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Fleming & Kurt. (2015). Practical implementation of an educational makerspace: Part 3. A culture of innovation in an educational makerspace arises from student ownership rather than from the presence of high-tech tools. Owning the learning experience opens unexplored horizons to students because independent thinkers have the uncanny ability to strike out into uncharted territory. Educational makerspaces are the ideal environment to foster such independent exploration, but the map for creating engaging educational makerspaces remains relatively sparse.

Education and political leaders in countries around the world have recognized the imperative to prepare their youth for the 21st century, a goal that many believe requires the fundamental transformation of educational opportunities together with the integration of technology into teaching and learning. But educational change is complex. It takes place within an ecosystem of influences that range from national policies, programs, and supports to local community contexts and school-specific professional cultures. Part of Microsoft's commitment to education, ITL Research is a multiyear global research program designed to investigate the factors that promote the transformation of teaching practices and the impact those changes have on students' learning outcomes across a broad range of country contexts.

Students are the future, but what's the future for students? To arm them with the relevant, timeless skills for our rapidly changing world, we need to revolutionize what it means to learn. Education innovators like Dr. Sugata Mitra, visiting professor at MIT; Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy; and Dr. Catherine Lucey, Vice Dean of Education at UCSF, are redefining how we engage young minds for a creatively and technologically-advanced future. Which of these educators holds the key for unlocking the learning potential inside every student?

I found this interesting in how many of the presenters shared Sir Ken Robinson's views on education. That as it began out of the Industrial Revolution, it's now time to adapt to the skills that our current students need. Dr Mitra's list of what students really need: Reading Comprehension skills and the ability to search and retrieve from the internet I found particularly relevant to my role as a teacher librarian.

Welcome the the New Technologies & 21st Century Skills website. This website is an ongoing project created and maintained by the Laboratory for Innovative Technology in Education (LITE). 21st century skills are an important consideration for every educator as we are striving to prepare today's students to become prepared for the competitive global market of tomorrow. This website seeks to provide a resource that allows educators an opportunity to easily navigate educationally relevant Web 2.0 tools, resources, and examples of standards alignment. Connecting these skills to familiar frameworks, such as Bloom's Digital Taxonomy, can assist educators who are transitioning into meaningfully integrating technology into their classrooms.

We asked the world's most innovative companies in education to school us on the future of the classroom, with predictions for the next five years. Points explore: Students will interact with others remotely, Success of tech will still rely on skilled teachers, We'll think differently about diplomas, Students will have a voice and Educators and institutions will be forced to adapt.

Employers require creative and problem-solving skills and an ability to adapt to changes. Those new skills and abilities kids can't polish by solving standardized tests. That's why teachers need to foster new skills in the classroom- skills of 6 C's education: Character Education, Citizenship, Communication, Critical thinking, Collaboration, Creativity.

A look at trends and global directions to inform education. Continuous learning is on the agenda well and truly beyond formal years of education. It is estimated 30% of our working day will be spent learning. Longer working lives and changing skills increase this need.

"eSafety's Best Practice Framework for Online Safety Education establishes a consistent national approach that supports education systems across Australia to deliver high quality programs, with clearly defined elements and effective practices."

"In this edition of Researching education: Five further readings, we are taking a look at some resources available on creative thinking. In these five readings, we've included a paper from the OECD on practical ways educators can foster creativity and critical thinking in the classroom; a report illustrating a framework on creative thinking; and a Teacher archive piece on creative, curious, and challenging thinking."

"Current education is calling on schools to transition into a new paradigm of learning. We can see this in the challenges given through current standards (e.g., Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and International Standards for Technology in Education), the demands of the work place, the complexity of the world, and lack of effectiveness of the "stand and deliver" method of teaching. 21st century teaching and learning is this new paradigm that is trying to create students that will be problem solvers and critical thinkers. Our society is changing at such a rapid pace; we, as educators, are preparing students for jobs that don't exist yet. This means we have to change how we teach and how we lead our schools."

A new report draws on expert work to outline the ideal path for STEM education in the next 10 years. The ideal future of U.S. STEM education would emphasize problem-solving, interdisciplinary approaches and the value of discovery and play, according to a new 10-year vision from the American Institutes for Research for the U.S. Department of Education's STEM Initiatives Team. The report, STEM 2026, pulls from the work of experts in science, technology, engineering and math, and the authors point out that current conditions do not ensure equal access to STEM teaching and learning.

"In another 10 to 20 years, what will schools look like? Predicting the future is impossible, even in stable times. However, there are a few safe bets we can make about the future of education."

"The school library, and the librarians that work within them, are a wonderful, and sometimes overlooked resource for educational technology support, providing invaluable help and knowledge for teachers and students. "

Source is the online journal for AdvanceEd a U.S. education accrediting agency. A seasonal issue can veiwed online. Each issue follows a theme: Poverty, Accountability, Educational Change, Leadership, Learning Environments, Measuring Success, Teaching & Learning and Technology

P21's Framework for 21st Century Learning was developed with input from teachers, education experts, and business leaders to define and illustrate the skills and knowledge students need to succeed in work, life and citizenship, as well as the support systems necessary for 21st century learning outcomes. It has been used by thousands of educators and hundreds of schools in the U.S. and abroad to put 21st century skills at the center of learning.

Makerspaces - the hot trend right now in schools, libraries and education - but what is it about. A further contribution by Kay Odone on Makerspaces and how the support educational needs and future workplace requirements for innovative problem solving

Laura Devaney from eSchool News talks about a new study on the future of STEM education and the 6 components that will make it shine. This post provides a summary coverage. These components easily align with a forward, future focused innovative library and could be harnessed to promote and advocate for vibrant and purposeful learning spaces.

Article by Terri Hayes, 2014. Abstract: The old-fashioned library model is no longer healthy for teachers or students. Converting your school library to a learning commons is one of the best recipes for school success in the current climate of educational reform. The library-as-learning commons functions as the hub of the school, where teachers and students collaborate, inquiry-based learning is promoted, and teacher-librarians provide instructional support to every teacher in the school while fostering a thriving reading culture.

Digital literacy refers to the skills, knowledge and understanding required to use new technology and media to create and share meaning. This week's article is adapted from the British report Digital participation, digital literacy, and school subjects: a review of the policies, literature and evidence , published by the Futurelab organisation . The article discusses students' current levels of digital literacy; literacy as it relates to information and the media; the relevance of multiliteracies and critical literacy; issues surrounding the use of technology in schools; and professional development requirements for educators.

A curated collection of resources on educational leadership via The Advocate.