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My name is Rebeccah Glass Lowe. I am excited that you have chosen to join me in my efforts to transform my classroom into a 21st Century Classroom for 21st Century Learners.

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This mini-course, created specifically for secondary educators, is composed of 3 Modules and a final project that will guide you on your path to transforming your own classroom into a 21st Century Classroom for 21st Century Learners.  Each module will take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete. By the end of the mini-course and upon completion of the Culminating Activity,  you will walk away with an engaging lesson to sharpen your students 21st century skills.  It is my hope that this mini-course will act as a bridge from a traditional classroom to a student-driven, globally connected 21st century classroom.

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What are the new literacies needed for success in the modern world? How do we integrate these literacies into our classrooms?

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Today’s teenagers are  engaged with social media and connected to people around the world in ways that many never dreamed possible. Many young people today, who are Digital Natives, learned to navigate technology as they learned to talk and walk. It is natural to them. As educators, it is our job to help students use technology and social media to become engaged global citizens. In order to be engaged global citizens, students need to become proficient in the new literacies of the 21st century.  What does this look like?  What the video below to learn more.

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According to Kathy Schrock, a renowned educational technologist, students need the following literacies for success in the 21st Century:
1. Traditional Literacy
2. Information Literacy
3. Visual Literacy
4. Critical Literacy
5. Media Literacy
6. Tool Literacy
7. Digital Literacy
8.  Data Literacy
9. Global Literacy
10. Economic Literacy
11. Civic Literacy
12. Health Literacy
13. Historical Literacy
See the PDF below for definitions. Follow this link to Kathy's website to learn more about each literacy!

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Explore the following articles, videos, and books for inspiration on why and how to incorporate new literacies into your classroom.

Inside the 21st Century Classroom

New Literacies and the Common Core

Wiki Use in the 21st Century Classroom

Incorporating 21st Century Skills in the Classroom

Teaching the iGeneration

Flipped Classroom Model: Why, How, and Overview

Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day by Bergmann and Sams

FlippedLearning.org

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Think about the following questions and be prepared to discuss with your department during this week's Professional Development period:

1. Which of the 21st century literacies do you think is most important? Why?

2. What 21st Century literacies do you already teach in your classroom?

3. Which of the new literacies do you think would be best incorporated into your own curriculum?

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Who owns the learning in your classroom and why does it matter?

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In the traditional classroom the teacher is the expert who delivers all of the content and determines every aspect of the course.  Most students work for a grade, not to learn. Is this the way that it has to be? Watch the following TED Talk about the Power of Student-Driven Learning to find out.

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The power of student-driven learning: Shelley Wright at TEDxWestVancouverED

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Watch the following Book talk on Alan November's Who Owns the Learning for more inspiration on creating a student driven environment.

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Read the following articles to learn more about student driven learning and how you can facilitate this environment in your own classroom.

Student-Centered Learning: It Starts with the Teacher

8 Things to Look for in a Student-Centered Learning Environment

15 Examples of Student-Centered Learning

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Reflect on the following questions and be prepared to share with your department during this week's Professional Development period.

1. Are you the driver in your classroom or is your classroom student-driven?

2. What questions do you have about student-driven learning? Do you have any uncertainties about the concept?

3. Do you think that this would work in your classroom? Why or why not?

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Why should you connect your classroom to the outside world?  What does it look like and how do you do so?

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The idea of connecting your classroom to the outside world might seem daunting but it can be simple using free and low cost technology.  Plus the benefits are HUGE! Here are just a few of the benefits of connecting your classroom: encourages a global perspective, develops empathy, opportunities for collaboration, improves communication skills, and encourages students to take pride in their work and ownership of their learning.  All of these skills fall under 21st century literacies!

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Teachers all over the world are connecting their classrooms in a variety of ways.  This can be as simple as incorporating current affairs, or go as far as collaborating on a project with a classroom across the globe.  See below for inspiration!

Finding an Authentic Audience for your Students

Connecting Students with other students around the globe: Global Connections for Teachers

Using Wikis in the Classroom: Wikis in Education: How Wikis are Being Used in the Classroom

Using Google Geo Tools to bring the world to your classroom:

10 Amazing Google Geo Tools for your Classroom

Google Geo Tools Free Webinar by ISTE Librarians Network

Bring the World to Your Classroom Using Google Geo Tools by Kelly Kermode and Kim Randall

Something to consider -

Publishing Student Work While Respecting Privacy

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Do some online research on your own to find out what other teachers are doing to seamlessly incorporate 21st century learning into their curriculum.  Find one example that you believe would work for your subject. Bring that example to your department during this week's Professional Development period to share and discuss.

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Work with your department during this week's Professional Development period to come up with one change that you will make as a department to make your classrooms more student centered.  Your department head will share this information at the next Department Chair meeting.

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Reflect on the following questions and be prepared to discuss with your department during this week's Professional Development period.

1. What are the benefits of a connected classroom?

2. Do any of the examples seem like a good fit for your classroom? If so, which?

3. What, if any, concerns do you have about creating a connected classroom?

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Work with your department to come up with two lists on the following topics:

1. In what ways would creating a connected classroom enhance student learning in your curriculum?

2. What are some concrete ways that you can connect your classroom to engage students and develop their global perspective?

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Your culminating activity is to incorporate what you learned in this mini-course to create a 21st century lesson plan.  This lesson should be incorporated into our curriculum, meet common core standards, and be taught before the end of the next quarter.  Please incorporate each of the following into your lesson:

Development of a 21st century literacy

Student Driven

Connected Classroom

Submit your lesson plan to your department head for review at your next Department Meeting.

I hope this course has inspired you to transform your teaching for 21st century learners! Remember, what you do in your classroom matters. In fact.......