21st Century teacher We have heard a lot about the 21st Century Learner. We know that they are:

collaborative

adaptive

information, media and technology savvy

communicators

immediate and instant

require instant gratification

creators and adaptor

But what about the 21st Century Teacher, what are the characteristics we would expect to see in a 21st Century Educator. We know they are student centric, holistic, they are teaching about how to learn as much as teaching about the subject area. We know too, that they must be 21st Century learners as well. But teachers are more than this

Characteristics of the 21st Century Teacher.

The Adaptor The 21st Century teacher is an adaptor. Harnessed as we are to an assessment focused education model the 21st Century Educator must be able to adapt the curriculum and the requirements to teach to the curriculum in imaginative ways. They must also be able to adapt software and hardware designed for a business model into tools utilisable by a variety of age groups and abilities. They must also be able to adapt to a dynamic teaching experience. When it all goes wrong in the middle of a class, when the technologies fail, the show must go on. As an educator, we must understand and apply different learning styles. we must be able to adapt our teaching style to be inclusive of different modes of learning.

The Visionary Imagination, a key component of adaptability, is a crucial component of the educator of today and tomorrow. They must see the potential in the emerging tools and web technologies, grasp these and

manipulate them to serve their needs. If we look at the technologies we currently see emerging, how many are developed for education? The visionary teacher can look at others ideas and envisage how they would use these in their class. The visionary also looks across the disciplines and through the curricula. They can make links that reinforce and value learning in other areas, and leverage other fields to reinforce their own teaching and the learning of their students.

The Collaborator Ning, Blogger, Wikispaces, Bebo, MSN, MySpace, Second life - as an educator we must be able to leverage these collaborative tools to enhance and captivate our learners. We too, must be collaborators; sharing, contributing, adapting and inventing.

The Risk taker

How can you as an educator know all these things? How can

you teach them how to use them… There are so many, so

much to learn. You must take risks and some times surrender

yourself to the students knowledge. Have a vision of what you

want and what the technology can achieve, identify the goals

and facilitate the learning. Use the strengths of the digital

natives to understand and navigate new products, have the

students teach each other. The learning pyramid shows that the

highest retention of knowledge comes from teaching others.

Trust your students.

The Learner We expect our students to be lifelong learners. How many schools have the phrase “lifelong learners” in there mission statements and objectives. We too must continue to absorb experiences and knowledge. We must endeavour to stay current. I wonder how many people are still using their lesson and unit plans from 5 years ago. In my subject area, Information technology and certainly in many of the sciences, especially the life sciences; knowledge, understanding and technology are fluid and dynamic, they are evolving and changing. To be a teacher here you must change and learn as the horizons and landscape changes. The 21st Century teacher or educator must learn and adapt.

The Communicator “Anywhere, anytime” learning is a catchphrase we hear often. Usually its paired with “life learner”. To have anywhere and anytime learning, the teacher to must be anywhere and anytime. It does not have to be the same teacher, but the 21st Century teacher is a communicator. They are fluent in tools and technologies that enable communication and collaboration. They go beyond learning just how to do it, they also know how to facilitate it, stimulate and control it, moderate and manage it.

The Model We must model the behaviours that we expect from our students. Today and tomorrow more so, there is an expectation that teachers will teach values. We, are often the most consistent part of our student life. Teachers will see the students more often, for longer and more reliably than their parents. This is not a criticism of the parents rather a reflection. The 21st Century educator also models reflective practice, whether its the quiet, personal inspection of their teaching and learning, or through reflective practice via blogs, twitter and other medium, these educators look both inwards and outwards. These teachers also model a number of other characteristics. These are not necessarily associated with ICT or the curriculum, but are of equal importance. They model:

tolerance

acceptance

a wider view than just their curricula areas

global awareness

reflection

The Leader Whether they are a champion of the process of ICT integration or the quiet technology coach, the ICT Trainer and a teacher leading by example; A maverick or early adopter (See LOTI), the 21st Century Educator is a leader. Leadership is like clear goals and objectives crucial to the success or failure of any project.

The 21st Century Learner A 21st Century curriculum, with 21st century learners and educators would be limited and very restricted

by such rooms. If we look at the characteristics of the 21st Century Learner, this will provide us with an

indication of what our learning spaces should look like.

21st Century Learners are:

Technology literate and adept

Media savvy

Flexible and dynamic

multitasking

communicators and collaborators

interactive and networked

reflective and critical

instant

creative and adaptive

student centric, life long learners & anywhere anytime learners

have Multimodal learning styles

21st Century Fluencies

Solution Fluency

Solution Fluency is the ability to think creatively to solve

problems in real time by clearly defining the problem,

designing an appropriate solution, delivering the solution,

and then evaluating the process and the outcome. This is

about whole-brain thinking—creativity and problem solving

applied on-demand. This particular fluency is the most crucial of all the fluencies. It is the basis of every other Fluency,

and its stages can be found within the processes for each. The 6Ds of Solution Fluency are

designed to be a cyclical process as opposed to a linear one, and mirror well-known practices such

as the scientific method, and the processes for writing and media development.

define Defining the problem means providing a clear and concise definition of the problem or challenge one

is addressing. the purpose is to identify where we are so we can figure out where we need to go.

define skills include:

restating or rephrasing the problem

challenging assumptions

gathering facts

chunking the details up or down (pulling them together or breaking them down into smaller parts)

considering the challenge from multiple perspectives

reversing the problem

discover In this stage, the research and digging begins. This involves obtaining the background information

that gives the problem its context, and identifying what you need to know and what you need to be

able to do to solve the problem.

discover skills include:

determining where the information is

skimming, scanning, and scouring the information for background

filtering information

taking smart notes

analyzing, authenticating, and arranging the materials

knowing when to revisit the Define stage (or other stages) to modify what has been done based

on what has been discovered

dream This is where you use the knowledge you’ve gathered to visualize a creative and appropriate

solution. This is a whole-mind process where we imagine what the solution will appear like as it

would in the future. Instead of asking “why” we ask “why not.” The question of “what’s the worst that

could happen” becomes “what’s the best that could happen.”

dream skills include:

generating wishes

exploring possibilities

imagining best case scenarios

visualizing time machine visits to a perfect future

design Starting from the future, next you design the process backwards to the present to complete the

visualized solution in measurable, achievable steps.

design skills include:

having a clear idea of how to do the task

starting with the end in mind and building steps backwards

writing instructions in small increments that are easy to follow, positive, and logical

deliver This stage is the process by which the dream becomes a reality. It’s where you actually implement

the design to complete the solution to the problem in two separate steps: Produce (actually creating

the solution in its working format), and Publish (applying the product in an effort to solve the

problem).

deliver skills include:

identifying the most appropriate format for presenting information or a solution

using that format to present the information or solution to the problem

debrief At the end of the process comes an often-overlooked step—the Debrief. it’s a time to review and

analyze the product and process, an identify areas for potential improvement. Students are not often

given the chance to evaluate a learning journey, and this is and integral part of guiding them towards

taking responsibility for their own learning.

debrief skills include:

re-visiting each stage of the process and reflecting on the paths that were followed from Define

to Deliver

asking questions about the processes used and information obtained

reflecting critically on both the process and the product, acting on those reflections, and

internalizing the new learning

transferring the learning to new and different circumstances

Information Fluency

Information Fluency is the ability to unconsciously

and intuitively interpret information in all forms and

formats in order to extract the essential knowledge,

authenticate it, and perceive its meaning and

significance. The data can then be used to complete

real-world tasks and solve real-world problems

effectively.

ask This involves compiling a list of critical questions about what knowledge or data is being sought. The

key here is to ask good questions, because that’s how you get good answers.

ask skills include:

understanding the problem

identifying key words

forming exploratory questions

brainstorming, lateral thinking

understanding ethical issues

listening deeply, viewing wisely, speaking critically

filtering information “white noise”

sharing personal knowledge and experience

acquire Accessing information is no longer as easy as going to a card catalog and getting a book or other

paper-based resource. This stage involves accessing and collecting informational materials from the

most appropriate digital and non-digital sources.

acquire skills include:

determining where the information is

determining what skills are needed to find the information

prioritizing search strategies

skimming, scanning, and scouring the resources for pertinent data

filtering

taking smart notes

knowing when it’s necessary to go back to the initial Ask stage to ask more questions

analyze With all the raw data collected, the next step is to navigate through the information to authenticate,

organize, and arrange it all. This stage also involves ascertaining whether information is true or not,

and distinguishing the good from the bad.

analyze skills include:

organizing, triangulating, and summarizing data from digital and non-digital sources

working independently and collaboratively with peers, teachers, or other individuals to document

the authenticity and analysis of the data

checking for relevance and listing and distinguishing between useful and superficial data

sources

differentiating fact from opinion

assessing the currency of data

examining data for underlying meaning and bias

determining when the data answers the original questions

identifying incomplete information

documenting, crediting, and taking notes to determine authenticity

using probability, trends, and best guesses to seek out additional data

revisiting Ask or Access to “fill in the blanks” and turn data into knowledge and wisdom

apply Once data is collected and verified, and a solution is created, the knowledge must then be practically

applied within the context of the original purpose for the information quest.

apply skills include:

turning data into personal knowledge and applying it to actually solve the problem

putting the data to use in a practical application (ex: writing an essay or report, creating a graph,

completing an argument, making a presentation, participating in a debate, completing a science

experiment, creating a video, or building a blog)

creating and utilizing products and projects that can effectively demonstrate how they solve

problem

assess

The final stage is about thoroughly and critically revisiting both the product and the process. This

involves open and lively discussions about how the problem-solving journey could have been made

more efficient, and how the solution created could be applied to challenges of a similar nature.

assess skills include:

asking questions about the processes used and the information obtained

determining what was learned, how it was learned, what worked, what didn’t work, and how the

process and the product could be made better, and then acting on these reflections

internalizing new learning and transferring it to similar or different situations and circumstances

Creativity Fluency

Creativity Fluency is the process by which artistic

proficiency adds meaning through design, art, and

storytelling. It is about using innovative design to add

value to the function of a product though the form.

identify This involves distinguishing the elements and the criteria of the desired outcome, and figuring

out what you need to create and what limitations or restrictions you face.

identify skills include:

understanding the problem to be solved

identifying key words and forming questions around them

brainstorming

thinking laterally

understanding ethical issues

listening deeply, viewing wisely, and speaking critically

filtering information “white noise”

sharing personal knowledge and experience

inspire

In this next stage, the adventure begins by stimulating your creativity with rich sensory input. This

can include thinking about your memories, flipping through a magazine, going to a museum,

watching a play, looking at photo books or web sites, taking a walk, meditating, brainstorming over

coffee, checking out a bookstore, or listening to music similar to what the outcome might look like.

inspire skills include:

moving beyond what is already known

using familiar and unfamiliar sources of motivation and inspiration

seeing new possibilities

playing with ideas

experimenting and exploring

imagining and visualizing

interpolate Interpolate means to find a structured pattern within known information. This is all about “connecting

the dots” in the search for clear patterns and higher level abstractions within the sensory input.

interpolate skills include:

analyzing the sensory inputs arriving from your right brain’s “playground of inspiration”

searching for patterns, alternate meanings, and high-level abstractions

being able to identify connections or relationships

combining concepts or elements from different sources that would not normally go together

thinking laterally about existing knowledge

imagine This is the ultimate synthesis between the previous stages of Inspire and Interpolate. The unification

of these stages results in the birth of your idea—your “Aha!” moment.

imagine skills include:

forming mental images, sensations, and concepts not perceived through sight, hearing, or other

senses

discarding extraneous information

giving meaning to experience

making sense of the world through stories, art, music, poetry, video, and other creative mediums

inspect With our new creative idea now a reality, we must measure it against the original criteria and

determine its feasibility. The questions we ask ourselves centre around the effectiveness and

feasibility of the new idea, and if it can be accomplished within an existing timeframe and budget.

inspect skills include:

examining the processes undertaken and the product created

thoughtfully reflecting on the process undertaken

visualizing the idea as if completed, comparing and contrasting it with the original purpose

using reflections to internalize new ideas and revise the existing idea

applying the idea to similar challenges in the future

Media Fluency

There are two components of Media Fluency. First, it

involves the ability to look analytically at any

communication to interpret the real message, and

evaluate the efficacy of the chosen medium. Second, it’s

about creating original communications that align the

message with its intended audience using the most

appropriate and effective medium.

listen From this Listening stage, media fluency branches off into the careful consideration of both the

medium and the message, as follows:

message

All the distractions of the medium are removed, such as the images, sound effects, etc., and the

viewer considers the message that is specifically being communicated.

verbalize: You must first be able clarify that message in clear and concise terms, and think

analytically and critically about what the message is trying to tell you.

verify: Next, the message is verified using skills that help the viewer analyze and authenticate

information contained in the message, and by separating fact from opinion, and detecting any bias

that may be present.

medium

Now that the message is understood, the medium—the method of delivery of the message—is then

considered. There are three aspects to evaluating the medium.

form: The form takes into account the design elements such as fonts used, colour schemes, lighting,

consistency, unity, and so on.

flow: This aspect considers how the message plays out. Is there a logical progression to the story,

guiding your attention in the right direction in order to convey the message effectively, or is there a

disjointedness and confusion in the delivery?

alignment: This is about seeing the connection between medium, message, and audience, and

whether or not that connection is effective.

leverage In the Leverage stage, we select and apply the most appropriate media for the message considering

content, purpose, audience, individual abilities, and any predetermined criteria.

Here again we consider the medium and the message separately, but using different criteria. We are

now looking at these two elements as the creator, as opposed to being the viewer:

message

When deciding on what message you want to convey, there are two things you must be clear on.

content: What exactly is it that you want to say to your audience, and what does that message

content include?

outcome: What is your intention with the content? What we say is often less important than how it is

said, so the outcome must be carefully considered.

medium

Once you have clarified what you want to say, the medium for delivering the message must be

chosen next. In choosing the correct medium for your message, you consider three different things.

audience: Your message may be intended for a specific group or age level or culture or gender, and

it may also be intended for a wider demographic that encompasses all these things and more.

abilities: This means what media you’re familiar with and are capable of using properly, and what

skills you are willing and able to learn if choosing a medium you’re not too familiar with.

criteria: Pinpoint specific developmental considerations. For example, is there a deadline for

delivery which may place time constraints on you? Or are there specific components—such as in

creating a keynote or slideshow—that you must adhere to? Do you have a limited or unlimited

budget to work with? These are some examples of criteria you would consider.

Collaboration Fluency

Collaboration Fluency is team-working proficiency at its

highest level. It is the ability to work cooperatively with

virtual and real partners in both digital and non-digital

environments to solve problems and create original

products.

With marketplaces operating on a global level and virtual communication bridging the geographical

distances between us, this is an increasingly important skill for our students to develop. This is a

parallel process to Solution Fluency. In fact, it’s easiest to think of it as Solution Fluency in a team

environment. The major difference is the focus in the first phase, where much of the framework for

the collective is established.

establish This stage begins by selecting and organizing the collective group, establishing the norms and

determining the role each team member would be best suited for, and developing a group contract.

establish skills include:

gathering and assembling the collective group

defining individual and group roles and responsibilities

setting communication guidelines (how, how often, when, etc.)

discussing norms (why has the group been established, what will the outcome for the group’s

collective purpose be, how will the outcome be evaluated)

defining the scope of the project

specifying what information is available and important to the issue the group faces

choosing a leader and defining the scope of their responsibility

drawing up a group contract and establishing performance expectations

envision As a group, it’s time to now examine the issue/challenge/goal together, and conceive the intended

outcome. Together the group visualizes, defines, and examines the issue they are challenged with,

as well as what the intended outcome is.

envision skills include:

determining the problem

understanding and defining what the current situation is

visualizing a desired future

specifying any information needs

identifying the information that is available and what information is still missing

educating the rest of the collective

developing a written plan of action (what, how, when, where, and who)

engineer This stage involves assembling the nuts and bolts of the plan into something workable and

applicable to the problem or challenge the group was brought together for. It’s crucial that everyone

works together to synthesize a workable method for achieving the desired goal.

engineer skills include:

creating a workable plan to get the group from where they are to where they want to be

delegating responsibilities effectively and fairly

creating a plan to guide the team (this plan must be able to be checked, re-evaluated, and

discussed as the work progresses)

allowing for each team member’s levels of strength, insight, and creativity to contribute to the

plan

execute In this stage, the group puts the plan into action and manages the process, with each team member

remaining personally accountable for their contribution (this also means devising a method for

ensuring other members are held accountable).

execute skills include:

putting the plan into action, with a focus on a tangible and viable solution to the problem

pressure-testing the designed product or solution

utilizing the unique individual strengths of each team member

monitoring and recording group progress

holding team members accountable for their assigned roles and contributions to the work

examine At this final and crucial stage the group studies and reviews both their process and the end result.

The idea is to determine if the challenge was successfully met, and also to gain insights for areas of

constructive improvement.

examine skills include:

discussing if and how the goal was achieved

pinpointing areas for improvement

recognizing team members’ contributions

providing constructive feedback and criticism

Global Digital Citizenship

All the 21st Century Fluencies are learned within the

context of the Global Digital Citizen, using the guiding

principles of leadership, ethics, altruistic service,

environmental stewardship, global citizenship, digital

citizenship, and personal responsibility. The global digital

citizen practices a sense of respect and responsibility

for themselves, others, and property—both physical and

intellectual.

personal responsibility Personal responsibility is about shifting the responsibility for learning away from the teacher and

more to the student. The aim of this approach is to develop a sense of accountabilty for lifelong

learning within the student. Fostering personal responsibility includes demonstrating how one

governs oneself in matters of finance, ethical and moral boundaries, personal health and fitness, and

relationships of every definition.

global citizenship Global Citizenship involves recognizing and respecting how 21st-century technology and digital

media have eliminated boundaries between citizens of the world by enabling communication,

collaboration, dialogue, and debate across all levels of society. It encourages the people of this

generation to realize that we are no longer isolated—that we are all global citizens. This leads us to

become more aware of the issues, traditions, religions, and core values and cultures of our fellow

citizens. Global citizenship also promotes tolerance and understanding, linked intimately with

acceptance, sensitivity, and humility.

digital citizenship

Digital citizenship means engaging in appropriate and exemplary behavior in an online environment.

While carefully-crafted acceptable use policies can be an appropriate solution, this tenet is meant to

develop a change in mindset about what it means to be safe in a transparent digital world. The

essence of Digital Citizenship is about a shifting of accountability for appropriate behavior to our

students, which fosters independence and personal responsibility.

altruistic service Altruistic Service focuses on a healthy concern for the well-being of the people with whom we share

our world. The ideals behind altruism apply not only to the people we know but also to those we

don’t. It includes embracing the opportunity to exercise charity and goodwill for the benefit of others.

Altruistic Service provides an excellent opportunity to create relevance and meaningful connections

to the real world for our students.

environmental stewardship Environmental Stewardship is a demonstration not only of common-sense values, but also of an

appreciation for the beauty and majesty that surrounds us every day. This facet of Global Digital

Citizenship encourages exploring how we can manage our use of Earth’s resources—taking

responsibility and action on personal, local, regional, national, and international levels.