Personalizing 21st Century Education

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.