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The concept of 21st Learning has been around since the 1990s. There was a recognition that with the pace of technological change, the jobs of the 20th Century would be unrecognisable to those living in the 21st Century. We had to prepare our students for a future of great difference and uncertainty. As a result, we needed to move towards a more independent, skills based education system rather than the model we had that was based on content knowledge and specific skills for specific jobs. Well, we are into the second decade of the 21st Century and the question has to be asked - how well have we advanced in developing 21st Century Learners?

On this site, you can see the ways fellow teachers are solving problems, leave a comment, recommend an idea, share inventive things you've done, and take on meaningful professional learning challenges.  We want to visualize and applaud how teachers can help each other develop as Learners, Sharers, Collaborators, and Influencers.  Watch your credibility amongst your peers grow while helping to build this shared professional resource.

Interesting questions to ask ourselves

Word Walls are an effective strategy for building vocabulary with students, especially for subject-specific terms. These lists are usually posted on classroom walls and sometimes have a definition attached to them. A more interactive word wall that includes images requires students to be more active learners as they attach meaning to each of the words in the list. Teachers may post these in the classroom after first using them as teaching tools when introducing a concept.

"Blended solutions combine contrasting learning methods and media in order to maximise effectiveness and efficiency. The More Than approach goes a step further to ensure the blend results in application to real-world tasks and the learner is supported along the whole length of their learning journey." This site includes a portfolio of resources, case studies, and video. 

"The Information Fluency Continuum provides a framework for the instructional aspects of a library program. The framework is based on three standards that form the basis for the skills and strategies that are essential for students to become independent readers and learners."

A great list of excellent web tools for different learning styles.

1) They are bright and creative 2) They are optimists 3) They are good at sharing 4) They are global learners and excellent teachers 5) They are conscious and conscientious 6) They are bold and brave 7) They are challenge-seekers 8) They are active participants and problem solvers 9) They are question askers 10) They value friends and relationships 11) They are changing the world 12) They still want and need our guidance

"Welcome to the AAAS Project 2061 Science Assessment Website The assessment items on this website are the result of more than a decade of research and development by Project 2061, a long-term science education reform initiative of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Here you will find free access to more than 600 items. The items: Are appropriate for middle and early high school students. Test student understanding in the earth, life, physical sciences, and the nature of science. Test for common misconceptions as well as correct ideas. This website also includes: Data on how well U.S. students are doing in science and where they are having difficulties, broken out by gender, English language learner status, and whether the students are in middle school or high school. "My Item Bank," a feature that allows you to select, save, and print items and answer keys. Intended primarily for teachers, these assessment items and resources will also be useful to education researchers, test developers, and anyone who is interested in the performance of middle and high school students in science."

One panellist suggested that a library should be regarded as a function, with its resources tying in with the school curriculum and meeting the needs of both staff and learners. The need for integration between the teaching curriculum and a school's library were echoed by other panellists. Much emphasis was placed on the transformative potential of school libraries, with speakers describing libraries as "agents of change" and "hubs of creativity," and librarians as "transformational agents."  

Interesting interview regarding the potential future of Digital Media Literacy

Using speech-to-text takes time to practice. Great article explaining the impact it had on one young learner.

"Take Me Back.to - Time Machine Tool"

"If you are a teacher and you are trying to explain what you do, say, 'I am a learning designer!' Teachers need to be empowered with a variety of instructional designs to meet the needs of all students. They need to be honored for their expertise to create creative and engaging learning environments. We can re-frame the concept of "teaching" to truly encapsulate all that teachers can and should do!"

A nice look at the 21st Century learner