Connections for the 21st Century Learner

Allowing students choice in
topics/assignments provides
greater connections with course
concepts and gives them ownership
in their learning

Example: an assessment with
multiple options and
differentiated tasks will allow for
greater student engagement and
encourage a more personal,
inquisitive approach to learning

An increase of assessment
as learning opportunities allows
students to reflect on and
better engage with their learning

Example: reflective journals,
peer and self evaluations, and
reflective video diaries are just
a few ways in which students can
connect with their learning
and reflect on the process of
learning

Allow assignments that let
students discover more about
themselves: the way they think,
feel, behave and learn

Example: students can study
various agents of socialization and
analyse the impact that they have
had on their personal growth
and development

Give students the opportunity
to learn about how their community
functions and formulate ways
to improve it

Example: students can study
various social institutions and
critique their effectiveness (ie.
police force, government, school)

Provide students a chance
to engage with their peers in
a variety of group-based
assessments in which each
member has a defined role

Example: presentations that
require all group members to
present specific information
about a topic requires synthesis
of ideas, promotes problem-
solving, allows for compromise |
and encourages inter-group
dialogue

Utilize individuals or
organizations within the
community that would be
willing to collaborate with
students to help them in making
connections with what they
are learning

Example: organize 'career weeks'
that allow students to meet and
discuss with members of the
community about what they do for
a living and the path they took to get
there. Asking questions will allow
students to better plan/prepare for
their own life goals

Provide opportunities to learn
about 'cause and effect' to
remind students that in a global
community, nothing happens in
isolation.

Example: field trips to organizations
that promote environmental
sustainability teach students about
nature's fragility and that preserving
it needs to be a global effort.

Challenge popular or
common world views that require
students to consider multiple
perspectives thus allowing for
greater understanding and
acceptance.

Example: hold debates or
round-table discussions on
issues that may be controversial
(ie. same-sex marriage)

Give students the opportunity
to study cultural norms and customs
from different perspectives.

Example: studying about differences
and similarities between cultures
encourages interconnectedness and
promotes tolerance

Google Classroom allow for
collaborative assignments,
immediate feedback and
interactive lesson planning

Example: students can work
on a jigsaw assignment using
a shared Google Doc and get
real-time feedback from their
teacher

Social media can enhance
collaborative discourse,
allow students to share
information and lets them
learn from their peers
both locally and internationally

Example: create a class
Facebook page regarding a specific
topic from the curriculum and
invite another class (either locally
or globally) to share resources, participate
in discussion and collaborate

The internet allows access
to unlimited information and
teaches students to analyse,
compare/contrast and criticize
what they read or see

Example: students can be asked
to read multiple or opposing articles
on the same topic and discuss bias,
perspective, historical context, and/or
the validity of the resource