From Students to Learners: New Learning Environments for 21st Century Learners

Bob Pearlman
bobpearlman@mindspring.com http://www.bobpearlman.org

PowerPoint Slides at http://www.bobpearlman.org/techlearn.htm

Assessment of 21st Century Skills

Partnership for 21st Century Skills http://www.21stcenturyskills.org

21ST CENTURY SKILLS DEFINED

LEARNING & INNOVATION Creativity & Innovation Critical Thinking & Problemsolving Communication & Collaboration LIFE & CAREER Flexibility & Adaptability Initiative & Self-direction Social & Cross-cultural Skills Productivity & Accountability Leadership & Responsibility

INFORMATION & TECHNOLOGY Information Literacy Media Literacy ICT Literacy

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org

New Technology HS

LEARNING OUTCOMES
Sacramento 10 Learning Outcomes:
1. Content Proficient

2. Able to Write Proficiently

3. Orally Proficient 4. Able to Think Critically 5. Technologically Proficient

Napa 8 Learning Outcomes Technology Literacy Collaboration Critical Thinking Oral Communication Written Communication Career Preparation

6. Able to Collaborate
7. Prepared for a Career 8. Solid Citizens with Ethical Behavior 9. Able to Analyze and deal with Data

10. Possessing a solid Work Ethic

Citizenship and Ethics

Curricular Literacy (Content Standards)

What learning curricula, activities, and experiences, foster 21st Century learning? And what does schooling look like?

"What is Manor New Tech?" video -- In their own words, Manor New Tech (Manor, TX) students explain what MNTHS is to them. This video features footage of what is happening on campus every day. Presented by students at the Texas Computer Educators Conference, February 4, 2008.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-klc2KijMG8

Manor New Technology High School, Manor, TX

Figure 1. World GeoLit Integrated class at Manor New Technology High School, Manor, TX. Photo by Les Simpson.

At the core is a student centered, project and problem based teaching strategy that is tied to both content standards and school wide learning outcomes.

Project- and Problem-Based Learning Keys to 21st Century Learning

NTHS teachers start each unit by throwing students into a realistic or real-world project that both engages interest and generates a list of things the student need to know. Projects are designed to tackle complex problems, requiring critical thinking. New Techs strategy is simple:

To learn collaboration, work in teams. To learn critical thinking, take on complex problems. To learn oral communication, present. To learn written communication, write. To learn technology, use technology. To develop citizenship, take on civic and global issues. To learn about careers, do internships. To learn content, research and do all of the above.

Each unit begins when students are presented with a complex, standards-based problem

Students form a team, develop a work contract and build a work plan

Students get to work!

Students are provided an online briefcase specific to the project with information, resources, links and assessment criteria that help guide them.

Students Need To Know

Student questions and need to knows drive classroom lectures and activities. Sometimes for the whole class sometime for just one student

Students experiment and apply learning

Students test their ideas and experiment to find solutions and breakthroughs while receiving ongoing feedback from instructors.

Students get back to work!

Students work and collaborate in a business-like environment, where they know their deliverables and have the technology tools to do their jobs.

Students prepare to present

Students work on building presentations to represent their work and defend their solutions

Students present their solutions!

Students present ideas through debates, skits, panels, presentations, etc where their work is evaluated by peers, teachers, parents, and community

Napa New Technology High School Segment 2

The New Language of School Design

"Classrooms are out! No more classrooms! Dont build them!"
-- Roger Schank, Institute for Learning Sciences

Columbus Signature Academy, Columbus, IN

Figure 2: Learning Studio for integrated interdisciplinary class at Columbus Signature Academy, Columbus, IN. Figure 2: Learning Studio for integrated interdisciplinary class at Columbus Signature Academy

Primary Student Work Area Presentation Space Large Group Space Extended Learning Spaces Specialty Labs Furniture

Columbus Signature Academy Learning Studio

Presentation Room Multi-Purpose Room Breakout Area Project Conference Room Graphic Media Lab, Science Rolling Tables and Chairs; Flip-up tables

New Tech High @ Coppell, Coppell, TX

Figure 4. Student project teams at work in double-sized classroom at New Tech High @ Coppell, Coppell, TX. Photo by Kate Jenkins.

Figure 6. Student collaborative project teams working in the digital media library and in the corridor, some of the many extended learning spaces at New Tech High @ Coppell, Coppell, TX. Photos by SHW Group, Plano, TX.

Primary Student Work Area

New Tech High @ Coppell Dual subject matter Learning Environment

Presentation Space
Large Group Space

Extended Learning Spaces

Specialty Labs Furniture

Large Multi-Group Collaboration Zones Large Multi-Group Collaboration Zones Corridor Alcoves Project Planning Rooms Media Library Outdoor Benches Science
Mix and match tables; office chairs; lounge chairs and sofas in Extended Learning Spaces

The Met, Providence, RI

Figure 7: Students in advisory room at the Met, Providence, RI.

Figure 8: Floorplan of Met East, Providence, RI, showing advisory rooms, project labs, and commons area.

The Met
Primary Student Work Area Advisory/ Project Room

Presentation Space Large Group Space Extended Learning Spaces

Specialty Labs Furniture

Commons Commons Conference Rooms, Meeting Rooms, Commons Fabrication Soft, cushioned seats, contour chairs, flexible tables

High Tech High, San Diego, CA.

Figure 9: Cluster area studio surrounded by four flexible classrooms at High Tech High, San Diego, CA.

High Tech High Primary Student Work Clustered classroom/ common Area studio

Presentation Space Large Group Space Extended Learning Spaces

Specialty Labs

Furniture

Commons Commons Small and large conference rooms, Common studios, Commons BioTech, Engineering, Art, Music, Multimedia, Digital Arts Benches in Extended Learning Spaces

New Line Learning Academy, Maidstone, Kent, England

Figure 10: Learning Plaza prototype at New Line Learning Academy, Maidstone, Kent, England, shows Learning Plaza divided in multiple ways for large group, small group, and individual learning.

Figure 11: Ground Floor, Learning Plaza prototype at New Line Learning Academy, Maidstone, Kent, England.

Figure 12: Mezzanine,Learning Plaza prototype at New Line Learning Academy, Maidstone, Kent, England.

New Line Learning Academy Primary Student Work Learning Plaza Area Presentation Space Learning Plaza Large Group Space Learning Plaza Extended Learning Learning Plaza watering Spaces holes and caves Specialty Labs Art, Technology, Science Furniture Modular tables and mobile lecture style amphitheater seating

Columbus Signature Academy Primary Student Work Area Presentation Space Learning Studio

New Tech High @ Coppell Dual subject matter Learning Environment Large MultiGroup Collaboration Zones Large MultiGroup Collaboration Zones Corridor Alcoves Project Planning Rooms Media Library Outdoor Benches

The Met

High Tech High Clustered classroom/ common studio Commons

New Line Learning Academy Learning Plaza

Advisory/ Project Room Commons

Presentation Room

Learning Plaza

Large Group Space Extended Learning Spaces

MultiPurpose Room Breakout Area Project Conference Room

Commons

Commons

Learning Plaza

Conference Rooms, Meeting Rooms, Commons

Small and large conference rooms, Common studios, Commons

Learning Plaza watering holes and caves

Specialty Labs

Graphic Media Lab, Science

Science

Fabrication

BioTech, Engineering, Art, Music, Multimedia, Digital Arts

Benches in Extended Learning Spaces

Art, Technology, Science

Furniture

Rolling Tables and Chairs; Flipup tables

Mix and match tables; office chairs; lounge chairs and sofas in Extended Learning Spaces

Soft, cushioned seats, contour chairs, flexible tables

Modular tables and mobile lecture style amphitheater seating

Some Cautionary Tales:

Its about a lot more than design and technology

UK Open Learning Environments 1970s Massachusetts New High Schools, mid1990s NW England new Learning Centres

Are the teachers ready to teach in the new learning environments?

Old PD Model

Teachers

Training 1

Training 2

New Tech PD Model

Coach NTF Advocate

Teachers

Shadowing

Training

Critical Friends

Meeting of Minds

All Schools Conf

Professional Learning Community

Putting it all together

Learning spaces and environment Technology PBL Assessment for Learning

Contact Information

Bob Pearlman
21st Century School Development Consultant bobpearlman@mindspring.com www.bobpearlman.org 520-881-9965

PowerPoint Slides at www.bobpearlman.org/techlearn.htm