DESCRIPTION

State and federal education policy over the past 20 years has been developed within a standards-based reform framework which has emphasized a systemic approach to education reform. Through a sequence of developmental steps whole systems can be altered to create new levels of results: create standards with specific emphasis on college and career readiness and on 21st century skills; align the system’s components (e.g. curriculum, instruction, assessments, professional learning) to those standards; build accountability protocols to identify problems and successes; and establish a process for developing and delivering innovative solutions and continuous improvement processes.

This process for adjusting the architecture of learning environments and systems has met with some success when there is sufficient capacity to enact needed changes in an on-going fashion.  But like with any system it is fundamentally important to maintain a clear and laser-like focus on the end user/beneficiary — the students. As the world renowned design company IDEO asserts, “  … our challenge is not only to build infrastructure, but also to design effective learning experiences, so that students stay engaged, discover new meaning, and achieve the desired outcomes. We develop new digital apps and platforms, design schools and other learning environments, and build knowledge sharing systems for managing complex data across institutions – all of which center around the needs of core users, typically the learners themselves…”  In essence, we need to ensure a full focus on the learner even while we engage in continuing debates over the architecture of the system.

We propose to launch a study group on the learner to help guide the development of sound state policy moving forward. In consort with this focus on learners, what they know and can do, and the environment in which they learn, significant attention must also be given to higher order skills that will ensure success in the 21st century.  Among those skills are critical thinking, problem solving, effective communication, collaboration, and self-awareness.  Key issues such as instructional strategies, appropriate assessments, and learning environments focused on how the learner acquires and demonstrates these skills must be examined.

DESCRIPTION CONTINUED

The study group will address a series of questions which will ultimately be used as a policy framework for state boards. The questions include:

1. Who are this next generation of learners?
2. What do they know? What can they do? What do they think and feel?
3. How do they compare with other generations and other countries?
4. How and where do they learn?
5. What do they aspire to be? What skills and abilities will they need to accomplish their aspirations in the 21st century?
6. What do they think about their education? How would they change the current system?
7. What does the future hold for them?
8. What are the implications for state policy in the future?

In order answer these and other relevant questions, the study group will, among a number of sources, tap into the latest research and data bases on student learning, examine case studies, engage student board members, and possibly conduct a student survey.   We envision a dynamic process of study that will lead to an equally dynamic product that will serve as catalyst for continuous work in subsequent years.

 

OVERALL OBJECTIVES

 To examine and make recommendations:

1. Basing these recommendations on knowledge and understanding of who Gen Y are, their current environment, and the world in which they will live
2. Surrounding the learning areas of content, method and environment, and evaluation and assessment, and
3. Keeping the intended outcomes of being ready for career, college, civic engagement, and life overall.

 

MEETINGS

January 25-26, 2013

Marriott Gateway, Arlington, Virginia


May 3-4, 2013

Marriott Gateway, Arlington, Virginia


July 28, 2013  (1.5 hours)

Ritz Carlton, Arlington, Virginia

 

POTENTIAL CONTENT AREAS

  • The Nature of the Learner
    • Current Students          —–          Their current experiences
    • Recently graduated (college, career, military)          —–          Hindsight
    • Generation Y Experts          —–          Who Gen Y’s are
    • Adult learners/ABE          —–          Success outside the system
    • Subsets: ELL, SES, Special Needs, Minorities          —–          Demographics of unique subsets
    • Health professionals          —–          Health and safety concerns
  • Intended Outcomes
    • Career futurist          —–          Careers and career requirements in the future
    • Business          —–          Perspectives on employee characteristics
    • General futurist          —–          Life and society in 25 years
    • 21st century skills          —–          Career, college, and civic readiness
    • Sociological outcomes          —–          Social readiness
  • Content, Method, and Evaluation
    • Deeper learning          —–          Higher order skills
    • Environment          —–          Best learning environment for Gen Z
    • Structure of learning time          —–          Anywhere, anytime, lifelong
    • Competency-based learning          —–          Measuring mastery
    • Personalized learning          —–          Creating individualized education
    • Technology          —–          In content, method and evaluation
    • Portfolios, rubrics, and personal accountability          —–          Unique assessments for unique outcomes
 

OTHER RESOURCES

Baroque Artists in Action

Graphic Organizer Photos

Graphic-Organizer-1
(Click for full size image)

 

Graphic-Organizer-2
(Click for full size image)

Podcasts from the January 2013 Meeting

Audio PodcastsPodcastsDigital multimedia (audio) file(s) from the January 2013 Study Group Meeting. from the January 2013 Meeting.

Podcast: Audio from Katherine Price’s Presentation

Podcast: Audio from Nicole Smith’s Presentation

Podcast: Audio from Ivory Toldson’s Presentation

Podcast: Audio from Nora Howley’s Presentation (part 1)

Podcast: Audio from Nora Howley’s Presentation (part 2)

Podcast: Audio from Brad Hull’s Presentation (part 1)

Podcast: Audio from Brad Hull’s Presentation (part 2)

 

Presentation Videos

Videos shown during Katherine Prince’s presentation can be viewed here: http://knowledgeworks.org/learning-in-2025