Integrating 21st Century
Perspectives into Your
Classes Today
Dr. Eileen O’Connor
Empire State College
January 2015
21st century learning has become a
term of art within the education field
itself; it embraces concepts such as
interdisciplinary learning, critical
thinking, global outreach, creativity
and innovation, and the integration of
technologies that support learning and
communication.
Agenda
Review requirements of 21st century – as stated
by some
Consider the content or discipline – from a “field
based” perspective
Embrace the student / students and integrate
their perspective
Review technologies to support interactions and
object creation
Embedded assumption
Principles can apply to all learning scenarios
that use an e-tool for a component of the
design
100% online environments
Face to face instruction w/ some aspects that
are online or supported via the web
Blended courses
How are you teaching today?
Where and how do you teach? What does your
classroom, group, or study look like?
How do you value, integrate, and “use” the
multiple students in your classes? What
population of students do you have?
Are you getting off-the-stage and embracing the
adult learner? Are you building community?
How are e-technologies extending your outreach
and teaching?
What are 21st century
Perspectives? Many
definitions
http://www.p21.org/our-work/p21-framework
K12 schools are
being asked to
integrate these
skills &
understandings –
are we doing it?
21st Century Perspectives
Content Practitioners Learners
F2F Online
Global
Integrate the world and the possibilities today – this goes beyond the static content and the learners
Who uses this content? And, how might I reach students more effectively?
Get more ready access to practice and practitioners via e-means
• So, how do you think about the:
-- content / discipline & professional
community;
-- students & their experience;
-- e-communication?
In what ways can you integrate the disciplinary
community into your teaching?
Why learn the content? – think beyond the
textbook or research-literature or even the
course-to-date
Who is served?
Why is this field
important?
What professionals are involved?
Create a community
of inquiry
Turn the classroom into
an interactive, learning
community; engage &
include professionals /
practitioners in the field
Professional community
Forums & communities of practice
Presentations / webinars to
the class
Guidance / review of work
Classroom community
Shared experiences / brainstorming
Discussion from experience
•Value prior learning
Students and
professional
interactions
Legal, research, interns /
students can conduct
active investigations more
readily today
Databases & info
Students can investigate, learn, infer and
extrapolate from what they learn via the
web
Where do most lawsuits begin? And why?
Students and
professional
interactions
Working in and near
the real world
Student can observe . . . even at a
distance
Students can enter into the culture
& the issues
Webinars are growing . . . in all fields
Find those where
student can
participate
Have them report
back to the class
Students and
professional
interactions
Merchandising,
fashion, retail /
brainstorming
Interactions are not
always one way
Students can bring insights, markets, and ideas to business
Encourage ongoing and interaction conversations
Cultivate ongoing interactions w/ businesses and professionals
How can you grow and
value the students
themselves?
What practices can motivate, engage,
empower, and include the students more
actively in their learning?
Create classes that
are authentic,
interactive &
communicative
environmentsLearning
Community
Design for rich interactions
Use feedback loops across
time and technologies
Create useful synchronous
communications
Create ownership; engage w/
practitioners
Value the learners
for their . . .
Prior knowledge
• Professional / experiential
• Transferred
• Needs to be integrated
Transformative learning
• Awake to new perspective
• Engage their past
Varying tech experience
• Use student “variations”
• Don’t underestimate adults
• Instructor needs open attitude
The box / outside
the box – if you
could do anything? What encourages
value and
motivation in the
learner?
Textbook & papers
Professional community
Peer interactions /
badging
Visits / field trips /
activities / conferences
Required, participatory environments
Personal ownership
(encourage both pride & application)
The REAL problems in
the field
How can the many available e-
resources extend learning into the 21st
century?
Now, for more focus on the available resources
and tools – for interaction and for learning-object
development
Facilitate & frame with technology-
mediation & learning object creation
Interactions & communications
Visual / audio / video
Independence, authorship and
review
Simulations / virtual
Key ways that technologies are expanding
beyond just text – in content
Audio
• Experts presenting
• Tape & share later
Visual
• Static / Video
• Multiple intelligences
Schematics
• Models
• Abstractions
Mind Mapping
• Planning & communicating
• Assessment
Key ways that technologies are expanding beyond
just text – in organization & community
Asynchronous
• D-boards / voice thread
• Efficient – time independent
Synchronous
• F2F / Webinar / Virtual reality
• Community & sharing
Chronological
• Course embedded
• Emails / blog
Linked / interactive
• Student lounges
• Facebook for class
Scaffolding Complex Learning: Integrating 21st Century Thinking,
Emerging Technologies, and Dynamic Design and Assessment to
Expand Learning and Communication Opportunities
Enhanced ways of thinking about learners, learning, and communication in
the 21st century across content areas coupled with technologies that can
extend the outreach beyond text, time, and geography can accelerate
learning and retention in higher education, professional organizations, and
learning environments. However, many assumptions about time, situation,
learning goals, and learner capabilities have been embedded in face-to-
face and online approaches. Thus when moving to the more dynamic
designs available today, instructors, educators, and communicators must also
carefully scaffold the environment to integrate effectively these emerging
tools and understandings. Otherwise, what could be enriched learning can
become confusion and frustration. This paper outlines both ways to
design and integrate content, learners, technology and
communication tools, and assessment thus enabling dynamic, 21st
century learning and ways to scaffold and balance instructional supports,
pacing, and interaction-planning thereby providing guidance for the rich
learning that is possible in integrated, technology-supported environments.
Available through e-
library & on request
Your ideas & applications ???
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