2121stst Century? Century?

OctoberOctober 7, 2009 7, 2009

A Little History Lesson

In 1958 we were in crisis.In 1958 we were in crisis.

A Nation at Risk! (1983)A Nation at Risk! (1983)

• ContentContent

• Standards and ExpectationsStandards and Expectations

• TimeTime

• TeachingTeaching

• Leadership and Fiscal SupportLeadership and Fiscal Support

Nations with Average Scores Significantly Higher than the US

Nation AverageSingapore 643Korea 607Japan 605Hong Kong 588Belgium (Fl) 565Czech Republic 564Slovak Republic 547Switzerland 545(Netherlands) 541(Slovenia) 541(Bulgaria) 540(Austria) 539France 538Hungary 537Russian Fed. 535(Australia) 530Ireland 527Canada 527(Belgium (Fr)) 526Sweden 519

Nations with Average Scores Significantly Lower than the US

Nation AverageLithuania 477Cyprus 474Portugal 454Iran, Islamic Republic 428(Kuwait) 392(Columbia) 385South Africa 354

Nations with Average Scores Not Significantly Different than the US

Nation AverageThailand 522Israel 522(Germany) 509New Zealand 508England 506Norway 503(Denmark) 502United States 500(Scotland) 498Latvia (LSS) 493Spain 487Iceland 487(Greece) 484(Romania) 482

1995 TIMSS Grade 8 Mathematics Performance1995 TIMSS Grade 8 Mathematics Performance

Zhao, 2008

Despite the billions of dollars being spent on ‘education reform’ since 1983, the U.S. has implemented none of the meaningful recommendations of the 1983 report and as a result has seen no real improvements to our math or science education system.

----Robert Compton,2008, creator and executive producer of the documentary Two Million Minutes. Source: http://www.2mminutes.com/pressblog6.html

Two decades later, A Nation at Risk remains significant in terms of setting the debate and ushering in an era of reform in education, but its goals have not yet been realized. The changes wrought by twenty years of task forces, committees, and study groups have not produced the hoped-for improvement in student achievement. Few of the commission's recommendations were properly implemented, and many of those that were proved too timid to bring about effective educational reform.

--Diane Ravitch 2003Source: http://www.hoover.org/pubaffairs/dailyreport/archive/2848976.html

Zhao, 2008

U.S. treading water in reading U.S. treading water in reading Bloomberg News ServiceBloomberg News Service

Russia, Hong Kong and Singapore shot to the top of Russia, Hong Kong and Singapore shot to the top of 45 countries and provinces participating in a fourth-45 countries and provinces participating in a fourth-grade reading test, while England fell below the grade reading test, while England fell below the United States, according to results released United States, according to results released yesterday. (Honolulu Advertiser, November 29, yesterday. (Honolulu Advertiser, November 29, 2007)2007)

U.S. Students Fall Short in Math and U.S. Students Fall Short in Math and ScienceScience

Teenagers in a majority of industrialized nations taking part in Teenagers in a majority of industrialized nations taking part in a leading international exam showed greater scientific a leading international exam showed greater scientific understanding than students in the United States—and they understanding than students in the United States—and they far surpassed their American peers in mathematicsfar surpassed their American peers in mathematics. . (Education (Education Week, December 4, 2007)Week, December 4, 2007)

Zhao, 2008

But the story can’t be left But the story can’t be left there.there.

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UnitedStates

Japan Korea China India Russia

2007-2008 Global Competitiveness Index

United States

Japan

Korea

China

India

Russia

http://www.weforum.org/pdf/Global_Competitiveness_Reports/Reports/gcr_2007/gcr2007_rankings.pdf

Zhao, 2008

World Population Distribution

World Wealth DistributionWorld Tertiary Education EnrollmentRoyalties and License Fees ExportsToy Exports

Source:

http://www.worldmapper.org/

Zhao, 2008

How do other countries look at the education needed in the 21st Century?

JapanJapan

• Since 2001, Japan has been working to implement its Since 2001, Japan has been working to implement its Education Plan for the 21st CenturyEducation Plan for the 21st Century, which has three major , which has three major objectives: objectives:

– The first is “enhancing emotional education,” that is, cultivating The first is “enhancing emotional education,” that is, cultivating students as emotionally well-rounded human beings. students as emotionally well-rounded human beings.

– The second objective is “realizing a school system that helps The second objective is “realizing a school system that helps children develop their individuality and gives them diverse children develop their individuality and gives them diverse choices” by moving towards a diverse, flexible educational choices” by moving towards a diverse, flexible educational system that encourages individuality and cultivates creativity. system that encourages individuality and cultivates creativity.

– The third is “promoting a system in which the school’s autonomy The third is “promoting a system in which the school’s autonomy is respected” through decentralizing educational administration, is respected” through decentralizing educational administration, enhancing local autonomy, and enabling independent self-enhancing local autonomy, and enabling independent self-management at the school level. (Iwao, 2000)management at the school level. (Iwao, 2000)

Zhao, 2008

[Korea 2000]

Revised 7th National Curriculum

The ultimate goal is to cultivate creative, autonomous, and self-driven human resources who will lead the era's developments in information, knowledge and globalization.

•Promote fundamental and basic education that fosters sound human beings and nurtures creativity

•Help students build self-leading capacity so that they well meet the challenges of today's globalization and information development

• Implement learner-oriented education that suits the students' capability, aptitude and career development needs

• Ensure expanded autonomy for the local community and schools in curriculum planning and operation.

Zhao, 2008

SingaporeSingapore

Since 1997, Singapore’s key educational strategies are:Since 1997, Singapore’s key educational strategies are:

• The explicit teaching of critical and creative thinking skills; The explicit teaching of critical and creative thinking skills;

• The reduction of subject content;The reduction of subject content;

• The revision of assessment modes; and; The revision of assessment modes; and;

• A greater emphasis on processes instead of on outcomes A greater emphasis on processes instead of on outcomes when appraising schools.when appraising schools.

• In 2005, the Ministry of Education in Singapore released In 2005, the Ministry of Education in Singapore released another major policy document another major policy document Nurturing Every Child: Nurturing Every Child: Flexibility and Diversity in Singapore SchoolsFlexibility and Diversity in Singapore Schools, which called , which called for a more varied curriculum, a focus on learning rather for a more varied curriculum, a focus on learning rather than teaching, and more autonomy for schools and than teaching, and more autonomy for schools and teachers (Ministry of Education, 2005).teachers (Ministry of Education, 2005).

Zhao, 2008

Why?Why?

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.

Albert Einstein

Technology redefines - Technology redefines - EverythingEverything

What did we do before?What did we do before?

• E-mail.E-mail.

• Word-processing.Word-processing.

• The InternetThe Internet

• On-line banking and purchasingOn-line banking and purchasing

BeforeBefore

• Text-messagingText-messaging

• PodcastsPodcasts

• Wiki’sWiki’s

• SkypeSkype

Before!Before!

• GoogleGoogle

• E-BayE-Bay

• WikipediaWikipedia

• ????????????????

Our Challenge Our Challenge

(W)hy would the world’s employers (W)hy would the world’s employers pay us more than they have to pay the pay us more than they have to pay the Indians to do their work? They would Indians to do their work? They would be willing to do that only if we could be willing to do that only if we could offer something that the Chinese and offer something that the Chinese and Indians, and others, cannot.Indians, and others, cannot.

--New Commission on the Skills of the American --New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce (2007). Workforce (2007). Tough Choices or Tough TimesTough Choices or Tough Times

Because of the Death of Because of the Death of DistanceDistance

As electrically contracted, the globe is no more than a village.

Marshall McLuhan, 1964

“Honey,” I confided, “I think the world is flat.”

Thomas Friedman, 2005

Books to make us think!Books to make us think!

• A Whole New Mind – Daniel Pink A Whole New Mind – Daniel Pink (2005)(2005)

• Five Minds for the Future – Howard Five Minds for the Future – Howard Garner (2006)Garner (2006)

Daniel H. Pink (2005).A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age

A Whole New MindA Whole New MindInformation Age: Information Age: L-Directed ThinkingL-Directed Thinking

– SequentialSequential– LiteralLiteral– FunctionalFunctional– TextualTextual– AnalyticAnalytic Conceptual Age:Conceptual Age:

R-Directed ThinkingR-Directed Thinking– SimultaneousSimultaneous– MetaphoricalMetaphorical– AestheticAesthetic– ContextualContextual– Synthetic Synthetic

AsiaAutomationAbundance

Zhao, 2008

Essential Aptitudes in the Essential Aptitudes in the Conceptual AgeConceptual Age

• DesignDesign

• StoryStory

• SymphonySymphony

• EmpathyEmpathy

• PlayPlay

• MeaningMeaning

Five Minds for the FutureFive Minds for the Future

• Disciplinary MindDisciplinary Mind– MasteryMastery

• Schools of ThoughtSchools of Thought• Professional CraftProfessional Craft

• Synthesizing MindSynthesizing Mind– Integrate IdeasIntegrate Ideas– CommunicateCommunicate

• Creating MindCreating Mind– Uncover new ideasUncover new ideas– Clarify new ideas Clarify new ideas

• Respectful MindRespectful Mind– Awareness and Awareness and

appreciation of appreciation of differencesdifferences

• Ethical MindEthical Mind– Fulfillment of Fulfillment of

responsibilitiesresponsibilities

Gardner, 2006

Global CitizenshipGlobal Citizenship

The completely untraveled person will view all foreigners as the savage regards a member of another herd. But the man who has traveled, or who has studied international politics, will have discovered that, if his herd is to prosper, it must, to some degree, become amalgamated with other herds.

--Bertrand Russell, 1950

Are we preparing citizens for Are we preparing citizens for the globalized world?the globalized world?

• Unique talentsUnique talents

• Creativity, Imagination, and PassionCreativity, Imagination, and Passion

• Cross-cultural competenciesCross-cultural competencies– Understanding the globeUnderstanding the globe– Foreign languagesForeign languages– Understanding other culturesUnderstanding other cultures

• Global responsibilitiesGlobal responsibilities

Zhao, 2008

What does it take?What does it take?

Personalize education: Is there Personalize education: Is there a core curriculum?a core curriculum?

Creativity and discipline: Skills, Creativity and discipline: Skills, knowledge, and attitudeknowledge, and attitude

Globalization: Schools as global Globalization: Schools as global enterprisesenterprises

Zhao, 2008

Digital CitizenshipDigital Citizenship

• Living in the digital worldLiving in the digital world– ConsumersConsumers– CitizensCitizens– Community leadersCommunity leaders

• Making a living in the digital worldMaking a living in the digital world– Digital workersDigital workers– Global workersGlobal workers

• (Re)Creating the digital world(Re)Creating the digital world– InnovatorsInnovators– EntrepreneursEntrepreneurs

Zhao, 2008

What can we do?What can we do?

Be informed of changes.Be informed of changes.

Model attitudes and behaviors.Model attitudes and behaviors.

Lead changes in curriculum, policy, Lead changes in curriculum, policy, and events in your schools.and events in your schools.

Advocate changes in the state and the Advocate changes in the state and the nation.nation.

Zhao, 2008

Imagine a District Imagine a District where…where…

People work together to improve instruction in all classrooms and rigor is the norm.

People strive to personalize instruction for all students and resources are focused on the classroom.

People model professionalism creating a healthy and supportive environment for students to learn.

People treat each other with respect and learn from our differences.

People believe that communication is the most important subject we teach.

People take risks and encourage students to take risks.

Consistency of expectations is clear throughout the system.

The use of data is seen as part of establishing and assessing common goals.

People employ technology as a tool to instruct.

Students turn on to education when they come through our doors.

Can you imagine?

Is it or could it be the Framingham Public Schools?

We can only do this together!