What is the vision of 21st century learning? Are our students/learners ready for the 21st century? What are the characteristics and competencies teachers and leaders should have in order to help students/learners move forward? Who are the stakeholders that contribute to the development of a 21st century learning community? These are questions we need to consider thoroughly when developing curriculum models and instructional strategies for improving student learning to ensure we will not deprive todays learners the opportunities for entering tomorrows world.
Assignment Overview
This week you will submit a paper in which you review literature on curriculum and instruction, asses the current mission and vision statements of your school or organization, analyze technology tools in use, propose a PLC, and discuss the roles of stakeholders who would be involved in the PLCs success.
What You Need to Know
21st Century Curricula
Hayes Jacobs, H. (Ed.). (2010). Curriculum 21: Essential education for a changing world. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Read Chapter 1, A New Essential Curriculum for a New Time, pages 16. The focus of this chapter is on developing forward-looking curricula.
Qualities of Effective Leaders
Hilliard, A. T., & Newsome, E., Jr. (2013). Effective communication and creating professional learning communities is a valuable practice for superintendents. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 6(4), 353366.
What are the characteristics a 21st century school/organization leader should have? This article describes the performance quality a superintendent should demonstrate in order to impact student achievement.
Assignment Instructions
PLAN FOR A 21ST CENTURY LEARNING COMMUNITY
Overview
This final assignment of the course focuses on building community in your school or organization. Building communities involves shared decision-making and a shared set of values. Community members are committed to the mission, vision, and values of their school or organization. In the community, members have shared decision making with mutual respect and the need for common understanding. This assignment will provide you with the tools to implement these characteristics of the community in your own work setting. When developing your plan, think about the following aspects:
Who are the members/stakeholders of your 21st century learning community?
What do 21st century learners look like? Think about the diversity issue.
What do 21st century teachers/trainers look like? What do 21st century school/organization leaders look like?
What do your 21st century classrooms or learning space look like?
What is the ideal curriculum for the 21st century learners?
Instructions
Begin by creating a semantic features analysis chart (similar to a curriculum map) to assist you in brains
torming which stakeholders are important to the process of designing and implementing a curriculum plan. (See the example chart below.) Consider who your stakeholders are and what components you will need in your plan. You will need knowledgeable, committed members of a curriculum team who will assist with the various components of building curriculum for the 21st century learning environment. Use this chart as the basis for writing your 21st century learning plan. List the stakeholders down the left column and the components needed for the curriculum plan across the top row. Place an X in the boxes to indicate which stakeholder is responsible for which component. (A stakeholder can assist with more than one component.) Include the chart as an appendix to your paper.
Conduct a literature review on curriculum and instruction learning plans. You may use some of the readings in this course but must include at least two additional professional journal articles you find on your own (3 pages).
Review your current mission and vision statements. (If none exist, create them.) Consider the needs of a 21st century learner and determine if any changes are needed in the current statements. Discuss your rationale for changing or not changing the statements (1 page).
Using the feedback you received during your interviews, propose at least three program goals. Tie the goals to the learning theory and curriculum model you have chosen as the foundation of your curricular and instructional design (2 pages).
Discuss the technology tools, resources, and content materials that will be needed in the curriculum plan. Connect the resources to the purpose they will have in the curriculum (planning, instruction, data collection) (2 pages).
Create the ideal professional learning community (PLC) for your organization. Use your semantic features analysis chart as the foundation for this section. Who are the important stakeholders in your educational setting, and what roles will they play in designing the curriculum and instruction? (1 page).
Provide concluding remarks that include a summary of the topics presented.
Example Analysis Chart
Stakeholders Mission Decision Making Learning Environment Staff Training Technology Curriculum/Theory Research
Administration X X
Instructors
Community
Learners X
Additional Requirements
References: Include at least 5 peer-reviewed articles.
Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message and is formal and in the third person.
Includes a title page, reference page, and appendix page.
APA style and format: The title page, body of the paper, references, appendix, and citations are formatted according to APA style and formatting standards.
Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point, double spaced.