SAS Civics SAS Civics and the Civic and the Civic

Mission of Mission of SchoolsSchoolsMarch 19, 2010March 19, 2010

PATTAN-HarrisburgPATTAN-HarrisburgKen Britcher, Middletown Area Middle SchoolKen Britcher, Middletown Area Middle School

Sally Flaherty, IU 6Sally Flaherty, IU 6Kevin Little, Middletown Area Middle SchoolKevin Little, Middletown Area Middle School

Beth Specker, Office of the First Lady of PennsylvaniaBeth Specker, Office of the First Lady of PennsylvaniaJeff Zeiders, Pennsylvania Dept. of EducationJeff Zeiders, Pennsylvania Dept. of Education

The Big IdeasThe Big Ideas The World is Changing……The World is Changing……

Technological innovation shakes the institutions Technological innovation shakes the institutions of society to their roots, with advantageous and of society to their roots, with advantageous and disastrous consequences.disastrous consequences.

The choices we make, whether as consumers or The choices we make, whether as consumers or as citizens active in politics, impact people around as citizens active in politics, impact people around the globe.the globe.

The rapid pace of technological change has The rapid pace of technological change has established unprecedented economic, political, established unprecedented economic, political, and cultural interdependence among nations and and cultural interdependence among nations and individuals.individuals.

Please Break into Groups Please Break into Groups of 6-8 people of 6-8 people

1. How are you accessing the 1. How are you accessing the world in 2010?world in 2010?

2. How did you access the world 2. How did you access the world when you were 20?when you were 20?

3. How do you think you will 3. How do you think you will access the world in 20 more years?access the world in 20 more years?

What sort of world awaits our students?

FACING REALITYFACING REALITY

The journey of a thousand miles sometimes ends very, very badly.

Reality Check #1:Reality Check #1:

180,000 college students in 180,000 college students in the U.S. never graduated the U.S. never graduated

from high school.from high school.

Reality Check # 2:Reality Check # 2:

When schools are irrelevant, other When schools are irrelevant, other institutions find alternatives and institutions find alternatives and ways around them.ways around them.

Ever wonder about the growth of Ever wonder about the growth of private/cyber/charter/home schools?private/cyber/charter/home schools?

Reality Check #3:Reality Check #3:

Technology is NOT THE ANSWER. Technology is NOT THE ANSWER.

EDUCATION IS THE ANSWER.EDUCATION IS THE ANSWER.

Technology is a valuable tool in the Technology is a valuable tool in the process of education.process of education.

The Unflat SchoolThe Unflat School

1. IRRELEVANCY1. IRRELEVANCY

Features a Features a content-based content-based curriculum for an curriculum for an Industrial Age on Industrial Age on the calendar of the the calendar of the Agricultural Age Agricultural Age and is expected to and is expected to develop student develop student skills for the skills for the Digital AgeDigital Age

2. “Learning” takes place in 2. “Learning” takes place in a vertical command a vertical command

structurestructure

3. Unflat Experiences and 3. Unflat Experiences and Unrealistic AssessmentsUnrealistic Assessments

“Oh NO! Death by Worksheet!”

FYou’ll have to do better on

next one!

4. Irrelevancy=high dropout rate with subsequent social issues…

National rate is 27%

PA rate is 25%

Philadelphia (City of) 33%

City of Detroit Public Schools 75%

What skills and knowledge do our What skills and knowledge do our students need to even have a chance students need to even have a chance at successfully adapting to the world at successfully adapting to the world in which we live?in which we live?

In a flat world, student learning has evolved In a flat world, student learning has evolved

to include to include accessing and accessing and processingprocessing the continually expanding the continually expanding body of knowledge and information with body of knowledge and information with which we live. Students’ application of this which we live. Students’ application of this exponential information will require exponential information will require technical and creative skills that are beyond technical and creative skills that are beyond the survival level.the survival level.

WHAT SKILLS DO STUDENTS

REQUIRE TO EVEN HAVE A

CHANCE?

THINK THINK (collaborate with one (collaborate with one another and reflect individually)another and reflect individually)

CREATE CREATE (bring new knowledge, (bring new knowledge, ideas, and skills into being)ideas, and skills into being)

INNOVATEINNOVATE (reform and recreate (reform and recreate institutions, technology, systems and institutions, technology, systems and

schemes for solving problems)schemes for solving problems)

Steps for EducatorsSteps for Educators

1. ESTABLISH RELEVANCE1. ESTABLISH RELEVANCE

““Never place into the Never place into the hands of a child a book hands of a child a book

which you do not which you do not treasure.”treasure.”

David McCullough, Pennsylvania native

2. Develop Learning 2. Develop Learning Experiences Experiences thatthat allow for allow for

failure, success, and failure, success, and learninglearning

3.3. Authentic AssessmentAuthentic Assessment(solves a problem, addresses an (solves a problem, addresses an issue, allows students to issue, allows students to collaborate and demonstrate use collaborate and demonstrate use of tools and resources)of tools and resources)

4. Students Learn to use 214. Students Learn to use 21stst Century Skills in a Flat WorldCentury Skills in a Flat World