1. 21st Century Learning
By: Sofia Rehman

2. Imagine it is the year 2053…
• What does the world look like?
• How do relationships, social
life, culture, communication, family life look?
• What does the classroom look like?

3. How would past theorists make of the
future of education?
• Baldwin: would agree that 21st century learning must include the
ideals of Brown vs. Board of Ed. To ensure including all students
regardless of race/socioeconomic background
• Delpit: would acknowledge that this learning can be personalized to
students and relate to particular student interest
• Ravitch: has said herself that we learn more from TV than we do
from textbooks
• Hirsch: would concur that students have the ability to gain more
knowledge: being able to google is no substitute for true
understanding. We should teach and encourage iKids to become
truly global citizens
• Dewey: relate with the idea that we cannot focus on drills, but
rather skills that are individualized for student’s strengths

4. • We cannot deny that as the 21st century progresses, the lives
of the current and future generations are becoming more and
more exposed and focused on the use and reliance of
technology.

5. What is 21st Century Learning?
• “The term ‘21st-century skill’ is generally used to
refer to certain core competencies such as
collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and
problem-solving that advocates believe schools
need to teach to help students thrive in today's
world. In a broader sense, however, the idea of
what learning in the 21st century should look like is
open to interpretation—and controversy.”
• Here are the opinions of current educational theorists on
the subject. It’s interesting to read what some of them
have to say and compare them to some the theorists and
ideas we have read about in this class so far.

6. • Regardless of what our individual opinions
are, we must acknowledge students today think
differently than we, or past generations do. Their
minds work in a new way.
• Prensky brings up how “Digital Immigrants” are
faced with the problem of teaching “Digital
Natives”
• As teachers, we must find a way to fuse teaching
both “Legacy and Future content”
• We must find ways to engage students to learn
about old and new subject matter in the language
they know best

7. If we do open our minds and our teaching
strategies to engage current students (as
Prensky says we must), how will we implement
them in the classroom?
• Tony Wagner lists the skills our classrooms should
incorporate in his book, The Global Achievement Gap.
They include:
 Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
 Collaboration across Networks and Leading by
Influence
 Agility and Adaptability
 Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
 Effective Oral and Written Communication
 Accessing and Analyzing Information
Curiosity and Imagination

8. 20th Century 21st Century
Classroom Classroom
Time based Outcome based
Focus: memorization of detached Focus: what students know and can do
facts
Textbook driven Research-driven
Passive Learning Active Learning
Students more isolated: work only in Learners work collaboratively with peers
classroom and others around the world: Global
Classroom
Teacher Centered Student Centered
Little/No student freedom A lot of student freedom
Curriculum is Integrated and interdisciplinary curriculum
irrelevant/meaningless to students
Print is primary tool for knowledge Multiple forms of media are used for
and assessment learning and assessment
Diversity in students is ignored Curriculum and instruction address and
implement student diversity
Literacy is the three R’s: reading, Multiple literacies of 21st century: related
writing, arithmetic to living and working in a new millennium

9. Different Organizations are Focused on Creating
and Implementing 21st Century Learning…
• P21 : “Developing a vision for student success in the new
global economy”

10. • NCT: National Council of Teachers of
English
• Created framework and definitions of
21st Century Literacies

11. • IRA: International Reading Association
• Position Statement expresses the value of
being proficient in 21st Century Learning

12. The Controversy with the new
Technology Wave
• How can we address issues like:
• Using phones or computers to cheat on exams
• Sexting
• Cyber Bullying
• Reading books, newspapers, and other paper
literature and keeping these materials in schools

13. Fun ways we can engage our
students today…
• Digital Books/Trailers!
• Using iPads in the classroom (there’s an App
for that)
• Interactive powerpoints, emails, discussion
forums
• Dr. Michael Wesch discusses the
beauty, power, and resourcefulness of
YouTube where we can learn and teach almost
anything

14. The MacArthur Foundation supports
creative individuals and institutions
dedicated to building a more peaceful
world.
They also work on understanding how
technology affects children and our
society
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0xa98cy-Rw

15. • Each of us is currently using 21st Century learning and
practices simply by being an activ member of an online class.
• Imagine how our schedules and lives would be affected had
we taken this class in the classroom 15 or even 10 years ago.
• Life is changing, technology is spreading, take advantage of it
for the benefit of the futures of our students

16. References
Digital booktalk. (2002-2012). Informally published manuscript, Florida Gulf Coast
University, Retrieved from http://digitalbooktalk.com/?page_id=6
How do you define 21st century learning?. (2010, October 11). Retrieved from
http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2010/10/12/01panel.h04.html
Macarthur foundation. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.macfound.org/ about/
New literacies and 21st-century technologies. (2009). Retrieved from http://
www.reading.org/General/AboutIRA/PositionStatements/
21stCenturyLiteracies.aspx
Partnership for 21st century skills. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants.On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.
Retrieved from http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky - Digital
Natives, Digital Immigrants - Part1.pdf
The ncte definition of 21st century literacies. (2013, February 11). Retrieved from
http://www.ncte.org/positions/statements/21stcentdefinition
What is 21st century education?. (2008, August). Retrieved from http://www.
21stcenturyschools.com/what_is_21st_century_education.htm