A New Era of Education Reform: Preparing All Students for Success in College, Career and Life

As society changes, the knowledge and skills required for citizens to navigate the complexities of life and work must also change. As a result, some argue that schools must provide students with a broader set of skills that will enable them to thrive in our increasingly diverse, rapidly evolving and globally-connected world. The intent is not to replace the traditional academic disciplines but to infuse them with knowledge and skills that will better prepare students for success in the 21st century -- often referred to as "21st century skills." While others maintain that as long as a portion of the student population is not mastering basic reading, writing and mathematics skills, schools must continue to focus exclusively on the traditional core academic disciplines. In order to inform the debate about the rationale for and relevance of 21st century skills in Massachusetts' public schools, the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy conducted a survey of superintendents, charter school leaders and principals statewide to gauge the extent to which school and district leaders support the integration of 21st century skills into public education. The goal of the survey was to provide a better understanding of Massachusetts' public school and district leaders' priorities for improving student learning, including their views on 21st century skills. The survey was followed by interviews with a small sample of administrators and educators in districts and schools where the integration of 21st century skills is a priority, in order to better understand district, school and teacher approaches for infusing 21st century skills into teaching and learning.The report describes the background and context for the study, the study methodology, and key findings from the statewide survey and interviews in a sample of schools and districts. The final section of the report puts forth considerations for policymakers and K-12 school and district leaders. Case studies of two public school districts, Reading Public Schools and Brockton Public Schools are included in Appendix B. The case studies offer two different approaches to integrating 21st century skills district-wide. The case study of Reading Public Schools illustrates a district-led approach. The case study of Brockton Public Schools is an example of how one school has spurred a district to focus on 21st century skills.The study gives voice to key education stakeholders who have not been part of the public debate about 21st century skills and provides clarity about what teaching and learning in classrooms that incorporate 21st century skills looks like. While opponents of 21st century skills argue that districts where most students have not yet mastered reading, writing and mathematics skills, should focus exclusively on core academic content, the study revealed that most school and district leaders believe all public schools in Massachusetts should be required to integrate 21st century skills into learning, including schools where students are lacking adequate basic skills. Interviews with superintendents who prioritize integration of 21st century skills revealed that input from a range of stakeholders led their district to expand their mission and vision for student learning to include 21st century skills and rather than adopt a pre-packaged set of skills, the focus in these districts is on particular skills and competencies that ?t the needs of their student body. While most schools and districts have not developed measurable goals for student mastery of 21st century skills, interviews with a small sample of administrators and educators revealed that 21st century skills are assessed at the classroom level, and most administrators view school- and district-wide assessment as a future step in the process of fully integrating 21st century skills. The endings also suggest that administrators believe that, to date, state policymakers have not adequately supported the teaching and learning of 21st century skills.This report was released at a public event on October 7th, 2010. View video clips from this event on our YouTube channel and read an EdWeek article featuring this report

Doing pedagogical research in engineering

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Find Your Voice K-12 Curriculum

Curriculum to teach students about the life and legacy of the indomitable human rights activist, Fannie Lou Hamer. developed eighteen curricular units, containing a total of thirty-two lesson plans, that span the subject areas of Social Studies, English/Language Arts, Science, American Government, US History, Geography, Black History, Women's Studies, Politics, Economics, Agricultural Studies, Journalism, Filmmaking, and Musicology.

Results From the Long-Term Inmate Survey: Focus on Child Abuse Histories

This report of long-term inmates in Alaska correctional facilities attempts to describe the childhood experiences of a sample of long-term inmates, address the "cycle of abuse" issue; and present the correlates of abuse which may impact the pattern of offending or inmate functioning. Over 80 percent of long-term inmates report having been physically abused as children; over 65 percent report having suffered neglect.Alaska Department of CorrectionsResults from the Long Term Inmate Study: Focus on Child Abuse Histories / Incidence of Child Abuse and the Relationship to Criminality / Measuring Child Abuse and Neglect: A Review of Methods / Survey Methods and Administration / An Assessment of Survey Biases / Tables to Support Profile Analysis / Personal Interview Administration and Results / Correlates of Abus

The Effects of Teaching a Growth Mindset Unit on a Teaching Practice and Fifth Grade Students\u27 Perceptions of their Abilities in Math

The purpose of this study was to examine whether teaching growth mindset, that intelligence is malleable and can be increased through persistence and effort, had an impact on students\u27 perception of their abilities in mathematics. The participants were 23 fifth grade students in the Midwest. In this qualitative study, data was collected through surveys, self-assessments, reflection journals and direct participant observation. Four major themes emerged: I ) relationships and trust; 2) increased willingness to take risks; 3) asking questions; and 4) puzzles and problem solving. Improved relationships and increased trust were foundational to other changes, allowing the students confidence to self-advocate, seek autonomy and take risks by extending themselves and growing through learning, challenging and pushing themselves and others. Teachers can learn a lot about students through survey data but it should be only one of several tools they use to know their students. Teaching that intelligence is malleable may also be useful but greater value comes from forming strong relationships with students and building trust with all. Pseudonyms used throughout to protect the privacy of participants

Yuraq: An Introduction To Writing

Thesis (M.A.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2010Teacher research conducted at Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Charter School in Bethel, Alaska introduced 1819 kindergarten students to writing through Yuraq (Eskimo dancing). Within the teacher research, the case study followed four emergent writers as they developed in their writing abilities, how they connected Yuraq with writing, and their progression through their second language skills. The study followed two stories: the teacher's story and the students' story. The study found that Yuraq aided in writing instruction to second language learners, that there are aspects of the 6+1 Traits in Yuraq, and that students progressed in their L2 as well

You Can Tell They Care : A Phenomenographic Study of Student Experiences with Empathic Concern Expressed by Professors in Engineering

In order to address the increasingly complex challenges of the 21st century, there is a need to continue to grow the technical workforce by improving graduation rates of engineering students. To accomplish this, the culture of engineering programs must shift from demanding or intimidating to more inclusive and supportive. Professors can play a critical role in creating these cultures by building relationships with students. Empathic concern is essential in building relationships that can encourage student growth and development. This form of empathy, sometimes referred to as care or concern, is expressed through actions of understanding, compassion, and non-judgement. While research on empathic concern or care in education is common, there is limited research on the use of empathic concern as a teaching practice in engineering programs. The purpose of this study is to utilize undergraduate student experiences as a means of exploring how professors in engineering programs currently use empathic concern. Analysis of interviews with 27 engineering students (13 women and 14 men, which included 4 first generation, 1 Latinx and 1 student of Asian descent) at a large western university suggests that professors express all components of empathic concern (understanding, compassion, and non-judgement). In addition, students described eight distinct experiences of empathic concern expressed by engineering professors, including professors who are committed to helping students succeed and professors who create a safe space for asking questions. These experiences can be grouped into three fundamental ways professors can express empathic concern towards students including: (1) expressing care for students as individuals; (2) cultivating student learning; and (3) acknowledging the challenges of engineering education. By understanding and incorporating these experiences of empathic concern into their teaching practice, engineering professors could improve engineering students’ educational experiences and help further students’ persistence to graduation