21st Century Learning Leadership Forum Insight Cafe - Banff October 2011 - How one Ontario K-12 District is transforming to a 21st Century Learning and Teaching District

1. It’s more than technology
that needs to change…
21st Century Learning Leadership Forum, Oct. 2011

2. Insight Café Format
1. Overview
2. Key Responses
3. Questions
… in 30 minutes!

3. Executive Brief
Source
Link
The full presentation can be
downloaded from SlideShare.net
http://www.slideshare.net/TDOttawa/
During the Insight Café we will only
cover the highlights of the system
reform that is taking place in the
Ottawa Catholic School Board
(Ontario, Canada) as we transition to
a 21st Century Learning and Teaching
District.
Click here to download a copy of the
full presentations

4. “House Keeping” items
Source
Link
Throughout the presentation if you
see this symbol – click on it to either
visit a website or to download a copy
of the referenced document. Full
source information is available on
each website.
You have permission to copy and
share this presentation with
others.

5. Changes in our students/staff
Don Tapscott –
Is this the Smartest
or the Dumbest
Generation?

6. Starting Beliefs
Infusion of technology in
classrooms must be combined
with research based
instructional practices

7. Becoming a 21st Century
School Board
Where
do
we
start?
21st
Century
Learning
School
Board

8. Becoming a 21st Century
School Board
Where
do
we
start?
It’s a dynamic
process, not
linear… more than
one path

9. Where
do
we
start?
Don’t let the Focus slip away

10. Students are the focus
• Focus Groups
• Work with Partners
• Environmental scan
• Inter-departmental
Changes
in Teacher
Practice
Increased
Student
Engagement
Increased
Student
Achievement

11. Creating a 21st Century
Learning Environment
Board Priorities
and Vision

12. Board Priorities

13. Creating a Vision
• Focus Groups
• Work with Partners
• Environmental Scan
• Inter-Departmental

14. Align Vision to Board
Improvement Plans
Our Vision . . .
Our vision is one where all staff
and students in the Ottawa
Catholic
School Board
have the skills
they need to excel
in the 21st century.
We will achieve student success
by meeting the diverse needs of
21st
century learners.

15. Work with Partners
• Focus Groups
• Work with Partners
• Environmental scan
• Inter-departmental

16. Policies – Procedures - People
Where
do
we
start?
• Multi-
dimensional
process
• Support of Trustees
• Support of Executive team
• Social Media Policy
• Decrease Filtering
(YouTube access etc.)
• Remove “Barrier” practices
• Change title of
Superintendent of IT to
Learning Technologies
• Re-align departments –
Organization chart changes
Governance
- Support -
Policies and
Procedures

17. Infrastructure Stability
Where
do
we
start?
•
• Network Stability
• Increased Bandwidth
• Enterprise Wireless
• Bring Your Own Device
• Support to VPs and Ps
• Parent Presentations
• Information to Trustees
(WiFi research summary)
Reliable
Network
Flexible
Implementation

18. Re-tool our schools
Where
do
we
start?
• Curriculum
integration • Laptops / SmartBoards /
LCD projectors
• Link to Numeracy and
Literacy - goals
• 21st Century Learning
contest and pilot projects
• Innovation fund
• Digital resources budget
(Discovery Education /
DreamBox Math K-3)
• Learning Commons
transformation
Mobile
Devices
and Digital
Resources

19. Leadership and Capacity Building
Where
do
we
start?
• Importance
of role models • Senior Leadership Team
use of Technology
• 21st Century Learning
Course(s)
• Board-wide 21st Century
Learning PD day focus
• Variety of training and in-
service opportunities –
respect generation
differences
• Director’s System Address
Building
Capacity
Focus
Groups,
Modelling,
In-service

20. Capacity Building Opportunities
… not just for teachers
Where
do
we
start?
MENTORSHIP – ADMINISTRATIVE
ASSISTANTS AND OFFICE
ADMINISTRATORS
21st Century Learning
An overview of
learning in the 21st
Century
INTRODUCTION TO
LEADERSHIP PART 1
Developing 21st
Century Leaders
MENTORSHIP – EDUCATIONAL
ASSISTANTS
You, Your Students
and Technology
Part II: Great ideas for
using technology to
support you in
supporting your
students
Building
Capacity
Focus Groups,
Modelling,
In-service

21. Online Course
TEACHING AND LEADING IN THE 21st CENTURY
Where
do
we
start?
Current System
What are some of the
characteristics of the current
education system? What is 21st
Century learning? What needs to
be in place to allow for change and
move to a system that supports
21st Century learning? - Google
Students and Learning in the
21st Century
Who are the students we are
teaching? What defines their
generations? Do they need 21st
Century learning? - Adobe
Connect
Teaching and Learning in the 21st
Century
What do teachers need to know to teach
and learn in the 21st Century? How do
they effectively grow professionally? -
Skype
Leading for Education in the 21st
Century
What does leadership look like in the 21st
Century school environment and how do
we lead the change?
Sharing
What were you able to accomplish in your
schools to affect change and move
towards 21st Century learning?

22. Professional Development
Community

23. Politics and Literature Review
Where
do
we
start?
• Learn from
others
• Learn from other Boards
• Review your provincial
directions
• Learn from other provinces
• Learn from other Countries
Literature
Review –
Political
Context
New Brunswick
21st Century
Leadership

24. Teaching and Learning
…in a Digital World
1. Vision, guidelines and expectations
2. Learning: How does it help and what do kids
need to learn?
3. Privacy, rules of use and digital citizenship
4. Teaching practice and teacher preparation
5. Assessment
6. Digital media and content
7. Access and equity
8. Infrastructure
9. Innovation
10. Community involvement
Ontario: 10 Emerging Themes

25. Transformational Change is
expensive (time and money)
Where
do
we
start?
• Show me
the money • Prioritizing – refresh cycles
• Cancelling programs not
aligned with Board priorities
• Over 1 million per year from
cancelled initiatives
• Transitioning teacher
resource centre
• School councils and
school funds
• Grants and Vendor rebates
• Reserves
Budget

27. Information – easily available
How should school
staff adjust?
“If acquiring and retaining information are no
longer the fundamental goals of the
educational system, there are serious
implications for our beliefs about learning,
teaching, and the role of students, teachers,
and schools…
Technology is an important tool but alone
will not create reformed schools or prepare
students for their future.”
Technology for Learning – pg 10

28. The Internet has Global Impact
Where
do
we
start?
“Freedom of expression
and the right to
communicate are, in
many ways, being
redefined
by the development of
and access to new
technologies”
(UNESCO 2011, Freedom of Connection, pg. 75)

29. We can’t ignore technological
changes impacting the World
Moving from what
students should
know… to what
students can do
We need to
move from…
This is true for Face to Face,
Blended, and Online Learning

30. Resources to help along the journey
Where
do
we
start?
A free toolkit for change
• A toolkit developed by the Partnership for
21st Century Skills, to help with the
implementation of 21st Century Learning
Self Assessment Tool :
• Knowledge and Skills
• Education Support Systems
(e.g., curriculum, assessment, etc.)
• Education Leadership
• Policy making
• Partnering
• Continuous Improvement

31. Resources to help along the journey
Where
do
we
start?
Comprehensive free guide
for change (123 pages)
Topics include:
• Understanding technology
• Planning for eLearning
• Establishing policies and
procedures
• Driving effective leadership
• Creating professional development
systems
• Using digital content in curriculum
• Employing a sustainable
infrastructure
… and much more!

32. Check your progress along the way
Where
do
we
start?
Free online tool to
check your progress
towards becoming a
21st Century
Learning School
Board or District

33. Professional Learning Network:
The Ultimate Search Engine/Filter
There is no longer a need to
go looking for information …
let the “sorted” information
come to you

34. Where
do
we
start?
New community -
with links to teacher
resources
21st Century
Professional Learning Network

35. Where
do
we
start?
Online community
for educational
leaders
Over 2300
educators
21st Century
Professional Learning Network

36. Where
do
we
start?
A community of
educators who are
using social
networking to
share information,
create resources,
and create online
communities of
practice to
improve teaching
and learning
Free Webinars
21st Century
Professional Learning Network

37. Where
do
we
start?
A social network
for those
interested in Web
2.0 and Social
Media in
education
A large variety of
special interest
groups that you
can join for free
21st Century
Professional Learning Network

38. Where
do
we
start?
Weekly interviews
and discussion
groups on topics
related to
transformational
practices in
education
21st Century
Professional Learning Network

39. EdLeader21
PLC for 21st
Century
Educational
Leaders
7 Steps to
becoming a 21st
Century District
21st Century
Professional Learning Network

40. 21st Century Websites
Where
do
we
start?
Free tip sheets
on a variety of
Web. 2.0 tools

41. 21st Century Websites
Where
do
we
start?
Key 21st
Century Skills:
Critical
Thinking
Communication
Collaboration
Creativity

42. 21st Century Websites
Key 21st
Century
Fluencies:
Creativity
Information
Collaboration
Media
Solution

43. 21st Century Websites
Pearson 21st
Century
Learner
Resources
Experts
Videos
School
examples
And more…

44. 21st Century Websites
Edutopia
Tutorials
Strategies
Project Based
Learning
Instructional
Practice Focus

45. White Papers and Research
Where
do
we
start?
Free downloads of
industry white
papers on a
variety
of 21st Century
Learning topics

46. University Research – Stay
Current with Trends
Critical Review
and Analysis of
“Skills, Technology
and Learning”
Trends
1. Open Source
2. Adaptive and Assistive
Technologies
3. Engaging Parents
Themes
1. Digital Naifs
2. Computers in Schools – still
underused
3. Environmental Impact of ICT

47. Trends – Horizon Report
Horizon Report –
2011 K-12 Edition
The report helps to
describe emerging
technologies that are
likely to have an
impact on teaching
and learning around
the world.
New Media Consortium (NMC)
Consortium for School
Networking (CoSN)
International Society for
Technology in Education (ISTE)

48. The New 3 E’s of Education
Speak Up 2010
National Findings K-
12 Students &
Parents
(April 2011)
1. Enabled
2. Engaged
3. Empowered
The 3 E’s of Education
The 3 Trends
1. Mobile Learning
2. Online and Blended Learning
3. E-textbooks

49. The New 3 E’s of Education
Speak Up 2010
National Findings K-
12 Teachers,
Librarians &
Administrators (May
2011)
Role of Librarians and
Technology Coordinators:
To enable student use of the
emerging technologies
Role of Classroom Teachers:
To engage students in rich,
compelling learning experiences
Role of Administrators:
To empower both teachers and
students to creatively envision the
future of digital learning, and to
provide opportunities for exploring
the elements of a new shared
vision for learning

50. Research and Advocacy
Canadian Education
Association
…influencing
educational
transformation in
Canada
“The most powerful thing teachers do to engage students
is to design engaging, meaningful, and authentic work and
technology-enhanced learning experiences.”

51. Research and Advocacy
Advanced
Broadband Enabled
Learning (ABEL)
Participate in
Leadership Forums
Review the document
See the section entitled
“Leading Education in
a Digital World
Valuable Web Sites”
Canadian Perspective

52. Re-tool our schools
Where
do
we
start?
• Final Points Thought Provokers
=====================
• our goal is not 1:1 program
• myth of digital natives
• 21st Century Learning does
not rely on technology
• Library transformation to
Learning Commons with
skilled library staff
• our new elementary school
– no desks!

53. Questions?
Tom D’Amico
Twitter: @TDOttawa
Thomas.DAmico@ottawacatholicschools.ca
21st Century Learning / Teaching Blog
21st Century Learning Curated Resources