21 steps for 21st century learning by Miguel Lemonier

Introduction: What Are the 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning? The 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning® framework is a guide for schools and school districts as they envision, plan, implement, evaluate and expand 1:1 learning in their schools. It has been more than two decades since the first 1:1 initiative began. In that time, thousands of schools and millions of students have been involved in 1:1 pilots or full-scale implementations. Much has been written about the benefits of 1:1 and its potential to create a revolution in when, where, what, and how students learn. But to create a true learning revolution we must do more than just provide all students with their own personal computers. We must explore ways in which 1:1 makes it possible to profoundly impact the learning opportunities for young people. A 1:1 initiative can help lay the foundation on which new learning dynamics can be built. It can create a platform for reform, for re-imagining what school could be, and for building a more authentic, relevant and worthwhile learning environment for young people in the 21st Century. But to make this revolution in learning succeed, there are some essentials that must be followed, Looking back over the last few decades, there have been many pockets of exceptional work, usually driven by teachers who have seized upon the opportunities provided by the “instrument whose music is ideas.” Along with these successes, there have been many initiatives that suffered from missteps and mistakes. There is much to learn from these successes and even more from the failures. In analyzing the experiences of these 1:1 initiatives, it became clear that the most successful initiatives all have one main characteristic in common: they are first and foremost concerned with learning, not laptops. This is the Essential First Condition and if it is not at the heart of your initiative, success is unlikely. Next, it became apparent that these successful initiatives followed a very similar series of steps and practices, whereas those that reported the most problems did not. These key steps and practices form the core of the 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning. Choosing to work with this framework is an important first step that will help you address both the broader strategic issues that are critical to your initiative’s success and the fundamental tasks that underpin your work. © Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation 1

The 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning Phases The 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning are divided into five main Phases: Phase 1: Understand the Compelling Case for Change (Steps 1-3) It is in this phase that you clearly define the vision you have for your 1:1 initiative and the intermediary goals that will help you gauge your progress as you move forward. Vision and goal setting is best done after first researching not only other 1:1 initiatives, but global and economic trends and the reality of the technologyrich world in which today’s students live. Phase 2: Redesign Learning and Teaching (Steps 4-5) If we accept the scale of change in the world around us, we must, by implication, accept the urgent need to rethink, re-imagine, re-design the very nature of teaching and learning in a technology-rich world. During this phase, look at every aspect of the learning environment to see how best to support your vision of learning. You must also be willing to examine all aspects of your teaching practice to best understand the new roles that new learning environments require. Phase 3: Lead the Shift (Steps 6-9) Once you understand the current context and have defined a clearly articulated vision, it is now the responsibility of school leaders to make it happen. This is the time to move from vision to reality by developing and initiating strategies to create a sustainable initiative that all stakeholders understand and support and in which educators at all levels are not only eager to participate but have the support they need to help achieve the initiative goals. Phase 4: Implement (Steps 10-20) Once Phases 1 – 3 have been carefully considered and put into effect, you are ready to begin the more practical steps of implementation. These include assessing what you have, what you need, and what you should select in terms of infrastructure, hardware, and software to help achieve your goals. Various other preparatory tasks at this time emphasize support, communication, and policy development. This phase culminates in the distribution of laptops and the start of laptop learning. Phase 5: Review. Evaluate. Grow. (Step 21) Effective evaluation of your initiative is the backbone of its success. Review and evaluation are essential and, although listed as Step 21, they are ongoing processes that should be conducted at regular intervals as your initiative matures.

By starting with these 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning, you are getting off to an excellent start, learning and benefitting from the experiences of those who have gone before you.

Now is the time to tap the potential of the change 1:1 makes possible and make it a true educational revolution. With the help of the 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning framework, let us build a coherent foundation from which all students will ultimately benefit, which will transform learning and, ultimately, through these new opportunities, our society.

The 21 Steps to 21st Century Learning 1st Phase - The Compelling Case for Change This is not a time for standing still; nor is it a time when the status quo is acceptable. As we move into the second decade of the 21st century, there is even more urgency for us to realign, rethink and re-imagine the schools our young people currently attend. Our ability to do this objectively will be a critical influence on the extent to which the ‘institution of school’ stays relevant, and the way in which we are able to craft credible alternatives that genuinely meet the needs of our young modern learners. Understand the Context Students are interacting with the world in a variety of new ways, which is changing the role and expectations of school. Understanding how the world is changing, the impact these changes are having on how young people learn, and how to best prepare young people to become contributors to this future society and economy is the starting point for rethinking learning for the 21st century. Key Questions: What are the realities of the current technology-immersed environment in which today’s young people are growing up? How are schools responding to this? Within the context of the current global economic climate, what are the implications for schools? And, finally, why are schools moving to 1:1 at such a rapid rate?

Redefine your Vision Every school has a vision in some form, but it is essential that this is revisited and reviewed in light of the changing context in which our schools are placed. In the rapidly changing world in which our young people are growing up, what should be the vision for schools and how might this vision provide the best opportunities for students as functioning members of the broader society? Your vision must be more than a motherhood statement that embraces broad generalities, but rather it should represent your beliefs about the role of school in the 21st century and it should be constructed as a voice for the whole school community. Key Questions: What is the vision you have for the future of your schools? How would you articulate a vision that provides clear direction for the school for the next 5-7 years? What must learning at your schools be like in 5-7 years’ time? © Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation 4

How will access to ubiquitous technology shift what learning in your schools looks like? Clarify Goals and Outcomes Well-designed goals along with their expected outcomes define the actions you need to take to achieve your vision, as well as provide a yardstick or milestones as a way for you to gauge how well you are doing in this process. They provide a common language for all stakeholders to understand and discuss what the journey towards the vision will be. Key Question: How will you develop goals that will effectively measure the extent to which you are meeting your objectives and delivering on your vision? How will you ensure learning and teaching practices throughout your school or district are aligned with your goals?

2nd Phase –Redesign Learning and Teaching If we accept the scale of change in the world around us, we must, by implication, accept the urgent need to rethink, re-imagine, redesign the very nature of teaching and learning in a technology-rich world. As challenging and even daunting as such a task may seem, it offers educational leaders a unique and unprecedented opportunity to forge new directions for their schools and for the experiences of their young learners. With a well-defined vision and actionable goals, it’s now possible to boldly analyze and shape all aspects of learning and teaching practice in order to achieve these goals and vision. Explore Contemporary Pedagogy Providing students with ubiquitous technology access has the potential to radically change when students learn, where they learn, what they learn, and, most profoundly, how they learn. Learning and the learning environment will change. Ubiquitous technology allows the contemporary learner to be a self-directed, connected learner whose learning is inquiry-based. Key Questions: As we re-imagine what learning might look like in a world where it is now possible anywhere and at anytime, what does the technology now make possible? How can we explore ideas around giving students a more meaningful voice in their learning? How can learning spaces, both physical and virtual, be designed to support learning most effectively? How can curriculum be redefined as a strategy for deeper learning?

Embrace New Roles for 21st Century Educators As learning takes place in new ways and in new spaces, what and © Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation 5

how educators work also changes. No longer responsible mainly for the dissemination of information, educators are now mentors, coaches, advisors, learning strategists, and researchers exploring their own teaching practices. They understand they are working in partnership with their students and share responsibility for student learning rather than merely for teaching. They no longer work in isolation, but in teams. Key Questions: What are the emerging roles of the 21st century educator? How do they impact on classroom culture?

3rd Phase - Lead the Shift If we do genuinely understand our current context, and we have a clear vision of how we might best respond to that, it is now the responsibility of leadership to make it happen. Leading the Shift implies a deep understanding of the possibilities provided in a technology-rich learning environment, and requires courage and a sincere commitment to contemporary pedagogical leadership. Initiate Change: Change Management Strategies Explore and implement strategies for getting school faculty to first understand and then take ownership of the vision and the goals. Key Questions: Who are the people to help create a shift within the organization? How and at what pace can it be made? What are the expectations? Ensure equity: Funding Strategies Any program to provide ubiquitous technology access must be based around basic principles that enshrine access for all students. It is important when developing a funding model for schools that this can be done in a way that ensures both scalability and, most importantly, sustainability. Key Question: How will you finance your initiative to ensure all students have equal and excellent opportunities to learn?

Build Understanding: Stakeholder Communication All stakeholders need to understand the vision for learning in a technology-rich environment and the steps you need to take to achieve it. A carefully designed communication plan can not only inform the parents and community, but also make them ardent supporters and advocates. Key Question: What communication strategies will build the strongest support © Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation 6

across all stakeholders within the school community?

Implement Professional Learning Strategies While it is easy and natural to focus on the logistics of ICT integration, professional development is the critical priority. A comprehensive professional development program in which professional learning is continuous and embedded in teaching practice and where educators participate in ongoing, meaningful action research to explore their teaching practices, can boost confidence, build competence and foster commitment among teachers. Key Question: What are the essential elements that underpin the development of a contemporary learning culture?

4th Phase - Implement Taking a vision and making it a reality requires leadership, focus and a great team. In this phase, the focus is on a number of Steps that together cover the diverse range of tasks that underpin the fidelity of implementation. They are not sequential, as many can be executed concurrently, and their effectiveness is directly related to the 5th and ongoing final stage of Continuous Review and Evaluation. Prepare a Timetable and Implementation Plan A number of questions need to be considered as you begin planning how you will phase in and grow your initiative. The answers to these will allow schools to map out their deployment strategies, and scope out the whole implementation program. By exploring the options available in terms of your school or district context, you will be able to chart the development of your initiative and determine what is needed and when. Key Questions: Which students will receive laptops in the first phase of your plan? How will you extend the initiative in subsequent phases? Over what length of time will the initiative be fully deployed and how long will each phase of the plan last? What technology do you need to support the initiative?

Conduct a Readiness Assessment Having a clear picture of your starting point is an essential step in effective implementation. You must understand where you currently stand before building a path to where you want to be. Do this by preparing a readiness assessment that considers your current resource position across faculty, technology and infrastructure. It is essential to carefully determine what you already have that will fit your future needs. © Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation 7

Key Question: How ready are you in terms of teacher preparedness, technology infrastructure, and your facilities? What ICT is being used now, and how much can be redirected to support the implementation plan? How many staff have adequate skills or ICT pedagogical competence?

Manage the Budget Your budget should be multiyear and cover all aspects of the implementation, including adequate time and opportunities for professional learning. A good place to begin is with a review of your current technology related expenditures, including infrastructure, hardware and software, communications, support, and professional development. While no single checklist can capture every possible school environment, general categories can be monitored to track current expenditures as you plan for future ones. The budget should provide enough flexibility to cover changes due to new options for infrastructure, hardware, and software or shifts in pricing. Key Questions: What will be your budgeting priorities? How might they change over time?

Establish Critical Partnerships Partnership opportunities should be explored across the range of initiative needs. These include partnerships around infrastructure and support, professional learning, student learning, and telecommunication needs. Look for partnership opportunities to support school and educators’ use of technology to help every student receive an excellent education and gain the skills they need in work and life. Key Questions: What partnerships might you consider to build capacity beyond immediate school resources? How will you best evaluate the benefit of such partnerships?

Plan Your Infrastructure for Scale Your infrastructure is the backbone of your initiative and a key strategic asset. Any problems or weaknesses here will be echoed and amplified throughout the initiative. Be sure to anticipate infrastructure changes as the initiative expands so that learning objectives are not compromised. Key Questions: What are your current infrastructure priorities? How will these priorities change in light of your move to 1:1?

Manage Your Support Services Introducing additional devices into any school will have a significant impact on technical support staff and resources. Providing adequate onsite technical support and service is essential in ensuring a 1:1 program runs smoothly. It's important to have a well-planned support system to ensure that broken or faulty laptops don't interfere with learning, meaning ICT support must be carefully planned. Using data collected from 1:1 schools around the world, it is possible to predict the level of support a 1:1 initiative will require. In reaching our to establish a breadth of support and increase capacity beyond the school, select a project partner, not merely a supplier when purchasing hardware, including all elements of your infrastructure. Key Question: What additional support services will be required to ensure use of the technology is seamless to both students and teachers?

Create a 21st Century Learning Environment Research confirms students conform to physical spaces. Effective 21st Century learning spaces are not limited to the traditional teacher-centered model for which many schools are designed. In a 1:1 ‘anywhere, anytime’ learning model, learning spaces are transformed o enable a new more complete learning experience. They are flexible, interesting and shaped to cater to a range of learning styled and modalities. Learning spaces are not only physical spaces, but also include virtual learning spaces and the tools to access them. Key Questions: Do your learning spaces cater to different learning modalities? Are the spaces flexible and engaging? What do your students think of the design? Are your classrooms symbols of your educational philosophy? Do your virtual learning spaces support the pedagogical vision?

Select Applications, Services, & Core Tools Before purchasing any additional software, be clear on their learning objectives and how the software will support these objectives. With the diverse range of software and apps available as downloads and online, selecting the ones you want to use can be a daunting task. Your number one priority when selecting software or web 2.0 apps must always be to select software tools to fit pedagogical goals. Key Question: What processes should be put in place to best inform the decisions around which software will be installed on students’ and teachers’ laptops?

Clarify Essential Policies for Effective Use As you start mapping out your steps to effective implementation, other stakeholders will start to raise questions about how your students will respond to working in a technology-rich learning environment. It is essential that all assumptions and concerns around use are considered and the implications fully documented and shared widely. Both the guidelines and policies should be determined and answers prepared before any parent nights and prior to the start of the 1:1 initiative. Key Questions: What are the areas around use of the technology that will require policy guidelines? What process might allow you to develop the most effective policies? How will policies be enforced How often will policies be updated and reviewed?

Liaise with Parents and Community Because a 1:1 program can impact significantly on parents, they need to understand your goals and support the program. Research shows students with interested and involved parents demonstrate better educational outcomes. As you prepare to launch your initiative, set out some guidelines so that staff and faculty are prepared for parent, student, and media questions and prepare answers to a wide-range of questions that typically get asked as 1:1 initiatives begin. It is critical that you invest time in developing a plan that reaches out to both parents and the wider school community. Key Question: What will be your communication plan to ensure a genuinely shared understanding of both the vision and reality of its implementation? Are you prepared to answer most questions from parents? How will you address questions to which you don’t already have answers?

Go! Student Orientation and Action Research As laptops are deployed, make use of some strategies used by successful schools to have the initiative begin smoothly and aligned to your goals and vision. These strategies help the initiative start smoothly and provide tools for new 1:1 educators. Up to this point, you may have been reviewing goals to determine which specific question(s) to explore via action research. This is the time to clarify questions, determine what practices will be examined and evaluated. Capture a clear picture of teaching practices at this point and ensure that educators are prepared to put in place a process that reflects on how shifts in their practice impact learning in the classroom. © Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation 10

Key Questions: How will you handle the deployment of devices? How will your teachers manage the first day, week, month of your initiative? How will you ensure effective execution of an Action Research program across your entire faculty? What mechanisms will you put in place to ensure that the results of this research is shared across the faculty and used to positively impact learning?

5th Phase: Evaluate Continuously Effective evaluation of your initiative is the backbone of its success. Without any genuine commitment to such a process, the impact of the previous 20 Steps can be marginal. It underpins the ongoing development of a program and ensures the best possible outcomes for students, staff and the school. Review and Evaluate Formal evaluation gives you credible feedback, which you can provide to sponsors, program supporters, critics and parents. It gives you convincing evidence to support you in continuing and expanding your program. It also helps you identify any missteps that may have occurred during the initial implementation, so you can make corrective courses of action. Review and evaluation are essential and ongoing processes that should be conducted at regular intervals as your initiative matures. Key Questions: What will be the scope and parameters of your continuous evaluation? Who will ensure the outcomes impact the ongoing program?