transforming schools for the 21st century

8/3/2019 Transforming Schools for the 21st Century

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Transforming Schools for the 21st Century

By Dr. Joanne Hopper and James Seaman

Part I: A World in FluxThe term 21st century learning is used frequently to represent the

current approach to educational reform. The term generally describes

education that is among many things learner-centered, inquiry-based,

technology-rich, interdisciplinary, collaborative, and personalized. Many

of these concepts however, are not new. These approaches to learning

are rooted in constructivist theory which was formalized in the early part

of the 20th century. So why do we need 21st century learning now? Themain reason is a shift in context. The world into which students will enter

is a much different place. It is a technology-driven global playing field

and it is highly competitive.

The rate of change in the world is exponential; it is constantly

accelerating. Change is happening so fast now that young people entering

the workplace need to be prepared for a world in flux. Strategizing

education is no longer about figuring out what the next trends are going

to be and preparing students for them; its about preparing students for

the unknown, the unpredictable. Its about teaching students to become

agile and lifelong learners so they have the skills to adapt to change.

The Future of Work is Now

The workplace is already adapting in response to these global,

technological, and societal changes. By breaking down traditional

structures, companies are positioning themselves to succeed in this new

arena. Google, for example, views their employees as their most valued

asset. They realize that by empowering employees to choose how they

will contribute to the larger whole motivates them to be more innovative


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and productive. Google allows their engineers to spend twenty percent of

their time working on self-selected projects (Mediratta, 2007). They use

this time to develop something new or to fix things that are broken.

Individual freedom requires employees to be self-directed and self-

motivated. IDEO, a company whose focus is to help other companies

innovate, has created a culture around teamwork and collaboration. They

put together interdisciplinary teams to solve problems and find innovative

solutions through a process that encourages exploring wild ideas (Kelley,

2001). Employees at IDEO must be agile, able to quickly adapt to

different working arrangements and collaborate with others.

Part II: What Needs to Change?

If schools are to keep pace with exponential change, neither classrooms

nor the learning that takes place therein can remain static. What

transformations are critical? Driven by globalization and the speed of

change, schools in Michigan and across the nation are responding to

factors that can be perceived as both threats and challenges. These

include the national movement to Common Core State Standards,

national and state policies aimed at infusing technology and global

learning experiences, and disruptive innovation pushing us to online and

blended learning environments.

The Curriculum

In order to assure students are prepared for the world they encounter

upon graduation, significant curriculum changes are necessary asevidenced by the Common Core State Standards. The purpose of

adopting a common set of curriculum standards is, at least in part, to

assure that every child no matter what his or her zip code will have

access to learning that prepares him for productive citizenship. The


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adoption of the Common Core is not about adding to what is currently

being taught, but rather about approaching instruction differently.

Students must be prepared to gather, understand, evaluate and

synthesize information; conduct original research in order to answer

questions or solve problems; and analyze and create text.

The Learning Environment

Accomplishing the Common Core and preparing students for success in

the 21st century also requires a shift in the learning environment to one

which fosters student experimentation, exploration and peer interaction.

Offering students choice and autonomy in learning within an environmentthat meets individual students needs must be a priority. Most schools

today however, are still based on an outdated 20th century model.

Twentieth century education is teacher-centered. A typical school is

arranged with identical classrooms aligned along a corridor. The focus of

the classroom is the teaching wall with the teacher standing at the front

presenting lessons to 25-30 students. Subjects are compartmentalized

and students move from subject to subject at the ring of the bell.

In contrast, teachers in a collaborative learning culture must be willing to

be learners as well as guides of the learning. Rather than a single

classroom serving as the individual organizing unit, a learning community

extends to involve 4-6 teachers and 100-150 students. Beyond the

physical layout, students and teachers in a learning community work

together to enhance and amplify each others learning.

It is possible for this type of learning to occur in existing buildings, but at

some point the building gets in the way. The architecture eventually

impacts a learning communitys organization. Yet, existing buildings can


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be transformed with creative solutions that are shaped by a vision for the

future of learning.

A Blended Option: Integrating Bricks and Mortar with Online

In their book, Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change

the Way the World Learns, Christensen, Horn, and Johnson (2008) assert

that online and blended learning are creating disruptive innovation that

will impact Michigan and the nation. Stacker chronicles 40 schools that

have successfully blended bricks and mortar with online learning in The

Rise of K-12 Blended Learning: Profiles of Emerging Models (2011).

Beyond reform, Online learning has the potential to be a disruptive force

that will transform the factory-like, monolithic structure that has

dominated Americas schools into a new model that is student-centric,

highly personalized for each learner, and more productive (Stacker,

2011, p. 3).

At St. Clair County RESA, a multi-disciplinary team created a blended

learning continuum depicting the instructional transformation that occurs

when schools move from traditional, face-to-face classroom instruction in

a bricks-and-mortar environment to a blended learning classroom that is

accessible 24/7/365. [See Insert] In Stage 1 of the continuum, a teacher

serves the main dispenser of knowledge. Students primarily sit in straight

rows, often passively absorbing the information conveyed. Three stages

from this is the blended learning environment wherein the teacher serves

as lead learner and mentor for students who are actively engaged in

learning, both face-to-face and online. Students use Web 2.0 tools and

technology to research, design, create and demonstrate their

understanding.


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Part III: Navigating a World of Change

Schools wont get there using the same instructional methodologies that

permeated classrooms in the past. New models of learning, driven by

disruptive innovation, result in shifts from face-to-face instruction as the

primary delivery method, toward blended models where teachers and

students engage in learning in the nearly now (Heppell, 2008). The role

of the superintendent as a leader in this transformation is critical. The

superintendent must be a framer of the vision for the district, as well as a

leader in progress toward the vision. A skill set that equips the

superintendent to be a savvy manager of change is also critical.

Risk-Taking

A critical trait in keeping pace with the rapid changes occurring is risk

taking. To take schools as far as they need to go, superintendents must

be willing to lead at the edge of possibilities. Schools and more

importantly, the students they serve cant wait for others to test the

ideas. Superintendents have to take bold steps to expect change in

practice, and measurement of what works. To be an innovator and assure

students are learning to their potential, superintendents must know what

is available in terms of tools and the targets. Few are out front leading.


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Students and teachers working together in a learning community.

Embracing Learning

The challenge for superintendents: Leading schools that dont just tinker

around the edges with change, but rather create the kind of wholesale

change necessary to propel 21st century learning. No one tool or platform

will provide the answer or the best way to move forward. Savvy

superintendents see themselves as lead learners, extending their reach to

include a network of experts beyond education. Seize the opportunity to

engage with business leaders. Connect with school facility designers. Tap

into PLNs (Professional Learning Networks) that exist online through

LinkedIn, MACUL, CoSN (Consortium of School Networks), ISTE

(International Society for Technology in Education). Work to involve all

decision makers in the discussions about learning. Learn together about

the future landscape and create the conditions to make it happen for

students.

transforming schools for the 21st century

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