Current Trends and Issues

Justification Reference What does 21st century learning look like in an elementary school? Image from Technically Invisible That’s the question that was posed to me this week by the faculty at a wonderful school on Manhattan’s upper east side in preparation for some upcoming PD work. I think it’s an outstanding question that’s worth reflecting on in-depth as we all start to think about what our goals and direction are for the next school year. What does 21st century learning look like? is an essential question and overarching topic that I hope to come back to again and again as I think about what works in real classrooms. It’s an especially important consideration at the elementary level, because so many of the tech trends in education are tested out and geared toward middle and high schools. To me, 21st century learning in an elementary school has the same overall goals as a secondary school: it’s only the implementation that differs. You don’t have to use every program that’s out there, or introduce a new one with every unit. So that’s my thinking on this topic right now.

Article Justification Jutification Article Justification Justification Reference Three Trends That Will Shape the Future of Curriculum Big Ideas Culture Digital Tools Teaching Strategies What we as adults experienced in school, as educators and students, will bear little resemblance to what lies ahead. Here’s a look at current trends, their implications, and changes to watch for. The Three Key Trends 1. No longer shackled to books as their only source of content, educators and students are going online to find reliable, valuable, and up-to-the-minute information. FLickr:Remiforall Add to that sites like the Khan Academy, a collection of thousands of YouTube videos that teach everything from calculus to the French Revolution, TeacherTube’s collection of content, books that have been turned into YouTube videos, as well as sites from museums and art institutions, sites like NASA and the Smithsonian, TED Talks and the thousands of other educational resources available, and you can start to see how online content will be used as a primary resource. 2. Flickr:YasminF Every learner counts. 3. Lenny Gonzalez What these trends mean

Artricle Justification Justification Reference New Trends in Elementary Game Based Education Screen time—or the amount of time a student spends in front of a computer or other device–is hitting new records across the educational spectrum. Preschoolers are in front of a screen an average of 120 minutes per day, elementary school aged children are even higher, and it’s projected to rise in coming years. As these numbers continue to increase, the potential for education has not gone unnoticed by teachers, as well as parents. At a recent talk put on by Future Tense (a collaboration between Slate, New America Foundation, and ASU) a panel of leaders in the study of elementary education and technology spoke about the changes occurring in early childhood learning. Levin discussed his time in the classroom working with Minecraft, a game many elementary school age children already know and love. Several examples of Minecraft being applied in the classroom were covered in the panel. Lindsay Harman is Market and Policy Analyst for the SIIA Education Division.

Full-Day Kindergarten Full-day kindergarten (Full-Day K) boosts children’s cognitive learning, creative problem-solving and social competence. Yet for many young children Full-Day K is a missing half step in the early learning continuum. Unequal access to publicly funded full-day and full-week high quality kindergarten programs means too many young children lose a critical opportunity to develop and strengthen foundational skills necessary for success in school and lifelong learning. All children should have guaranteed access to high-quality, publicly funded Full-Day K each day of the school week if they are to meet the learning and work-force challenges of the 21st century. Full-Day Kindergarten in the States Public education in America is built on the foundation of equal access for all children. In 2012, only ten states and the District of Columbia required by statute that school districts provide publicly-funded Full-Day K. Find out the status of Full-Day K in your state. Full-Day Kindergarten Videos Dr.