A conversation about learning and the brain in the 21st century for the RSU1 community.

1. Learning and the Brain
in the 21st Century
Laura Phelps
2012 RSU1 Summer Tech Institute

2. What are the essential skills & habits of mind
that students need for the future?
• What will the world look like in 20 years?
• What skills will kids need to be successful in
that world?
• What were/are the conditions around your
peak learning experiences?
• What would learning look like if it was
designed around the answers to those
questions?

3. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills
P21 Framework Definitions

4. When we ask kids how they want to learn,
they say (in this order):
1. In groups
2. With friends
3. Doing practical things
4. Using computers/mobile devices
-Charles Fadel
(http://www21stcenturyskillsbook.com/)

5. How do our students learn today?
• Use the web for extending and building
relationships
• Self-directed learning that incorporates
self-expression
• Instant gratification and constant
connection
• Multi-tasking in a multimedia world

6. A word about multi-tasking...
Brain research shows that there is a difference
between multi-tasking and task shifting.
Image from http://kilroycafe.blogspot.com/2012/01/problem-with-multitasking.html
Read “Mastering Multitasking” by Urs Gasser and John Palfrey (handout)

7. So, what are the key skills of the
21st century?

8. 4 c’s:
• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Communication
• Collaboration

9. Creativity

10. Creativity Off-Shore-able
• 22-29% of U.S. jobs are off-shoreable, including
high-paying, high skill jobs. http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6012.html
• 65% of today’s grade-school children may work
in jobs not yet invented. http://www.RADTeach.com

11. Check out Shelley Carson’s work:
http://www.shelleycarson.com

12. So... what does all of this mean for us?
Larry Rosen, author of Rewired: Understanding the
iGeneration and How they Learn has some relevant
recommendations.

13. #1: Allow creativity & multiple modalities
• Present in many modalities - this is a
multimedia generation.
• Do not require students to unitask.
• Support students in their preference for
a multimedia environment.
• Keep lessons snappy.

14. #2: Allow content creation
• Let students create products in multiple
mediums.
• Allow projects to merge art, music, text
and technology.

15. #3: Allow social interaction
• Create projects that are done through online
collaboration (there are dozens of possibilities -
think Google apps, Prezi, blogs, wikis, etc.).
• Provide a classroom social networking
platform (like Edmodo) for students to discuss
various topics and to develop/practice online
etiquette.

16. #4: Allow formal and informal writing
• Blogs are an amazing tool for both
individual and collaborative writing.
• “Translate” writing from text-isms to
formal writing and vice versa; make the
difference between the two explicit.

17. #5: Provide tons of feedback
• This generation thrives on feedback...
Web 2.0 tools provide a plethora of
opportunities for this.

18. #6: Teach media literacy
• Students may be savvy about how to use
technological tools, but that doesn’t mean they
don’t need instruction about how to:
• determine what sources are trustworthy
• analyze, filter, synthesize
• use information ethically

19. What now?
You’re psyched, ready to embrace 21st century
learning! Where to begin?
These are some of my favorite “go to” resources:
Free Technology for Teachers
Classroom 2.0
The Super Book of Web Tools for Educators

20. What year are we preparing
our students for?
The past? Or...

21. Thank you for coming!
I appreciate any feedback you might
have about this session.
Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with
me (lphelps@rsu1.org) with your
questions and/or thoughts!