trying to help our students learn how to get along – the
heart of how we learn to move our schools forward Respondent 5: Education is critical to him – rapid technological advances
– cultural lag in applicants that come forward, technology advances
exponentially and inversely with students who can use them, analytical
abilities not there, lack of motivation – problem with work ethic – no long
term goal setting – need to have desire to excel and overcome learning
shortfalls, lack of emphasis on why a solid education is important, students
need to have the tie in of what they are learning has relevance to the career
they choose, need to have long term goals and objectives instilled in kids
early, HS diploma doesn’t guarantee students have the skill sets to perform the
tasks, students having difficulty passing national exams, goes back to
elementary school and the parental support system – we need to look globally,
technology is just a small sliver – more emphasis needs to be placed on the
soft and human skills – need to have long term objectives and goals, need to
realize that college is not a universal goal Respondent 6: -emphasis on values and work ethic cant be overstated,
starts in preschool with the early education and early intervention, spend
years trying to catch up, in many cases they don’t have parents who are
educated and realize the importance of all of these skills, reading
comprehension and math are critically important need to have other skills
before you can really use the technology, people who don’t have the confidence
to learn the technology are always playing catch up need to be able to play
catch up through self-directed learning, we need to be teaching are children
make sure you have enough money to make good decision Respondent 7: Key barriers – high stakes accountability testing, when you
look at needed competencies that accountability hinders the changes in
curriculum and teaching practices needed to impact instruction, problem
solving, literacy numeracy, people are beginning to see the importance of that What about the children who are not going to need 21st
century learning sk Appendix C –
Categorization After a round robin
discussion of barriers to 21st century learning, participants
tackled the task of coming up with proactive solutions and steps to addressing
those barriers. They were asked to think in terms of the questions: What’s
working now? What’s missing? What can individuals/organizations do? And other
innovative ideas not related to overcoming barriers. Participants then
paired up to discuss their steps and find common ideas. After sharing in pairs,
participants organized their ideas with sticky notes under different
categories, from leadership development to finance and budget issues, among
others. After the steps were categorized, participants voted which categories
were most important or pressing. These ideas and categories, as well as the
weight each category received, are reprinted below. Leadership Development - 16 Dots ·
Empowerment ·
Great leadership team ·
What about kids who won’t need the tech (21st)
skills to make it in life? ·
Basic skill sets missing: 1. Reading
comprehension 2. Math skills 3. Analytical capability How to motivate students? Need to have desire
to overcome ·
Communicate, trust, teamwork ·
Leaders should be able to identify with
subordinated as peers ·
Rapid technological advances- cultural log to
utilize the advances need to have students Cultural Awareness - 26 Dots ·
Relationship building ·
Give students an understanding of world ·
Cultural awareness between teachers and students
who all “other” ·
Involvement in local and global community ·
Engage stakeholders in global conversations with
other cultures to learn from each other ·
Solutions: 1. Create pen-pals in other countries
2. Websites/email/chat with foreign students live under dictatorship countries
3. Teach students about the unfortunate situation of children in other
countries 4. Invite representative of foreign student groups to speak on campus
5. Visit the countries of less fortunate children 6.create a textbook on the
lives of third world children Professional
Development/ Teacher Development - 27 Dots ·
Training ·
Professional development is learning differently ·
Individuals do- pair with each other to learn
new strategies ·
Missing- knowledge of new ways of teaching ·
Teacher internships in business ·
Professional development that is on-going ·
Continue to focus on ways to develop good
teachers ·
Teach adults how to be willing to accept
empowerment ·
Top-down modeling ·
Overcoming barriers bring higher ed teacher prep
programs into 21st century ·
Teacher training that models that “one size does
not fit all” ·
Create teacher candidate residencies in classes
of highly effective teachers known for 21st century skill teaching ·
Must start with the teachers ·
Professional development commit to lifelong
learning ·
Develop appropriate professional learning
programs for educators Partnerships/
Community Involvement - 15 Dots ·
Effectively integrating community based programs
into schools (mentors) ·
Community participation in schools- let students
know what employers expect ·
Higher ed partnering with school districts to
solve problems through data collection, analysis and research. Using college
students in a clinical model and fieldwork based learning. ·
Increase utilization of social workers and
community workers in collaboration with educators ·
Community partnerships are working ·
Invite community members to solution focused
meetings ·
Increase community partnerships ·
Build more business partnerships Student
Curriculum - 18 Dots ·
Reprioritize education goals- career goals.
Focus on students interests, abilities vs. only “college” goals ·
More class time ·
School-wide global awareness projects ·
Use other tools of assessments (e.g. something
different from SOLs) that don’t bog down actual creative teaching- make
classroom learning fascinating not repetitive. ·
Basic computer classes in elementary schools ·
Allow students to “educate” students ·
Development of career pathways ·
Expose our students to the human network by
giving them a chance to interact with others and the world around them
including the use of technology of course but also giving them the chance to
see the outside world physically not only on a screen ·
Continue efforts toward differentiation of
technological learning ·
Distribute lap tops to students ·
Let kids finish course as they learn it and do
something more Critical
Thinking - 10 Dots ·
We need to teach critical thinking skills ·
Focus on lifelong vs. finite/terminal degrees Engagement
of Legislators/ Policy Makers - 9 Dots ·
Work with state legislators and policy makers to
change ideas and needs of schools to prepare students Parents
- 8 Dots ·
Increase parental involvement ·
As individuals- learn what’s new- pay attention
engage in the unknown ·
Encourage parents to keep in touch with teachers
all of time when things are going right or not ·
Telephone call from each teacher to each parent
at the beginning of the year ·
Parent involvement Data
Driven Decision Making - 5 Dots ·
Collection of data- not good at analyzing the
data ·
Missing- assessments that truly measure what’s
important- critical thinking ·
Allow more “independence” for schools Collaboration
- 7 Dots ·
Organizations, educators and community leaders
must be open to what works for individuals ·
Teach openness-be open to new ideas ·
Business leaders to help contribute to school
computers ·
Create action plans centered around skills
needed for success in a society Finance/Budget
- 4 Dots ·
To look at the budget differently ·
Rally public support for our public school
initiatives for 21st century technology External
Resources - 4 Dots ·
Apprentice programs ·
Get rid of textbooks ·
Lap tops to be signed out just like books Character
Development (Soft Skills) - 2 Dots ·
Missing: Soft skills, etc, needed in place?
Early development and continued emphasis ·
What’s needed? Etiquette classes as a “required”
elective Early
Childhood Education - 2 Dots ·
More early childhood education Set
the Stage-Defining ·
Acceptance of change ·
“21st century learning” needs to be
defined so that everyone can understand exactly what it is without
misunderstanding. Misunderstanding=fear=conflict=not productive. Must
understand in order to implement and be successful. ·
Reduce the fear by giving a global definition of
21st century learning Relevance
- 15 Dots ·
Real world education. Relating curriculum to
jobs. ·
Organizations make their needs as employers
known- join the conversation- help shape the education of their future work
force ·
Establish a career emersion program to highlight
career opportunities in a non college career path- i.e. Fire Cadet Program ·
Making teaching relevant to today’s learner.
i.e. technology/flexible schedules ·
What do/will business need? Now and for the next
100 years! Communication
- 11 Dots ·
Explore learning through collaboration with and
without use of technology ·
Effort of teachers/administrators ·
School districts are working together and
sharing ideas ·
Open line of communication parent/teacher ·
Now? Kids can “text” 24/7 and think it is the
best way to communicate ·
Proliferation of virtual schools ·
Communication between the community and school ·
Home visits Appendix D – Crafting
of Recommendations Group A Inventory the technological skills already available in the
division so that you can then identify the gaps. Have students teach the teachers how they use technologies
and how they see these tools used in a classroom. Allow teacher experts to train other teachers so that there
is no additional cost involved in the training.
Also, the business community can provide in kind support by providing
training in these technologies. Group C Cultural Awareness: Build cultural awareness by teaching educators and students
the facts of our global economy/community and infuse relevance into our
instruction. Teach teachers understand how to build their own personal
learning online networks so it can them be disseminated to the students. Teach students how to develop their own personal learning
networks – discriminate information Use current technology to examine current events from
various world perspectives. – ie. Change
up the URLs to see what other countries’ perspectives are about the same issue. Clash of values – disenfranchisement – look beneath the
jacket – from disadvantaged to ‘different” Teach the whole child…. Work on belief systems – can every child learn Group D Leadership network, recognizing leadership qualities community leadership educational leadership Objective Develop leadership network that includes administrators,
teachers, school staff, community and business leaders, and student leaders;
that collaboratively function as professional learning communities to address
and solve barriers to learning Action Steps –
Option I Research current models of PLC’s
and compare information Develop a school and/or district
leadership team Develop a clear communication
system to share information, etc. with all stakeholders Empower leadership team members
and distribute leadership responsibilities Build capacity within the
school/district that encourages and ensures sustainability Action Steps –
Option I Identify the stakeholders in the school community who should
be invited to participate in the network. Identify barriers to the target Empower members of the network to lead data collection
analyze the results to network and all stakeholders Provide recommendations/approaches to solve the problem or
remove the barrier Appendix E – Rebiya
Kadeer Rebiya Kadeer, Chinese
businesswoman and political activist, attended the conference and participants
had a chance to work with her in a small group. Participants interviewed
Kadeer, a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, about her life, which included being tried
and imprisoned in 1999 until 2005 when the United States pressured for her
release. The following are notes from that discussion. Concept: Reform We would die for freedom in China. I think that’s why your people take things
for granted. We take nothing for grant
in my culture. It’s a very unique
culture. We have our own music. In our culture women are trained to cook. We have respect for animals and we have
stories related to these animals imbedded in our culture. The Chinese government could wipe us all out. People would be detained if they learned a
foreign language. By being
multi-cultural students can learn about any cultural. They have the opportunity and privilege. There are less then 1,000 Uyghurs in this
country. The government separated their
people throughout China to keep them from forming strength. Her two sons are in prison because of what
she is doing in this country. All her
grandchildren were kicked out of school.
In China the entire family is punished when one family member does
something wrong. Were you limited because of tracking or because you are a
female? I was limited because of my
families’ social class. The government strips you naked of your freedom, your
religion, your rights to force you to become Chinese. The Chinese government is trying to wipe out
our language. Professors, teachers, professionals were fired and forced to
become janitors or unemployed because they could not speak or teach in Chinese.
How was she able to create a business? When the former Chinese president was in
place he allowed for a few lower class citizens become business owners in an
attempt to become wealthy. Appendix F – Panel
Discussion http://21stcenturylearning.wikispaces.com/NNPS+Symposium
In addition to the facilitated focus groups that addressed
21st Century issues, one group of community leaders also had the
privilege of interviewing a special guest and Nobel Peace Prize
nominee, Rebiya Kadeer. A copy of the transcript of her interview can be found
in Appendix E.
I think, too often, when educators think about 21st-century skills, there is a misconception that these skills area ALL about information technology. This is a huge barrier, because technology should only be used to facilitate critical thinking, creativity, innovation, good written and oral communication, etc. Until teachers recognize that we need to fundamentally think about instruction differently, the status quo will probably remain. I’m not talking about changes in curriculum, I’m talking about the way we teach children – the way we facilitate their learning, instead of imparting knowledge. I’ve frequently used the anecdote that if you are a bad teacher and you get a blog, then you’re a bad teacher with a blog. Technology should be used to enhance teaching and learning – and that teaching and learning should be geared at making students self-directed, autonomous learners.
We need to promote higher order thinking at all levels. My daughter’s experience for homework highlights this. Read what I wrote about it on my blog
The fact of the matter is that education happens beyond the four walls of the classroom. We need to empower teachers to think about providing instruction to their students that breaks down the walls and involves others.
Posted by: Frank LaBanca | February 09, 2009 at 11:48 AM
I must agree with Frank's comment here! It is not that we make technology such a big thing in today's education. No doubt it has to be introduced, however it should be done in a seamless way and not as an overhead to students and more importantly to teachers as well.
The goal I guess should be leverage technology and internet only to make it more fun and create a similar environment as in real life, allow for a good way to collaborate, interact and the biggest adv of technology is it will make it available anytime and easily. One great example is what I've used recently, you can check out here online collaborative learning with flash cards . Will be good to see more of such tools and improved evolution around it.
Posted by: Nicole Huett | August 14, 2009 at 07:28 AM