Design thinking as a tool to the teaching of children, and teachers in the 21st century: An Integrative Review

Children become more motivated to learn when what is presented to them reflects or simulates their own reality, providing a sense of authenticity to education. This article aims to analyse which studies have already been carried out in the scope of the use and teaching of Design Thinking for children in the school environment. In order to achieve this aim, a descriptive exploratory research was conducted, based on the integrative literature review, with the Scopus and Web of Science platforms as the basis. It was noticed that Design Thinking is a valuable tool for the empowerment of children and adolescents, as it stimulates empathy, communication, creativity, and the ability to analyse and solve problems. One point that should be drawn from the articles is that there is few formally structured materials on the use of Design Thinking as a pedagogical practice, which can hinder its more accelerated dissemination. Finally, although interventions are centred on children and adolescents, educators need to realize that they are the primary factor for transformation, through their involvement, dedication, and attitude. Therefore, they need to be qualified, aware of their role as facilitators, guiding in this collaborative journey of critical thinking, and problem-solving in an innovative and future-oriented way

Leading schools in the digital age: A clash of cultures

A cultural gap is widening in English secondary schools: between a twentieth-century ethos of institutional provision and the twenty-first century expectations and digital lifestyles of school students. Perhaps disaffected by traditional teaching methods and the competitive target culture of schools, many students have turned to social networking through the cluster of computer-based applications known as Web 2.0. Here, they can communicate, share and learn informally using knowledge systems their elders can barely understand. Some of their contemporaries have turned away altogether, rejecting school and contributing to record levels of truancy and exclusion. This paper identifies a set of challenges for school leaders in relation to the growing digital/cultural gap. The government agenda for personalised learning is discussed, alongside strategies which schools might adopt to support this through the use of ICT, and both figure in scenario projections which envision how secondary education could change in the future. The paper concludes by recommending three priorities for school leaders

Addressing the cyber safety challenge: from risk to resilience

Addressing the cyber safety challenge: from risk to resilience describes the cyber safety issues emerging from a range of technology trends, how different populations are using technologies and the risks they face, and how we can effectively respond to each group’s unique cyber safety needs. Written by the University of Western Sydney for Telstra Corporation Ltd, the report advocates for continuing to move cyber safety from a ‘risk and protection’ framework to one that focuses on building digital resilience, as well as fostering trust and confidence in the online environment. To do this we need to: Address the needs of populations often neglected by current policies and programs – including adults, seniors, parents, and small to medium enterprises Continue to build the digital literacy skills of all populations, because digital literacy strongly influences users’ ability to engage safely online – this is best achieved by a hands-on learning approach Keep risk in perspective – the risks and benefits of digital participation go hand in hand Broaden the focus from awareness-raising to long-term behaviour change. As digital technologies become further integrated into the everyday lives of Australians, users are potentially exposed to greater risks. However, the risks and benefits of digital participation go hand in hand. The challenge, therefore, is to support users to minimise the risks without limiting their digital participation and their capacity to derive the full benefits of connectivity. If Australians are to benefit as either consumers or providers of online services and products in the e-commerce environment, consumer safety and trust need to be improved. Cyber safety needs to be considered against a transforming backdrop of technology trends, products and practices. While the rise of social media has tended to dominate recent debate and developments in cyber safety, particularly in relation to young people, a range of other trends is also shaping how users engage online, the risks they potentially face in the new media landscape, and the strategies used to address them. These trends include the rise of user generated content and content sharing platforms; the uptake of mobile technologies and, in particular, the adoption of smartphones; cloud computing; platform integration and single sign-on mechanisms; and the rise of GPS and location based services

Children's rights in the digital age: a download from children around the world

Evidence from across the world is telling us that no matter where they are from, more and more children are relying on digital tools, platforms and services to learn, engage, participate, play, innovate, work or socialise. Foreward Some two-thirds of the world’s almost three billion internet users are from the developing world, with the numbers growing every day. Many of these new users are children and young people; in fact in many countries, internet users under the age of 24 far outnumber the rest. A growing body of evidence from across the world is also telling us that no matter where they are from, more and more children are relying on digital tools, platforms and services to learn, engage, participate, play, innovate, work or socialise. There are already countless examples of how – when harnessed appropriately – digital tools can help promote human development, by closing gaps in access to information, speeding up service delivery, supporting educational and health outcomes, and creating new entrepreneurship opportunities. The power of technology to jump across borders and time zones, to join the once disparate, and to foster social connectedness, has provided the means for the children and young people of today to participate in a global society in ways previously not possible. Sadly, there are also new or evolving risks – exposure to violence; access to inappropriate content, goods and services; concerns about excessive use; and issues of data protection and privacy. As it becomes increasingly difficult to draw the line between offline and online, it is necessary for us to examine how this changing environment impacts the wellbeing and development of children and their rights. Ensuring that all children are safe online requires approaches that promote digital literacy, resilience and cyber-savvy. It is only in partnership that we can reach consensus on how to create a safe, open, accessible, affordable and secure digital world. Critically, children and young people’s profound insight must help inform, shape and drive this goal – which needs to focus on equity of access, safety for all, digital literacy across generations, identity and privacy, participation and civic engagement. In April of this year, the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and UNICEF co-hosted, in collaboration with PEW Internet, EU Kids Online, the Internet Society (ISOC), Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), and YouthPolicy.org, a first of its kind international ‘Digitally Connected’ symposium on children, youth, and digital media. The symposium sought to map and explore the global state of research and practice in this field, and to facilitate sharing, discussion and collaboration among the 150 academics, practitioners, young people, activists, philanthropists, government officials, and representatives of technology companies from around the world.   &nbsp

The Future of the Internet: Millennials Will Benefit and Suffer Due to Their Hyperconnected Lives

Presents technology stakeholders' survey responses about whether the Millennial generation's always-on connection to people and information through social media, mobile Web, and multi-tasking will be a net positive or negative by 2020. Excerpts comments

Transforming Disability To Advantage: A Phenomenological Study Of Career Success For Dyslexics

The purpose of this Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis study was to understand how dyslexics’ and non-dyslexics’ perceptions about dyslexia impacted the life experiences of dyslexic individuals with successful careers. Six dyslexic participants described meaningful experiences in their lives and career success in individual, semistructured, in-person interviews in the New York tri-state area. The participants shared insights that revealed four themes: (1) Challenging Academic Experiences, (2) Thinking Differently and Creating Success, (3) Championing a Growth Mindset and Positive Thinking, and (4) Leading with Strengths and Talents. This study explored the transformative shift from narrowly viewing dyslexia as a neurological disorder to a wider lens of potential advantages for adult dyslexics in successful careers. Eide & Eide (2012) suggested that the same brain differences that create challenges in reading, language, and learning may have also produced strengths in conceptual, visual, and visionary thinking. The participants shared their strengths and talents, challenges and opportunities in their unique career journeys

Teachers\u27 Perceptions of an Online Social Network as an Instructional Platform: The Impact of an Edmodo-Based Professional Development Workshop

Today\u27s students are learning and communicating in increasingly digital ways, which is challenging instructors to rethink their practice in order to meet their students\u27 needs. These needs include instant access to information, student-centered learning, and control over their own learning. With the rapid adoption and progression of technology in education, understanding instructors\u27 perceptions of technology that supports digital-age learners becomes important, as instructors\u27 perceptions can influence the effectiveness of technology integration. This study examined one particular technology, the Online Social Network (OSN), using Edmodo in light of how it is perceived as an instructional platform. Additionally, whether the OSN supports a professional learning community was investigated, and the influence of this type of professional development design on the participants\u27 perceptions was analyzed. Generally, the OSN was perceived as an instructional platform particularly for instruction aimed at student-centered and blended learning. It was evident that the OSN is capable of supporting a professional learning community, as participants in this study thoroughly and collectively worked to design student-centered learning modules within the platform while at the same time inquiring on topics pertinent to their professional growth. The findings provide relevant information for instructors looking to implement a platform that supports a student-centered approach to instruction, as well as, an example for administrators seeking a platform that supports a professional learning community. With this information, it is hopeful that the educational practice can improve, as instructors perceptions are better understood and their desire to participate in an online learning community is manifest

A profile of principals in digital learning environments

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to examine and describe principals of a digital learning environment (DLE) and illustrate how their skills, qualities, and behaviors look in practice. The research consisted of case studies of two principals and included principal interviews, teacher focus groups, observations of open house events, observations of professional learning team meetings, and document analysis. The study was meant to expand upon the current literature available about leadership in a digital context and create a descriptive, conceptual summary of possible approaches rather than a prescriptive list of actions. In the literature review, I identified specific traits of a principal in a DLE. This list of actions served as my conceptual framework that shaped participant selection as well as interview questions for both the principals and the focus groups. After collecting and analyzing the data, I identified seven key themes. These themes are: 1. Principals possess and clearly articulate a belief that all students can learn and deserve the opportunity to do so. 2. Principals believe in the power of a strong teacher and strong instructional strategies as key levers for student growth. 3. Principals foster a culture of collaboration and risk taking. 4. Principals act as the instructional leader in their buildings. 5. Principals believe that schools are places of continual learning and provide professional development opportunities aligned to the learning. 6. Principals believe that face-to-face communication is the most effective way to build relationships with internal and external stakeholders. 7. Principals take ownership of their school and directly communicate their expectations and beliefs. In this study it was concluded that these themes supported, added to, or caused reclassification of the traits listed in the original conceptual framework. Therefore, I created a revised conceptual framework. I also produced a descriptive summary of a principal of a DLE in practice. The themes that emerged from this study, the examples that supported these themes, and the revised traits of a principal of a DLE could add to information used by school districts to recruit, select, and retain principals. Additionally, the findings of this study provide examples of areas to target when building the capacities of future principals during preparation programs. Future research should include additional principals to create a more robust description that could further support the development, recruitment, selection, retention, and evaluation of principals of a DLE