for ourselves. As such, we designed this book to be a learning resource. We seek to engage all those who have a vested interest in a big-picture view of the shifts and structures necessary to move toward a conception of modern learning. Leadership and interested participants at all levels—be they at a district of several schools, an individual school, or even specific departments and teams of teacher leaders—are the audience we want to support in their journeys.
We organized this book into seven chapters framed by specific guiding questions. The first two chapters take us from vision to mission to action and introduce two frameworks that we employ throughout the book: Input-Output-Impact (I-O-I)® and backward design. The next four chapters look at four critical components of any comprehensive educational system: (1) curriculum, (2) assessment, (3) instruction, and (4) reporting. The final chapter reflects on all of these in the context of theories of action for and principles of change leadership.
There is a logic to this arrangement, and you should consider the book as describing a series of linked steps. Although you may want to concentrate on certain chapters that most directly align with your interests, the premise we outline in the first few chapters is central to the alignment of all the components we discuss in subsequent chapters. In fact, one of the goals of this book is to encourage a systemic approach to school change and improvement.
We recommend that district and school teams read this book together so that the work of different team members is better linked and mutually supporting. A guiding question frames the beginning of each chapter to focus readers’ attention and stimulate thinking and discussion.
Following is a brief overview of each chapter.
Chapter 1: Creating a Futures-Oriented Vision and Mission
How do we develop a powerful and informed view of the future to drive our vision for modern learning?
Although we cannot predict the future, we can examine the various trends and drivers of change that lead to a future-focused vision of modern learning. In this chapter, we introduce some of the major forecasts and thinking about the future and examine the implications for teaching and learning. Our goal is to help educators and institutions to develop an informed view (a vision) of the future. This, in turn, will drive a clear articulation of necessary learning goals and produce a mission that exists at the heart of your concept of modern learning.
Chapter 2: From Mission to Action
How do we collaboratively plan backward from the mission to purposeful actions?
An educational mission declares an educational institution’s values and specifies what it purports to achieve in terms of students’ accomplishments. We must act on these intentions purposefully. The inability to translate great intentions into purposeful actions unravels many powerful visions and missions. We will explore the Input-Output-Impact and backward design frameworks as ways to help us distinguish means from ends and always keep the end in mind. In this chapter, we present a three-stage backward design process with a corresponding template to guide your strategic actions.
Chapter 3: Curriculum for Modern Learning
What are the building blocks for a curriculum that anchors modern learning, and how do we develop them?
A key element in achieving your mission is the development of a curriculum blueprint. The curriculum we propose emphasizes the development of conceptual understandings and the capabilities to transfer learning, which are key outcomes of modern learning. Our blueprint illustrates how to integrate transdisciplinary 21st century skills with disciplinary content, because both are key outcomes of modern learning.
Chapter 4: An Assessment System for Modern Learning
How can we assess progress toward both disciplinary and transdisciplinary outcomes?
Too often, 21st century skills fall through the cracks of conventional testing of academic content. Indeed, one of the most frequently missing elements of a school’s reform effort is a rich and comprehensive assessment system that captures evidence of modern learning, not simply content acquisition. We show a process for joining one or more transdisciplinary outcomes together (what we call grafting) to ensure that everything we proclaim to value is appropriately assessed.
Chapter 5: Instruction for Modern Learning
How do we align instruction practices, resources, and tools with our goals for modern learning?
Teaching is a means to an end. Clarity influences the nature and practice of the learning experiences necessary to reach the end goals from your mission. In this chapter, we explore the value of an established set of learning principles to guide the selection of teaching strategies and learning resources, and we describe the acquisition, meaning making, transfer (A-M-T) framework.
Chapter 6: A Reporting System for Modern Learning
How do we communicate student achievement and growth within the context of modern learning?
Traditional grading practices and report cards are inadequate for reporting on modern learning. We explore an alternative grading system and a digital LearningBoard® (https://learningboard.co) platform that better communicates student growth and achievement of our mission for modern learning.
Chapter 7: Change Leadership for Modern Learning
How might we lead adaptive change across the complex environment of learning organizations?
As with many things in the modern world, the demands and processes of leadership in schools have changed and will continue to do so. We cannot lead transformational change in the same way as we may have led more linear, technical change in the past. In this chapter, we explore several principles for change leadership, an essential element of acting on the processes and frameworks outlined in this book.
In addition, we include three resource-rich appendices: (1) “Sources for Futures-Oriented Thinking Tools and Processes,” (2) “Sample Sources and Performance Indicators for 21st Century Skills,” and (3) “Sample Map of Cornerstone Performance Tasks and Transfer Goals.”
In this book, we seek to support meaningful reform through practical methods, and we are confident that the strategies and tools we outline are replicable and scalable in varied school settings and contexts. We believe that you and your colleagues can apply these steps in multiple contexts, both large and small. Individually, each is an achievable implementation step for your 21st century vision. Collectively, they will make your vision come to life.
CHAPTER 1
Creating a Futures-Oriented Vision and Mission
How do we develop a powerful and informed view of the future to drive our vision for modern learning?
A clear, compelling, and shared vision of what a district or school would like to achieve for its students in the future should anchor any plan for revitalizing schools. However, the word vision has widely differing interpretations. Educators use it to characterize everything from a simple, isolated idea to an almost mystical inspiration for a whole new reality. Our conception of a vision lies somewhere in between. We are not talking about vision as merely a statement but rather as a guiding process. We develop a vision to sharpen our focus
