1) The document discusses interviews conducted with K-12 teachers who are innovators in using 21st century tools in their classrooms. 2) It finds that the teachers received little formal training on using these tools and learned through trial and error, as well as from their students, fellow teachers, gaming, and following their passions. 3) The teachers emphasized the importance of being learners alongside their students and creating active learning communities to support professional growth.

2. Students Informal Traditional

3. Teachers Informal Traditional Certification Courses Methods Theory Management Student Teaching

4. PD Informal What do we know about the learning trajectories of 21st century teachers? Is there such a thing as 21st century professional development? What needs to be learned for us to develop relevant teacher training?

5. What professional development trajectories have facilitated teaching with 21st century tools?

6. Finding innovative practitioners?

7. Interview R1 Community Context Tools Public Face? 1 Rural Higher Ed Private Broken Tech Speaker 2 Rural MS Math Public Online Tools TED/Speaker 3 Suburban HS Science Public Alt Mobile Speaker/Published 4 Suburban ES Writing Public Massive Multiplayer Speaker/Online 5 Urban HS Social Private Strategy Gaming Speaker/Published 6 Urban ES English Public Virtual Worlds Speaker/Online

12. Findings Traditional Training After music career: “ Your resume is your portfolio of music and those you’ve worked with and who has produced you.” After degree in history: “ I came in with an understanding of history as a discipline. I had gone through rigorous training.” “ I remember taking accounting classes just because they had computers; I had no interest in accounting whatsoever.”

13. Findings Lessons in Practice “ I began to realize as a teacher that learning was not restricted to the four walls of my classroom. That learning could take place in virtual spaces.” “ I switched over...set up for the class, but during class I really didn’t do anything ...” “ Infinitely [better] than last year.” It was crazy. I realized when I saw those kids who were fearless and they were looking at me like, ‘What’s your problem?’... I said, “OK, this is where were going.” learning could take place [better] than last year.” It was crazy. I realized “ OK, this is where were going.”

14. Findings Trial and Error “ I was no longer the expert. I was the newbiest of newbs.” “ I remember crashing and burning real bad on lectures. I think I’ve blocked it out [laughs].” “ You don’t know what the answer is when you start. You don’t know what the content is.” “ If they [want to learn] content you know nothing about, you have to be right there next to them.” “ I was no longer the expert. I was the newbiest of newbs.” “ I remember crashing and burning real bad on lectures. I think I’ve blocked it out [laughs] .” “ You don’t know what the answer is when you start. You don’t know what the content is.” “ If they [want to learn] content you know nothing about, you have to be right there next to them.”

15. Findings Trial and Error PD from students PD from fellow teachers (f2f and online) PD from gaming media PD from vision of end experience PD from expertise in field

16. Discussion Active Teacher Community Admin/Policy Students Passions Vision Play Space Trial/Error Formal Training Student Tuning Teachers Traditional Informal

17. What will be learned? How to Assess? Actions? Engaging Lesson Plan Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe , 2001 and really quite a few others. Interesting work Lots of really good teachers, in classrooms. “ You don’t know what the answer is when you start. You don’t know what the content is.” Discussion What is engaging? What is real? Who is learning?

18. Future Study Teacher Certification Leadership Practices Classroom Practices Classroom Design