21st+Century+Skills-Comparison

Vision Statement DRAFT
== //**How Do We Plan to Close the Gap? 21st ****Century Student Learning & Life **// == On February 10, 2010, at a specially called session of the Board of Trustees concerning the topic of 21st Century Education, the Board overwhelmingly voted to charge the school administration and faculty with continuing to explore and develop Westminster’s strategies for 21st Century teaching and learning.
 * ** Figure 12 Results from February 10, 2010 Board Meeting Quick Poll ** ||

In order to fulfill such a strong charge, the self-study sub-committee for 21st Century Student Learning and Life recommends utilizing another tool from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills - The MILE Guide (Milestones for Improving Learning & Education). Aligned with the 21st Century Framework (the “rainbow” and the “ripples”), the MILE Guide provides a navigational system by which Westminster could further examine and study itself as an educational community moving forward in terms of what students most need in this century. More than anything else, this current self-study process revealed to the sub-committee for 21st Century Student Learning and Life a compelling need to further educate the various constituencies of our community about what is meant by “21st Century teaching and learning” and why it is good for students. Additionally, the study exposed a desire for our school to gain a better understanding of how we measure up relative to a standard or benchmark of 21st Century teaching and learning and how we can grow as a community of learners. More specifically, then, we recommend a concise set of action steps that fit into two primary categories, which grow naturally out of the structure used in this report: 1) 21st Century Teaching and Learning – Defining More Precisely What “It” Is and Why “It” Is Good for Students, and 2) 21st Century Teaching and Learning – Creating a Plan for Faculty Assessment and Professional Development. //21st Century Teaching and Learning – Defining More Precisely What “It” Is and Why “It” Is Good for Students // //21st Century Teaching and Learning – Creating a Plan for Faculty Assessment and Professional Development // · Leverage the Faculty Assessment and Annual Review Plan to promote faculty learning and development in 21st Century teaching and learning. Use the Goals and Self-Assessment, Peer Observations, Administrative Feedback, etc. to align teaching practices with Westminster’s strategic vision for 21st Century education. · Utilize platforms such as Professional Learning Communities and Critical Friends Circles to facilitate more time for teachers to work together for innovative learning and planning of 21st Century methods. · Strategically plan for large-scale and small-group professional development opportunities in 21st Century education, including better use of existing faculty meetings, conference attendances, etc. o Example of related work: Faculty Summer Reading List 2010 includes books focused on the topics of 21st Century Student Learning and Life. Faculty Forum 2010 will provide various opportunities to continue defining a common vocabulary and set of values for 21st Century Student Learning and Life. · Research what other schools are doing. o Example of related work: Ask our college counselors to gather information from admissions offices pertaining to how colleges weigh/interpret "non-traditional" coursework & assessment. o Visit other schools, similar to Westminster, in order to observe how they are preparing their students for life in a less traditional manner and preparing them for colleges that may or may not be continuing with traditional approaches.
 * Select a standing committee for 21st Century Student Learning and Life that coordinates with the school administration, the strategic planning committee, the education and student life committee, the academic leadership team(s), the division guidance committees, PAWS, the department for marketing and communications, etc. to outline a systematic educational plan for our community to learn more deeply about the area of 21st Century Student Learning and Life. Develop a concise vision statement for 21st Century Student Learning and Life at Westminster. Formulate a plan for using the MILE Guide as a navigational tool.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Example of related work: The committee should coordinate the continuing development of the 21st Century Exemplars as an online resource for Westminster faculty, and perhaps for other schools. Engage in a “curriculum dig” in order to take a closer look at everything we currently use to promote learning. How can expand upon what we already use? Where are the areas to exploit? Continue to promote current – and explore additional – courses/programs that exemplify 21st century learning. For example, Discovery, Urban Edventure, Philanthropy 101, Synergy 8, international exchange programs and SYA, organic garden, School for the Common Good, American Studies, Campus Conservation Corps, etc.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Example of related work: In October 2010, the school is sending a team of 8-12 people to the Solution Tree event entitled, “21st Century Learning Summit.”
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; tabstops: list .5in; tabstops: list .5in;">Utilize existing groups and future groups to examine and explore PROJECT-BASED LEARNING, INTEGRATED STUDIES, and BALANCED ASSESSMENT – three specific dimensions of 21st Century Student Learning and Life.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Example of related work: Understanding opportunities for increased and enhanced student-centered instruction and teacher-guided methodology, including student-led lessons and student contributions to rubrics.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Example of related work: Continue to examine the prescribed role of high-stakes standardized testing such as the AP and its effect on our curriculum and instruction.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Example of related work: Integrate developing work on balanced assessment. In 2010-11 the Elementary School will introduce a new report card system that focuses on learning targets and student progress. Continuing from 2009-10, the Center for Teaching is sponsoring three assessment study groups, one in each division.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Example of related work: Continue to utilize the Glenn Institute for making more and better connections with the community, as well as to integrate service learning.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Example of related work: Studying and applying appropriate uses of instructional technology to individualize student learning and leverage tools for better understanding our increasingly digital lifestyles.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Garamond','serif'; tabstops: list .5in; tabstops: list .5in;">Employ a communications and community education plan in order to inform and “retrain” various constituencies about the ways that Westminster is changing while maintaining educational excellence.

The link below shows the comparision of the 21st Century skills outlined by the following sources:


 * [|Partnership for 21st Century Skills]


 * Nancy Wesler's article in Harvard Education Letter, volume 24, number 5, October 2008 (see attachment below)
 * [|21st Century Schools], which builds in the seven essential skills from Tony Wagners, The Achievement Gap
 * [|21st Century Fluency Project]

Curriculum 21 Framework for 21st Century skills, teaching, and learning

[|Curriculum 21]







Innovation and creativity are an integral part of the conversation about the 21st Century classroom. All of the thinkers in this conversation write about the importance of developing learning environments that facilitate students thinking in innovative and creative ways. This doesn't mean that only the arts are part of the conversation. The assumption is that all disciplines need to promote creative and innovative thinking in their students. How do we define innovation? What is the creative process in disciplines other than art? Here are some resources to read or investigate:

[|Education Speak: Defining Innovation] Blog post by Bob Lenz with good resources embedded

The video below as taken by Agnes Matheson during her workshop at the Joint In-service with Drew Charter School. Her workshop was on 21st Century Skills.

media type="file" key="21stCSkills_1.ics" width="300" height="300"

Here is a word document of what Agnes Matheson learned at the Solution Tree, 21st Century Summit, in IL



Below are two links to Wall Wisher Walls that were completed by participants in Bob Ryshke and Mecia Israel's workshop at the Joint In-service on January 3rd. The questions posed for reflection are shown on the wall. (1) What have been the major transformational changes that have occurred in the past 25 years; and (2) What skills do students need to navigate these changes?

[|Transformational Changes in Past 25 years]

[|21st Century Skills to Navigate Changes]