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Team Reflections on 21st Century Skills and Resources
The team explored the different parts of the framework below and posted a reflection on what they learned and resources they found. [|Click for more information about 21st Century Skills.]

 I looked into the professional development component of the framework. To address the full range of skills needed to be developed, and to build teams, we need to focus our attention on 4 of the 9 items on the PD list:

1. getting behind the buzzwords - what are 21st century skills? (and how do we manage the integration and balance the take out/add dilemma) 2. using and developing formative assessments that support student-centered learning 3. find scalable and sustainable workshop, classes (Video on demand, online classes) and maybe most importantly, 4. create a community of learners by encouraging, dare I say demanding, knowledge sharing!

Big picture of 21st century PD: [|http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/index.php?option=com_content&t...]

PD resources to browse: [|http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/index.php?option=com_jlibr...]

PD is not about teaching skills - it is about shifting a mindset. It happens slowly, by reading, reflecting, and discussing. It is about school reform. I found a video on demand series at the Annenberg Media Center's study of Critical Issues in School Reform on Innovations in Professional Collaboration: A Community of Learners that looks interesting - anybody want to get some popcorn and check it out with me?

 I looked into the Information, Media, and Technology Skills piece of the framework. This section encompasses Information Literacy, Media Literacy, and Information, Communications, & Technology (ICT) Literacy. A really great resource I found was http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/21stcent/index.html. This website includes Filamentality which is a great tool for guiding you through creating a web-based activity.

Also, check out [|http://www.edutopia.org/beginning-journey-five-year-olds-drive-thei...] which is a video about kindergarten students engaged in project based learning. I LOVED this video.

There is a huge shift that needs to happen where we need to stop focusing on the tool and instead focus on how the tool can help, enrich, and/or extend the curriculum.

 I chose to examine the life and career skills our students will need to excel in a 21st Century workplace. These skills are flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self direction, social and cross-cultural skills, productivity and accountability, and leadership and responsibility. As I read through the description of the skills, I thought of how many of these skills could be learned through collaborative, project based learning and how few (almost none) through a teacher centered classroom.

Some resources I found helpful were: Intel Education: Designing Effective Projects http://educate.intel.com/en/projectdesign

Intel Education: Assessing Effective Projects http://educate.intel.com/en/AssessingProjects

After seeing Ian Jukes speak last week, the need for flexibility was the one skill that I kept coming back to. I have been wondering how we can further develop this skill in our students.

 I reviewed the Learning and Innovation component of the framework. I'm realizing that much of this, at least for our school, must begin with professional development.

The Learning and Innovation section of the 21st century learning framework includes three skill areas: Creativity and Innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, and Communication and Collaboration.

Creativity and Innovation • Demonstrating originality and inventiveness in work • Developing, implementing, and communicating new ideas to others • Being open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives • Acting on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution to the domain in which the innovation occurs

In exploring the links attached to this particular area of skills, I was struck by the emphasis on professional development and building professional capacity to address these skills. I found some excellent resources at the Alabama Best Practices Center, including a Self Assessment of Your School’s Professional Development: Rubric for A Powerful Conversation, which provides an excellent starting point for aligning curriculum initiatives with professional development.

http://bestpracticescenter.org/21stcentury.htm (Alabama Best Practices Center)

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving • Exercising sound reasoning in understanding • Making complex choices and decisions • Understanding the interconnections among systems • Identifying and asking significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions • Framing, analyzing, and synthesizing information in order to solve problems and ask questions

The additional resources that I reviewed caused me to wonder about what kinds of projects and learning environments will promote the teaching of these skills. My realization is that the constructivist, problem-based classroom is the best way to go. That would mean even more professional development for our faculty! Of particular interest is the 21st century learning rubric on critical and creative thinking (below.)

[|http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/index.php?option=com_jlibr...] (Catalina Foothills Critical Thinking Rubrics)

http://www.cae.org/content/pro_collegework.htm (Standardized test for critical thinking)

Communication and Collaboration • Articulating thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively through speaking and writing • Demonstrating ability to work effectively with diverse teams • Exercising flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal • Assuming shared responsibility for collaborative work

My experience in drilling into the areas of collaboration and communication was a frustrating one. I found some really interesting links to information that I found useful, but overall, I’m more taken with something I found when I was searching for a rubric for collaboration and came upon this: http://www.ehow.com/how_2060519_develop-collaboration-skills.html. It provides 6 steps to collaboration. Here are some others that I found that provided food for thought.

http://www.cilc.org/c/education/Students_Community_Content.aspx (Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration)

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