A summary of the following reading: Lemke, C. (2010). Innovation through technology pp. 243-273. In Bellanca, J. & Brandt, R. (Eds). 21st Century Skills: Rethinking how students learn. Bloomington:Solution Tree Press.

1. Innovation through technology
Summary of on the reading by Cheryl Lemke (2010)
Presented by Cassie Pech

2. Interesting statistics related to 21st century
learning
What do these statistics mean for educators?
Innovation: The fuel for a knowledge-based
economy
Innovations: One- Visualisation, Two –
Democratization of knowledge, Three –
Participatory learning.
So now what? Getting there from here.
Discussion questions
Overview

3. In this chapter Lemke introduces 3 important innovations
of 21st century learning:
Visualization – Making sense of things.
Democratization of knowledge – The spread of
knowledge/access to information digitally.
Participatory learning – Students engaging in dynamic
learning environments.
Lemke (2010) provides a demonstration of ways
technology permits greater balance between a visual
approach and traditional language-based communication.
Innovation through technology

4. 96% of 9-17 year olds embrace web 2.0 culture of social networking,
blogging, twittering, GPS mapping or interactive gaming (National
Board Association 2007)
Youth typically spend 9 hours week outside of school using social
networking and 10 hours watching TV
Teens average 2899 text messages per month, 15 times the average
number of voice calls (191)
Emails and voice calls are now their “Father’s mode of digital
communication not theirs”
average of nine hundred thousand blogs are posted every 24 hours
Over 2.5 billion tweets have been sent
Over one hundred million users are logging into Facebook everyday
Approximately 2.6 billion minutes globally are spent using Facebook
daily, in 35 different languages
THERE IS NO QUESTIONS THAT THE LINE BETWEEN OUR DIGITAL AND
PHYSICAL LIVES ARE BLURRING!
Interesting Statistics

5. We need to ensure that our students are ready to live,
learn, work and thrive in this high-tech, global, highly
participating world.
There is a call to action for smart, innovative and
informed leadership in 21st century learning.
The more progressive educators are embracing web
2.0, however the majority are yet to act.
So what does this mean for
Educators?

6. Innovation is defined as a creative idea that has
achieved sufficient social/ and or professional
acceptance so as to become the impetus for ongoing
ripples of creativity and change. (Drucker 2002)
Innovation is an idea that has tipped and is viral,
influencing the system within which it spreads.
(Gladwell 2000)
Innovation: The Fuel for a
knowledge-based economy

7. People learn better from combining visuals with text and sound
than through using either process alone. (Mayor and Mosco
2003) – Technology enables us to do this in a number of ways.
Principles related to multimedia and modality:
- use of multimedia improves student retention
- students need to learn to interpret, think with and build
simple/complex multimedia communications
- students need to learn to become informed viewers, critics,
thinkers and producers of multimedia
-visual literacy is a critical component of what it means to be
literate in the 21st century
Innovation One: Visualisation

8. Develop students as informed consumers of
information
Engage students in thinking critically and creatively
using visuals
Engage students in communicating using visuals
Note: Check out the links in this article – excellent tools
to do this using technology.
Strategies for teachers in using
technology to capitalize on the
power of visualization

9. Due to the internet the ecology of learning is evolving.
People are informally learning based on personal,
professional, family, work and community needs, interests
or responsibilities.
Schools needs to embed this informal and accessible style
of learning.
The democratizing of knowledge provides the opportunity
for life long learning.
In order for this innovation to enhance student learning,
students need the opportunity to develop critical thinking,
self-direction and information literacy at school.
Innovation 2: Democratization of
knowledge

10. Browsing the net
Simulations (learning by doing)
Learning objects (virtual manipulatives)
Online courses/Online learning
Strategies for teachers to embrace
this innovation:

11. Today’s schools are focussed on individual acquisition
of knowledge, student by student, despite the fact
that, increasingly, society, community, and work
emphasize teaming, collaboration and participatory
learning.
Students are naturally engaging with this form of
learning – social networking, blogging etc.
Innovation Three: Participatory
learning

12. Emphasize and value the participation in groups
Incorporate active online communities
Embrace personal devices (smart phones, IPod touch
etc.)
Participate in live chats, exchange and comment on
video, audio and text files
Note: Jan – Senior Science Facebook example. See
links for practical examples/online resources!
Tips for teachers to implement
participatory learning

13. So now what?
Getting there from here
How to embrace these
innovations in YOUR school:
School leaders must develop a
culture of openness to change,
risk taking.
Metiri Group’s dimensions of 21st
learning framework: A first step
to gauge your schools readiness
for 21st century learning.
Metiri Group’s dimensions of 21st
learning framework (2008):
Vision
systems thinking/leadership
21st century skills
learning, 21st century learning
environments
professional competencies
access and infrastructure
accountability

14. Looking at the Metiri Group’s dimensions of 21st century
learning framework, consider the readiness of your school
for 21st century learning. Which sections require
addressing? How might you address them?
Which of the three innovations through technology do you
feel your school is embracing? How are you doing it?
What implications does embedding the 3 innovations
discussed in the reading have for schools?
Discussion Questions

15. Lemke, C. (2010). Innovation through technology pp.
243-273. In Bellanca, J. & Brandt, R. (Eds). 21st Century
Skills: Rethinking how students
learn. Bloomington:Solution Tree Press.
Reference list