Teaching & Learning in the 21st Century

Introduction

This report is comprised of instructionally-focused concepts with supporting infrastructure suggestions for the Board’s consideration. In order to prepare L.A. Unified learners for today’s world, the recommendations that follow are founded on providing personalized learning opportunities for all learners.  Thus, the recommendations propose a shift in an instructional paradigm: effective instruction necessitates technology. If educators are not leveraging technology, how will students be best prepared for today’s increasingly digital world? How can students be expected to excel in higher education environments or effectively launch their careers without exposure to digital tools? More importantly, how can teachers effectively meet each student precisely where they are without digital tools to help them identify areas of instructional need? Personalized learning cannot occur in the District’s current instructional model unless educators begin leveraging the many opportunities afforded by digital tools to promote learner agency and academic rigor.

The recommendations are founded upon creating a learning environment where learner agency and academic rigor are possible. Learner agency is defined as learners being self-directed, engaging as both consumers and producers of knowledge. Academic rigor is defined as instructional experiences that encourage computational thinking, allow learners to struggle through and organize abstract information, and which provide real world connections where learners can actively apply their knowledge to circumstances beyond the classroom. Such a learning environment is facilitated by a learning management system (LMS), where educators can design lessons that are collaborative and personalized to meet students where they are in their learning.

Supporting the learning environment for effective instruction as defined in these set of recommendations requires forward-thinking leadership and the management of change District-wide. Thus, the following recommendations would not be possible without acknowledging the leadership expectations and change management models needed to inform infrastructure decisions, steer parent involvement, and support such a paradigm shift among school leaders. 

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