What does it mean for students to be truly educated in a rapidly changing, technology-driven, and globally interconnected 21st century world? How can we ensure that every student receives a challenging, rigorous, engaging, and personalized learning experience throughout their elementary, middle, and high school years? This book explores the meaning of and a possible future direction for education in the 21st century--an education that transcends the archaic factory model of teaching and learning to which most students in public schools are still exposed.
Personalizing 21st Century Education begins with a manifesto for change, emphasizing the significance of true personalization for every learner. Next, it describes classroom, school, and system-level performance indicators that suggest that personalization is alive and well. The authors examine the historical origins of most modern school cultures--i. e. , a commitment to standardization, depersonalization, and test-driven metrics that ignore the complexity and totality of the whole child. Throughout the are success stories showcasing schools and districts that are currently "beating the odds" and providing a truly personalized learning environment for their students. The authors outline key components of a personalized learning system, including:
* state-of-the-art curriculum
* balanced and authentic assessment
* integrated and student-focused technology
* rigorous and engaging instruction
* personalized approaches to learning
* addressing the needs of diverse student populations, including English Language Learners, special needs students, socio-economically disadvantaged, and transient/highly mobile learners
* effective and sustained social and psychological services
* active parent and community involvement
* creative and productive cross-institutional partnerships
For leaders, teachers, and other stakeholders, Personalizing 21st Century Education presents a vision for an individualized educational system that transcends current factory models and prepares students to be competitive in tomorrow's global economy.
Inhaltsverzeichnis
About the Authors vii
Preface: The Imperative for Transformation xi
1 A Vision for Personalized Learning 1
2 Personalizing the System, Not Just the Classroom 13
3 The Shifting Demographic Landscape: Personalizing Schools in Transition 35
4 The Road Less Traveled: Toward a Personalized Curriculum 51
5 Teaching and Learning in a Personalized School Environment 67
6 Making Assessment Meaningful in 21st Century School Systems 81
7 The Tech Revolution: Realizing Technology's True Potential 93
8 Transforming the System, Not Just the School 103
Epilogue: Answers to Ten Common Questions about Personalization 117
References 123
Appendix: Accessing the Bonus Web Content 125
Index 127
