Teaching,+Learning+and+Leading+in+the+21st+Century

Tony Wagner, PhD

Problems in schools - 1.) New skills for all students 2.) Motivation for the "Net Generation" is different. Boredom is leading cause of drop-outs.

Seven Survival Skills: Trial and Error is essential to innovation. If we learn the most from mistakes, why do we penalize kids for failing? Innovation: In order to stay ahead globally, we need to maintain innovation.
 * Critical thinking and problem solving
 * Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by Influence
 * Agility and Adaptability
 * Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
 * Effective Oral and Written Communication
 * Accessing and Analyzing Information "The Kahn Academy"
 * Curiosity and Imagination: The main ingredients for innovation

The Global Achievement Gap is the gap between what schools are teaching and testing VS. The skills all students need for careers, college, citizenship.

USA 2009 Program for Student Assessment (PISA) Test: Reading: 15 Science: 23rd Math: 32nd

College Completion: 1995: Rated #1 in the world 2011: 12th

What motivates the "Net" Generation:
 * Instant gratification
 * Use the web for friendships, interest driven self-directed learning, tool for self-expression
 * Constantly connected, creating, multitasking in a multimedia world - everywhere except in school.
 * Less fear and less respect for authority. Accustomed to learning from peers, want coaching, but not from adults who talks down to them
 * Want to make a difference in the world.

Pattern in teaching/learning: Teachers who made a difference were outliers in 5 areas:

Typical classrooms vs. Innovative approaches play, passion, purpose Redefining Rigor: 5 Habits of Mind: Action Steps for Redefining Educational Excellence:
 * Individual Achievement vs. Collaboration
 * Specialization vs. multi-disciplinary learning
 * Risk Avoidance vs. Trial and Error
 * Consuming vs. Creating
 * Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic motivation
 * Weighing Evidence
 * Awareness of Varying Viewpoints
 * Seeing Connections/ Cause & Effect
 * Speculating on possibilities/ conjectures
 * Assessing value
 * Accountability
 * Academics : Focus on Critical thinking, Communication and Collaboration. Students should have digital portfolios, work-based internships and service learning work both for academic credit.
 * Collaboration and Transparency in teaching: "Isolation is the enemy of improvement"