Resources to support 21st Century learning  We envision a day when all learners are connected through technology-rich environments to learning that prepares them to be confident, creative problem solvers, and global citizens who care about their culture.
There is a growing sense of urgency among educators, parents, policymakers and business people to provide students with skills that will enable them to compete with their peers internationally. These skills extend beyond the basics to new knowledge and skills that prepare students for a digital economy. To be successful in the 21st Century, students must know how to: - Think critically
- Apply knowledge to new situations
- Analyze information
- Understand new ideas
- Communicate effectively
- Collaborate
- Solve problems
- Make decisions
In recent years, schools have worked to create a sense of urgency for examining practice, defined belief systems and created cultures for reform, aligned curriculum with world-class standards, and have used data to narrow the target and measure progress. If we want our students to have the relevant 21st Century skills they need to succeed, we must now drive ourselves to better understand the ever-evolving technologies and their impact on learners and learning. Our efforts in St. Clair County have been directed by RESA's Technology Think Tank, a group of colleagues from general education, special education and technology who desired to move forward with a vision for technology integration and 21st Century learning. The team committed to learning more about how schools can respond to our changing world. We studied articles about learners and learning, shared knowledge, and pushed each other to try new technologies. Early in the group's interaction, we realized we needed to find a venue to share what we were learning with others. The 21st Century Learning Symposium in August 2008 was the first step in inspiring the vision. The symposium was modeled after the Governor's Education Summit held in March 2008. Explore the following resources to learn more about the symposium, the presenters, Dr. Yong Zhao and Alan November, and our work. Visit the director's blogJoin Joanne Hopper in wrestling with the challenges of leadership for 21st Century learning. Comment at: Shaping the Vision.
St. Clair RESA Think Tank resources View a presentation chronicling the journey of the RESA's Think Tank from Aug. 2007 to present. View the Capturing the Possibilities video created by RESA staff.
21st Century Learning Symposium
Aug. 13, 2008
21st Century Learning Symposium conference brochure. Opening quotes PowerPoint presentation. View a video of conference attendees answering the question:
What do schools need in order to keep pace in the 21st Century?
Video Learning to Change - Changing to Learn. Press release from CoSN. Watch this E-School News Tech Watch video "Preparing Kids for 21st Century Success" Interview with Daniel Pink May 19, 2008.
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