Collaboration among all education stakeholders, including researchers, entrepreneurs, community

members, and educators, is needed to alter traditional teaching and learning processes and successfully
meet these challenges. The following sections explain each challenge in greater depth, to provide all
stakeholders with the background needed to find innovative solutions.

Challenge 1: Creating opportunities for authentic learning

What is it?

We use the term authentic learning to describe approaches that encourage students to learn through
hands-on, collaborative projects that address “real” problems relevant to their lives. Challenge-based,
problem-based, project-based, and civic learning through community engagement are approaches that
share a common interest in authentic learning.

Why is this important?

Students who participate in guided collaborative projects improve critical thinking and social skills
needed for college and careers (P21, 2015). Further, authentic learning has the potential to make
students more engaged. This is important, as students who are not engaged in learning are more likely
to drop out of school (APA, 2012).

Why is this so challenging?

“The most challenging thing about implementing challenge-based learning in schools is changing the
mindset of students and teachers,” says Dawn Hennessy, Technology, Design, Innovation and Robotics
teacher at Carroll Magnet Middle School in North Carolina’s Wake County Public School System. She
says students must learn the process for problem solving, which requires more time asking questions
before jumping to solutions. On the other hand, teachers must empower students to be “completely in
charge of how they learn the standards.”

Yet, Hennessy says support from administration has made it easier for her to implement a challenge
based learning approach. “Once I realized that I had full support, and didn’t need to fear making
mistakes, I felt completely safe to try it,” she adds.

Challenge 2: Supporting students’ non-cognitive and social-emotional skill development

What is it?

Non-cognitive skills are the behaviors, qualities, and skills that help students to be successful in school
and life – and these are not connected directly to a subject or content area. According to researchers at
the University of Chicago, non-cognitive skills include “academic behaviors, academic perseverance,
academic mindsets, learning strategies, and social skills.” Mainstream media often describe specific
student qualities or behaviors, such as “persistence, self-discipline, focus, confidence, teamwork,
organization, seeking help, and staying on task” (U.S. News & World Report, 2015).

Social-emotional learning is a child’s ability to experience, manage, and express emotions; develop close
relationships with others; and actively explore his or her environment and learn (American Academy of
Pediatrics).

Why is this important?

University of Chicago researchers analyzed programs designed to improve students’ non-cognitive skills,
and concluded that this training improves students’ academic performance and reduces racial/ethnic
and gender performance gaps. Additionally, Durlak, Weissberg, Dymnicki, Taylor, & Schellinger (2011)
found that participants in school-based social-emotional development programs improved their
attitudes, behaviors, and academic performance.

Why is this so challenging?

Dawn Martesi, an instructional coach at Armstrong Middle School in Levittown, Pennsylvania, says
supporting students’ non-cognitive development is challenging because it requires teachers to adopt a
new mindset, different from the traditional view of teachers as content experts. To best support
students’ non-cognitive skills, she says teachers must begin to see students as teachers, and “provide
student-driven lessons that enable students to take the lead role in learning.”

Martesi says students on the school’s tech team build non-cognitive skills, including confidence and
social skills, as they support both teachers and peers in implementing technology in the classroom. She
explains, “We have a diverse group of learners, and this allows everyone on the team to collaborate and
learn from one another.”

Challenge 3: Fostering deeper learning

What is it?

Deeper learning encompasses the skills, understandings, and mindsets students need to succeed in
college and career. This includes non-cognitive skills such as self-discipline and collaboration, as well as
academic knowledge and critical thinking (Hewlett Foundation). Further, deeper learning develops
students’ creativity and innovation, and information and technology literacy necessary to thrive in a
digital world (P21).

Why is this important?

An American Institute for Research (AIR) study found that students enrolled in deeper learning programs
improved their problem-solving skills, were more likely to graduate on time, and advanced more quickly
in interpersonal and intrapersonal skills than students in other programs.

Deeper learning is also crucial for the health of our society and economy. Employers want employees
who are able to communicate effectively and work in teams (NACE, 2015). Even more important:
students will face extremely complex problems as they enter the workforce, such as rapid climate
change and poverty. They will need to work collaboratively and apply knowledge in new ways to
develop innovative solutions (Hewlett Foundation).

Why is this so challenging?

At Rancho Minerva Middle School in Vista Unified School District, Principal Ben Gaines says students use
technology to develop deeper learning skills such as collaboration and communication as they connect
with people across the globe. The most difficult part of implementing deeper learning, according to
Gaines, is “moving teachers from the traditional setting to expanding their classrooms beyond what they
are comfortable with. It takes time, strategy, and rethinking professional development.”
Similarly, Theresa Ewald, Assistant Superintendent of Kettle Moraine School District, says, “For some of
our teachers, the strategies may be a very new way of thinking about learners and the classroom
environment,” which requires them to take risks in their teaching. While this shift is difficult, Ewald
adds, “It is a paradigm shift we continue to address, as we know real change and growth happens when
mistakes and reflection lead us to answers.”

Challenge 4: Supporting students’ ability to solve real world math problems

What is it?

Mathematical concepts and problem solving skills are essential for success in everyday life, including for
understanding finances, politics, social relationships, and the arts (NCTM). In order to successfully solve
real-world math problems, students need to apply basic math concepts to new challenges.

Why is this important?

The new Common Core standards for math, as well as other college and career-ready standards, require
students to develop real-world math skills. Specifically, students develop conceptual understanding, or a
deep understanding of how math “works,” and then learn to apply concepts when faced with new or
different problems. Simply memorizing math equations and solutions is no longer sufficient.

The ability to apply math concepts to real-world situations is also essential for success in STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering and Math) careers. The U.S. Department of Education named STEM education
a priority due to the high demand for graduates with these skills, and the importance of these skills for
tackling challenging world problems. Many school districts across the country now provide STEM
curricula at all grade levels.

Why is this so challenging?

Ayanna Ramsey, math teacher at Chute Middle School in Evanston-Skokie Community Consolidated
School District #65, says it is difficult to fully adopt real-world math because it requires a “complete
redesign of what learning looks like.” Teachers, schools and districts must take a huge risk to move
outside the current structure based on set math textbooks and standardized tests. Also, it is time-
consuming to recruit community partners for real-world projects. Despite these challenges, she and her
colleagues regularly assign students real-world math projects such as researching college fees and
tuition costs in order to learn about exponential growth.

Next Steps: Share Your Innovative Solutions

To spur innovation and address education’s most pressing challenges, researchers, entrepreneurs, and
community members must partner with educators to find solutions. In the coming months, we will
launch new projects to directly address these four challenges, and want to highlight stories of others
doing the same.

Educators: How are you tackling these challenges in your classrooms?

Developers: How could technology address these challenges?
Researchers: How can we measure progress in meeting these challenges?