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A case study of 21st century skills programs and practices

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A case study of 21st century skills programs and practices

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Content

A CASE STUDY OF 21
ST
CENTURY SKILLS PROGRAMS
AND PRACTICES

by

Kurt McLachlan

_______________________________________________________________________

A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

May 2012

Copyright 2012 Kurt McLachlan

ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES iv

CHAPTER ONE 1
Introduction 1
Background of the Problem 3
Statement of the Problem 4
Purpose of the Study 5
Research Questions 5
Problem Significance 6
Methodology 6
Limitations 7
Delimitations 8
Assumptions 8
Definition of Terms 9
Organization of the Study 11

CHAPTER TWO 13
Introduction 13
Economics 13
Best Practices-Curriculum and Instruction 20
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics 26
Inherently Different Schools 28
International Baccalaureate 30
Civic Education/Socialization 30
21
st
Century Organizations and Frameworks 33
Gaps and Barriers 33

CHAPTER THREE 38
Introduction 38
Research Development 39
Framework 40
Research Problem 42
Research Questions 42
Research Design 43
Population and Sample 44
Instrumentation 46
Data Collection 48

iii
CHAPTER FOUR 49
Research Questions 50
School Description 51
Demographics 53
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme 54
Research Question 1-What are the programs and practices at the school
and how are these programs and practices aligned to 21st century skills? 55
Global Curriculum 55
Alternative Assessments 60
Advancement Via Individual Determination 62
Intensive Intervention 63
Academic and Curriculum Enhancement for Students 65
All Student Academic Prep 66
Research Question 2-What is the professional community at the school
and how does it support these practices? 67
Constant and Purposeful Use of Data 67
Approach to Professional Development 67
Shared Leadership 68
Research Question 3-What is the perceived impact of 21
st
century skills
on the culture of the school? 69
Community Involvement 69
Student Perceptions 70
Summary of Findings 71
Conclusion 74

CHAPTER FIVE 75
Statement of the Problem 75
Purpose of the Study 75
Research Questions 76
Conclusions 77
Global Curriculum 78
AVID 78
Intensive Intervention 78
Implications 80
Recommendations for Future Study 81

REFERENCES 83

APPENDICES 86
Appendix A: Observation Instrument 86
Appendix B: Survey Instrument 89
Appendix C: Interview Instrument 91
Appendix D: Interview Handout: 95

iv
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Framework 41
Figure 2: International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme 55

1
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
21
st
Century skills are a necessity for US students. The growing
interconnectedness of countries across the world demonstrates the importance of these
skills. These new skills are vital both socially and economically, and students face the
challenge of acquiring this new set of skills in order to be successful in an age of
globalization.
Business and politics are demanding stronger, more prepared college graduates to
compete in a global economy. Entrepreneurs and educators are seeking critical thinkers
and problems solvers to be both creative and intuitive to this issue of global
preparedness. Good leadership and an active consciousness about the future of the planet
are becoming prerequisites for the future of our students, rather than only academic
successes in English and Math. The challenge ahead for educators is to provide students
with the necessary skills to be successful in the 21
st
Century era of a global society.
Not only must students acquire these skills, but schools also have the
responsibility to prepare their students for this global future. The central challenges to the
discussion of globalization in schools is how to define it and how to determine what
programs and practices truly demonstrate teaching students 21
st
Century skills. There are
several exemplary schools that claim to provide students with skills to be successful in
this new century, but capturing what goes on at those schools is both challenging and
invigorating.

2
The Partnership for 21
st
Century Learning (2009) provides an effective
framework to observe these exemplary schools. State departments of education, national
organizations, and prominent business refer to this framework in the discussion of needs
for the 21
st
Century. This framework includes both core knowledge instruction in
English, world languages, arts, mathematics, science, geography, history, government,
and civics, as well as teaching the 21
st
Century skills of critical thinking, problem
solving, communication, and collaboration. Also, the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills
(2009) identifies five support systems for students to develop these essential 21
st
Century
Skills. The five support systems include 21
st
Century standards, assessments of 21
st

Century skills, 21
st
Century curriculum and instruction, 21
st
Century professional
development, and 21
st
Century learning environments.
The overarching components for these support systems includes the core
knowledge areas and 21
st
Century themes of global awareness, financial, economic,
business, and entrepreneurial literacy, civic literacy, health literacy, and environmental
literacy. The final cap to the framework is the necessary student outcomes for the 21
st

Century. These outcomes are life and career skills, learning and innovation skills, and
information, media, and technology skills.
Schools, such as High Tech High in San Diego, CA, provide some answers to
questions about preparing students for the future, however the transferability question
still remains a major part of the globalization discussion. This case study on programs
and practices in a school that claims to promote the acquisition of 21
st
Century skills in

3
students will help to illuminate additional answers or complexities to this global
discussion.
Background of the Problem
Currently, the United States compares unfavorably to other industrialized nations
on academic benchmarks. As the world becomes more interconnected, the skills and
knowledge that students need to succeed as global citizens have changed. Results from
the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) show evidence of poor
performance from US students. In the comparing countries’ and economies’ performance
figure in the PISA Executive Summary (2010), US students scored statistically below the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average in
mathematics, and not statistically different from the OECD average in reading and
science.
In addition, US students showed less than stellar results on the 2007 Trends in
International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMMS). TIMMS (2007) is administered
to fourth and eighth grade students for math and science. US fourth grade students scored
below eight of the thirty-five countries that participated. All of these top-scoring
countries are located in Asia and Europe, and remain two of our highly competitive
marketplaces. US eighth graders scored lower than five of the participating countries, all
of these countries in Asia, which is quickly becoming the top producer and marketplace
in the world.
Along with being outperformed by peers across the world, students in the US are
often unprepared for the workplace and international competition. Wagner (2008)

4
addressed the global achievement gap between students in the states and students abroad.
He found evidence that US students didn’t know how to observe phenomena, think
critically, design and ask good questions, be leaders and collaborate with others, be
willing to adapt, take initiative and become entrepreneurs, communicate effectively both
orally and in written forms, understand how to analyze information not only access it,
and students lacked curiosity and imagination. Reports from business leaders are not the
only sources showing dissatisfaction with the current knowledge and skills of US
students, but policy makers, politicians, and government leaders are adding to the
commentary.
Concerns about how much knowledge students have and whether or not they
critically think about civics issues became the focal point for a study on civics. The
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA)
assembled a two-phase study in the 1990s to address some of the questions about
citizenship and education. Torney-Purta, Lehmann, Oswald, and Schultz (2001) found
that out of 28 countries, US students seemed to have a competitive knowledge of civics.
However, many of the students did not perceive their classrooms to be places where
civics and participatory roles in the electorate were discussed. The question remains
about whether or not US students were civic-minded.
Statement of the Problem
Currently, the United States compares unfavorably to other industrialized nations
on academic benchmarks. As the world becomes more interconnected, the skills and
knowledge that students need to succeed as global citizens have changed. Some schools

5
have responded by embracing globalization. However, it is unclear what programs and
practices they are implementing.
In an effort to understand and identify possible programs and practices that
promote 21
st
Century skills in students, this case study identified one school claiming to
prepare students for the next generation. This school has been identified by the federal
government as a school taking center stage, and has been recognized and awarded for
various accomplishments.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to identify the programs and practices that promote
the acquisition of 21
st
Century skills at a school. A great deal of research existed in
support of 21
st
Century programs and practices that supported student learning. The
research showed curriculum, assessment, professional development, leadership, and
culture all play major roles in determining how effective schools were in preparing
students for the 21
st
Century.
The Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills Framework (P21) provided a clear and
well-supported framework for identifying what skills were essential for student outcomes
global awareness, financial literacy, civic literacy, health literacy, and environmental
literacy. The resulting student outcomes presented in the P21 were learning and
innovation skills, information, media, and technology skills, and life and career skills.
The P21 served as the framework to guide this case study.
Research Questions
This study specifically focused on answering the following research questions.

6
1. What are the practices and programs at a school and how are these programs
and practices aligned with 21
st
Century skills?
2. What is the professional community of the school, and how does this
professional community support the programs and practices of the school?
3. What is the perceived impact of 21
st
Century skills on the culture of the school?
Problem Significance
As shared by Wagner (2008) there have been a multitude of reasons why
preparing US students for the 21
st
Century has become imperative. Reasoning and
research behind the importance of 21
st
Century skills have pointed towards a competitive
global market place, the importance of reusable energy, and leadership across countries,
business entrepreneurship, and growth in communication through technology. Some
schools today have identified these important aspects as significant to the future of our
world, and they have developed programs and created practices to enhance the
acquisition of these skills. These schools have not only performed at high levels on state
standardized testing, but have focused on other skills. Currently, very little research has
reached consensus on what best practices include, and so this study will add to the
current body of literature on 21
st
Century learning.
Methodology
In order to examine the programs and practices at a school, the researcher
conducted a qualitative case study. This case study was not evaluative in nature, but
rather enlightened and exposed how a school defined and exhibited 21
st
Century skills.

7
In Gall, Gall, and Borg (2003), a case study is designed and developed in order to
illuminate a particular phenomenon. Programs and practices that demonstrated 21
st

Century skills in schools was the phenomenon researched in this study. Two focuses of
case study research were particularly relevant to this study. Gall, Gall, and Borg (2003)
describe the first focus as the purpose to produce detailed descriptions of a phenomenon,
and the second, to develop possible explanations for it. A case study, such as this one,
was intended to serve as additional literature in the growing research on 21
st
Century
learning in schools. In addition, the case study findings may serve as possible best
practices for schools focusing on preparing their students for the future.
Limitations
Possible weaknesses in this case study included the following:
Researcher bias-The investigator study felt strongly in support of 21
st
Century
learning.
Time constraints-This case study took place over a period of six days. In addition,
the interview sessions will take approximately thirty minutes.
Ethical considerations-The school for this case study was also where a doctoral
colleague of the investigator was employed. This employment factor was not known
during the site identification process, and was only learned after the site was identified as
a possible school to study.
Situations observed-The six-day time frame for this case study didn’t allow the
investigator to fully observe all school events.

8
Interview selectivity-This was a limitation due to the work and personal schedules
of the principal, and other interviewees.
Transferability-Transferability was a limitation for this study as the school being
studied was a middle school, and the demographics of this school were unique.
Credibility of findings-The investigator was not a tenured researcher or an expert
interview. As a result, credibility of findings were limited in this study.
Delimitations
This study was limited in the following ways: There was a pre-established
criterion set for choosing this school site. The school site was selected based upon an
Academic Performance Index (API) of 800 or above, a similar schools index of seven or
above, and a vision, mission, or goals statement that matched at least one area of the P21.
The case study identified only one school located in southern California.
Transferability of findings to other school sites was somewhat limited as this school was
a middle school with specific student demographics. Even though this case study was one
of nine other similar case studies, transferability was still a concern. Only certain
individuals on the school site were chosen for the interviews. These individuals were the
principal, the data specialist, a counselor, and three instructors. Their viewpoints and
understandings differed in some ways than other staff at the school.
Assumptions
The investigator of this case study made the following assumptions regarding the
research. School Data collected from the School Accountability Report Card (SARC), the
California Department of Education, and other pertinent documents was both timely and

9
accurate. Interviewees shared honest perceptions without fear of political or employment
backlash. Student performance was connected to 21
st
Century programs and practices.
Additional school site factors, other than those presented in this research, played an
additional role in 21
st
Century learning.
Definition of Terms
API. The cornerstone of California's Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999;
measures the academic performance and growth of schools on a variety of academic
measures (http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ac/ap/).
Case Study. A type of research, which attempts to study a phenomenon in-depth
(Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2003)
Council of Chief State Schools Officers. A nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit
organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary
education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education
Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions
(http://www.ccsso.org/Who_We_Are.html).
DataQuest. A website maintained by the Department of Education which lists
demographical and academic information regarding school districts and specific schools.
Federal Free-Reduced Lunch Program. A federally funded program, which
provides lunch and/or breakfast for low-income students.
ICT. Information and communications technology.

10
International Baccalaureate (IB). The International Baccalaureate® (IB) offers
high quality programmes of international education to a worldwide community of
schools (http://www.ibo.org/).
No Child Left Behind. The 2002 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (ESEA). NCLB's provisions represent a significant change in the federal
government's influence in public schools and districts throughout the United States,
particularly in terms of assessment, accountability, and teacher quality
(http://www.edsource.org/acronyms.html).
OECD. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development provides
a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek solutions
to common problems (http://www.oecd.org/).
P21. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a national organization that
advocates for 21st century readiness for every student (http://www.p21.org/).
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). This approach to
education is designed to revolutionize the teaching of subject areas such as mathematics
and science by incorporating technology and engineering into regular curriculum by
creating a “meta-discipline” (http://drpfconsults.com/understanding-the-basics-of-stem-
education/).
Similar Schools Ranking. Comparison of a school with 100 schools with similar
demographics. The schools are ranked using their API scores and demographics. Schools
are ranked 1 to 10 with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. A school’s similar

11
schools ranking differs from their statewide ranking (California Department of
Education, 2007a)
TIMMS. The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
(TIMSS) provides reliable and timely data on the mathematics and science achievement
of U.S. 4th- and 8th-grade students compared to that of students in other countries
(http://nces.ed.gov/timss/).
Triangulation. A data analysis method used to verify research findings by
crosschecking multiple data sources (Patton, 2002).
Organization of the Study
Chapter 1 is an overview of this case study. This chapter gives the background of
the problem, the statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, the research
questions, significance of this study, methodology, limitations, delimitations,
assumptions, and the definition of terms.
Chapter 2 is a review of literature on 21
st
Century learning. The following areas
of 21
st
Century learning are covered: Economics, international relations, best practices of
curriculum and instruction, environmental practices, and civic education and
socialization.
Chapter 3 is a description of the methodology used for this study. Sections of
chapter 3 include: research development, the framework for the study, the research
design, units of analysis, instrumentation, data collection, and the data analysis plan.

12
Chapter 4 presents the findings for this qualitative case study. Chapter 5 is a
summary of the entire study. Conclusions are presented in this chapter followed by
possible suggestions for other school sites.

13
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
21
st
century skills are a necessity for this generation of students who will become
the work force and polity of the nation. School remains the dominant institution for
transmission of these skills to students. The importance of 21
st
century skills are realized
in several United States schools, however, there is great variance between schools
regarding the implementation of these skills. How are these skills taught to students?
How are these skills measured? How do these skills become a part of the school culture?
The Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills (2004) provided a framework to address
the issues of pedagogy, evaluation, and implementation. The skills framework consisted
of six key elements, including core subjects, 21
st
Century content, learning and thinking
skills, information and communications technology (ICT) literacy, life skills, and 21
st

Century assessments. Each of the six elements was broken down into subsections. It was
the subsections that allowed schools to see whether or not they measured up to these 21
st

Century expectations.
Economics
21
st
Century Skills are important for students today for economic reasons, issues
of international cooperation, and concerns over the welfare of the world. The National
Governor’s, Council of Chief State Schools Officers, and Achieve, Inc. report (2008)
indicated that United States students are slipping behind other nations, especially in the
content areas of Math and Sciences, due to the educational outcomes of students

14
remaining stagnant. Additionally, the report also provided several myths about why
students in the United States are not performing as highly as other countries. The myths
were common in conversations about international comparisons. In the report (2008), the
myths included a difference in who was tested, reasons of poverty and family issues,
cultural factors were too varied, there was less diversity in other countries, internationally
countries spent more money than the United States on education, education did not really
impact the economy, and there were more students educated in the United States. A
report like this one had a distinctly economic focus, as well as a competitive approach
between different countries.
Many times throughout the report, the significance of a global marketplace where
competition was greater and more intense became the focus. Though the report did share
information on the discrepancies between the performance of minorities in the states
versus other countries, the focus remained on economic issues rather than issues of
equity.
Two additional measures provide US student performance. The first measure, the
2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Sciences Study (TIMMS) was designed to
measure the performance of fourth and eighth grade students in the content areas of
Mathematics and Sciences across time. The second measure, the Programme for
International Student Assessment (PISA), focused on the areas of reading, math, and
science.
Key performance indicators from the TIMMS showed that average fourth grade
students in ten other countries outperformed US students in Math, and average eighth

15
grade students in eight other countries outperformed US students. US students were
performing behind their peers. Countries that outperformed US students in Mathematics
included Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Korea, England, Netherlands,
Russia, Latvia, Netherlands, Lithuania, and Hungary.
In Science, the TIMMS (2009) showed that the average fourth grade students in
seven other countries outperformed US students, while ten countries outperformed US
eighth graders. Countries outperforming the US include Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Hong
Kong, Japan, Korea, Russia, Latvia, Hungary, England, Slovenia, and the Czech
Republic.
In Reading Literacy, the most recent PISA report (2010) showed US students
performing lower than fifteen other countries. One of the standout comparisons on this
test was the reading literacy subscale titled “Access and Retrieve.” For demonstrating
the ability to access integral information in a text and retrieve it later, students in the
United States scored lower than eighteen other countries including Estonia, Hungary, and
Poland.
Another source where economics took center stage in relation to the demand for
21
st
Century skills was the work of Friedman (2007). As a journalist, Friedman traveled
to several Asian countries, including India and China where discussions with US
outsourcing companies led to his announcement that the world is flattening. This
flattening is a process of technology. An example of this technology is the outsourcing of
US tax returns. Friedman (2007) wrote about Jaithirth Rao, an accountant in Bangalore,
who shared that the number of outsourced tax returns have risen year after year. In 2004,

16
there were 100,000 American tax returns outsourced to India. In 2005, there were
400,000. The number continues to rise.
Globalization 3.0 was Friedman’s description of our current 21
st
Century situation
around the world. No longer were simple questions about airlines and credit cards
answered by individuals in the US, but rather the US companies were outsourcing.
Friedman (2007) contemplated what this meant for the American worker. It meant
change must occur in the jobs and organizations still working in the 20
th
Century. This
change will be difficult, however it was already taking place. One example of this change
was the tax accountant who worked in a US firm doing simple tax returns. Outsourcing
could possibly eliminate this job.
It was a question of where the US would go from here. Friedman (2007)
described the flattening process as a sorting out. He declared in his writing how much it
would behoove young Americans to think of themselves as competing against every
young person in India, China, and Brazil. He cautioned readers that people must think
globally.
If educators in the US contemplated the thought of our students competing with
students in other nations, there was a need to review why US students performed so
poorly in comparison with students in other nations. Friedman (2007) described the
individuals who would thrive in the future as the untouchables. Untouchables would be
those who when the world was completely flat from an organization, social, and
economic standpoint there would be some jobs that were so specialized they would not
be outsourced anywhere. The people who held these jobs would be considered the

17
untouchables. For students, this meant providing students with the ability to acquire new,
challenging information, and innovative skills.
Robertson (2005) provided additional input into the needs for 21
st
Century skills
with relation to the economic situation today. In the paper, she shared several current
economic schools of thought centered upon human capital and the importance of
increasing knowledge. In addition, she pointed out the considerable challenge it would be
for formal schooling. No longer would formal schooling address all the technology and
knowledge discourses necessary for a growing economy. OECD and the World Bank
agendas for formal schooling were examined in this paper through critical discourse
analysis.
OECD proposed a Schooling for Tomorrow Programme. This programme was
designed with a toolbox for compulsory education. The toolbox provided ways for
improving leadership and decision-making tools. In the toolbox, three strategies were
presented. Each of these strategies contained two scenarios.
Strategy one was referred to as maintaining the status quo. Strategy one contained
two fairly bleak pictures of a 21
st
Century School. The scenarios under this strategy were
to keep schools working in their current top-down state of operation, and to see a huge
departure of teachers from the field of education. Both of these scenarios presented in
this strategy yielded no benefits for the economy.
The second strategy in the OECD toolbox was known as reschooling.
Reschoooling was a strategy that promoted more positive outcomes than strategy one, but
Robertson (2005) noted that it would be a huge financial undertaking. Under the strategy

18
of reschooling, the two scenarios included the school serving as a social center, and the
school as an organization of learning. Though focused on the social aspect of schooling,
the knowledge aspect was the only part of reschooling that would have impact on the
economy.
Deschooling was the final strategy presented in the OECD toolbox. This strategy
was clearly focused on the need for knowledge and the economy. The two scenarios
included in the deschooling were learning and learning networks and the market model.
An example of the learning networks scenario included online schooling programs where
learning was taking place on a global level. For the market model scenario diversity,
innovation, and the idea of entrepreneurs took center stage. Robertson (2005) pointed out
the OECD did not mention this model would be susceptible to changes in the economy.
The current state of the economy on a global level would prove a significant challenge to
this scenario.
Robertson (2005) critically observed the OECD member countries, because of
their similar systems of education, as well as a lack of evidence that such trends of
change must occur. One key factor in her argument was that there is no solid, empirical
evidence supporting demands for new kinds of knowledge to run the present economy.
What Robertson (2005) did not take into account is the enormous growth in outsourcing
in India and China.
In Friedman (2005) the factors of outsourcing were clearly presented. Friedman
interviews businesspeople and entrepreneurs in India and China who stated clearly that
new technology and new knowledge was allowing for many US entrepreneurs to use

19
cheaper services in India and China. In order to keep up with and compete with such
services, the US must prepare students to be innovative and entrepreneurial. Schools
were training future business owners and workers. Innovation was a necessary part of
growing a competent, knowledgeable group of future businesspeople. Part of this
innovation factor required new knowledge about technology and communication.
Developing skilled entrepreneurs and working towards building new types of
learning was the focus for the World Bank venture into education. As opposed to the
current, traditional system where teachers taught content and students learned this
information, a new type of learning needed to take place where students created, applied,
analyzed, and synthesized information in a collaborative setting. Critics of this new type
of learning pointed out that empirical evidence from learning theory did not support
much of this new type of learning. The question could be raised about the goals of the
World Bank as they entered the foray of education. Important to notice was that this
World Bank Venture, known as Lifelong Learning for the Global Knowledge Economy
was its venture directly into education and acquisition of knowledge. In the report, the
World Bank showed the the traditional education system where schools provided
teachers who teach and students who learn, beside the new learning system where
teachers worked to develop individualized learning plans and students learned with each
other in groups. Robertson (2005) shared that much of the World Bank initiative for
education was dependent upon the digital age where technology and learning went hand
in hand.

20
Robertson (2005) pointed out the World Bank appeared to want to replace the
teacher in the classroom with technology. As technology had grown significantly over
the years, there was a fear of this exact occurrence of technology replacing the teacher.
The World Bank report also promoted the idea of choice, so schools systems like
vouchers were admired.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) toolbox
and the World Bank Lifelong Learning report presented a compelling argument for the
important change from a traditional schooling system to a system of schooling that was
student-driven and utilized technology to drive learning. Simple change did not occur,
but dramatic adjustment to a traditional system was necessary. The main intent was to
enable a strong economy in the future. Robertson (2005) raised some important
arguments and critiques about the lack of empirical evidence supporting new learning
discourses. However, there was significant evidence over the past few years to support
the growth and successes of the digital age in learning.
Best Practices-Curriculum and Instruction
Jacobs (2010), a prominent writer in the area of curriculum and instruction for the
21
st
Century, claimed the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills was an admirable group
working towards admirable outcomes for students. The concern Jacobs (2010) indicated
about the Partnership was the lack of depth concerning curriculum. Jacobs (2010) work
purported to go further than the Partnership. Jacobs (2010) work examined all the content
areas in schools, from English to Physical Education. For each of these content areas,
Jacobs (2010) suggested alternatives to what was considered traditional curriculum from

21
the 20
th
Century. Some of her suggestions for alternative curriculum activities were clear
and appeared to be effective, however other curriculum activities, especially in the area
of Physical Education seemed to only scratch the surface of possibilities to change 20
th

Century curriculum.
The curriculum suggestions from Jacobs (2010) were closely related to the work
of Wagner (2008). Wagner (2008) traveled around the country, questioning the
curriculum and the rigor of activities in the classroom as related to 21
st
Century Skills.
His findings in The Global Achievement Gap were unexpected. For high performing
schools around the nation with stellar standardized test scores and superb student
performance, students were not engaged. Even in the most rigorous of courses, such as
Advanced Placement Chemistry, Wagner (2008) found little student engagement and use
of critical thinking skills, which were imperative in the framework for 21
st
Century
learning.
There were schools, however, that demonstrated 21
st
Century Skills Best Practices
through the implementation of technology and innovative curriculum, inclusion of civic
education and teaching of socialization, and presentation of globalization. Wagner (2008)
wrote about the International Baccalaureate (IB) courses as exemplars of 21
st
Century
skills. He did not, however, have the time to fully explore this program in his writing on
the global achievement gap.
Along with the IB classes, the Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) program is a program with proven 21
st
Century student outcomes.
Both of these programs focus on 21
st
Century Skills and the curriculum of each program

22
contains all aspects of the six elements of the 21
st
Century Skills framework. In addition
to curriculum used in instruction, the importance of citizenship also must be evident.
In Law and Ng (2009), a general framework of citizenship captured the essence of
socialization and did an excellent job of exhibiting 21
st
Century Life Skills. In addition,
globalization and its connection to education was an important factor in successful 21
st

Century schools.
Educators were often considered on the forefront of promoting 21
st
century skills
along with those in the field of business. The profession of education lent itself well to a
framework of learning for the future, and preparing students for new careers in evolving
fields such as technology. The question still remained regarding how to best teach a
curriculum focused on 21
st
Century Skills.
An embarking point for uncovering how to best teach a curriculum focused on
21
st
Century Skills was to look at teachers in the classroom. Zhao (2010) pointed out five
challenges that globalization presented to schools, and discussed what action teachers
needed to take in order to prepare students for a global society. In addition, he addressed
the necessary knowledge and skills, as well as the attitudes that supported preparing
students for a world without borders.
The five challenges included the increased global competition in business and
economy, the rise of international standards and comparisons of international test
benchmarks, issues of migration and changing student demographics, global citizenship,
and global competence. Due to technology, businesses were able to hire workers and
open new offices anywhere in the world. Competition for jobs was greater, and required

23
more skills. Students in the United States were being measured in Math and Science
against students from countries around the world, and the results were less than
admirable. Families were moving frequently and bringing new perspectives and a variety
of cultures, languages, and traditions into United States classrooms. Students needed
more communication skills in cross-cultural communication as the world was becoming
increasingly unified. Students were entering a global forum where international
economics was strong, but values and democratic ideals varied from nation to nation.
Teachers can be the leaders in working to develop global citizens. Zhao (2008)
showed what kind of teaching was necessary to rise to the challenge of globalization in
schools. Global competition in the world of business and economics required students to
acquire new skills and utilize talent. These new skills and the utilization of talents were
not expressed through a set of mandated standards and strict curriculum. Rather, students
must be allowed opportunities to be creative and to use their diverse talents in learning.
Zhao (2008) wrote that teachers had a very difficult position in ensuring standards were
met, but also right-brained activities and entrepreneurial ideas were cultivated in the
classroom. It is the entrepreneurial skills of United States students, however, which
would allow them to be competitive in the job market.
Zhao (2008) recommended that international testing not be a focus point for
teachers in the classroom, and that an awareness of these tests would suffice. Teachers
should be able to share some of these comparative tests with students in a way that
broadens their understandings of the competition around the world without making
negative and demining commentary about student performance. An awareness of

24
international tests and the policy forum would not be enough. The teacher would be the
primary factor in student learning, and the teacher could do more than be aware of how
international testing shapes policies and decision-making at the federal and state levels.
Discussions in the classroom, and opportunities to reflect would give students an
opportunity to gauge their own learning and also look at what may be needed in order to
compete more successfully on international tests.
Culturally responsive teachers continue to be a necessity in the schools of today.
The diversity of students in US schools continues to increase, and teachers have the
responsibility to respond effectively to these changes. Zhao (2008) made it clear that
there was a need for teachers who could respond appropriately to how a child learned in
the classroom, as well as the culture, traditions, and language a child brings to the
classroom. Diverse students have a wealth of knowledge and experiences to bring to the
classroom, and teachers must appreciate these experiences and utilize them effectively in
the classroom.
For ensuring students were globally competent, Zhao (2008) strongly
recommended certain skills for teachers to obtain. These skills included knowledge and
ability in a foreign language, knowledge of world history, geography, and global systems,
and understanding and knowledge of other cultures. All of these skills were challenges
for US teachers, as Americans continued to be monolingual. Newer teacher training
programs were working to incorporate these pieces of knowledge into the training
curriculum and coursework at universities.

25
If teachers were to encourage students to become globally competent, they needed
to work to develop citizenship. According to Zhao (2010), global citizenship was more
than sensitivity to other cultures. Global citizenship required teachers to appreciate
differences between cultures and be sensitive to the needs of students within these
cultures. The goal was for competent, knowledgeable teachers who modeled global
awareness and were knowledgeable in why cultures around the world depended upon
each other.
One innovative approach to implementing the 21
st
Century Skills was to use the
concept of the flat earth. The work of Friedman (2007) proved closely aligned to the
intent of many educators. In Beckmann-Collier (2009), the flat world concept played out
in the curriculum of the music classroom. Four skills sets shared in the work of Friedman
took center stage in the music classroom.
The first skill set involved learning how to learn. An instructor served as a guide
to the students, and taught critical thinking skills. Through the processes of discussion
and written reflection, students learned to observe and analyze. The next skill set was
possessing passion and curiosity. Beckmann-Collier (2009) described this as good
teaching, however it was also the ability to awaken interest within students, and a drive to
explore further and to test more. This awakening effort created highly motivated, and
highly engaged students who were seeking after a furthering of knowledge. Playing well
with others was the third skill set. The ability for students to interact and collaborate with
others was a must in a flat world, and it promoted a collaborative learning environment
where students were sharing in the development of learning goals as well as strategies

26
used to achieve the goals. The final skill set was making use of the right brain. Right-
brained individuals were often musicians, so music naturally fell into the category of
creative, innovative, and outside-the-box thinking. Beckmann-Collier (2009) followed up
with some examples of highly creative instructional techniques that could be used in the
music classroom. These instructional techniques allowed students to uncover the beauty
in creative expression and develop greater levels of inspiration and sensitivity.
In Jacobs (2010) the changing world of the 21
st
Century was discussed in terms of
school curriculum. Rather than be a proponent of any one framework, such as the
Partnership for 21
st
Century framework, Jacobs (2010) identified some important
considerations to do inside the classroom. Upgrading curriculum was the first step. This
upgrade was more than simply new textbooks. According to Jacobs (2010) the upgrade
was to replace existing practices.
Jacobs (2010) placed only a small value on such frameworks as the Partnership
for 21
st
Century. She described the partnership as effective for getting the word out about
the need for 21
st
Century Skills, and gave admiration that a large group of enterprises
would come together in unison to develop and support such a partnership. However, she
described it as an entity that did not give enough specificity for classrooms. She
dismissed many of the beneficial curriculum suggestions made from the Partnership,
claiming it placed little importance on the finite parts of teaching and learning.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in schools is a
curriculum movement designed specifically to support necessary 21
st
Century Skills. The

27
eight STEM Coalition objectives include: 1. Strengthening STEM programs in K-12
schools. 2. Providing key decision makers at all levels with information and research
indicating the need for STEM programs in schools. 3. Improving upon current STEM
innovation and build professional development and resources for further STEM
programming. 4. Supporting the recruitment of innovative STEM teachers. 5. Supporting
new STEM programs that target the best and brightest of underserved students to pursue
careers in the STEM fields of study. 6. Backing the government investment in STEM
programming. 7. Playing the supportive role for communication amongst STEM
agencies. 8. Support partnerships that promote STEM
In Songer, Kelcey, and Gotwals (2009) a five-step process was described, which
was intended to create a three-year learning progression to address the higher order
thinking skills necessary for fourth and sixth grade students studying biodiversity. The
researchers began their discussion with an examination of the performance of United
States students on Science tests. Findings, both from the National Academy of Sciences
and OECD, indicated the low performance of US students.
In response to this low performance on Science tests, Songer, Kelcey, and
Gotwals (2009) reviewed how students learn complex thinking and analyzing skills, and
provided a re-definition of learning progressions. A five-step process was used to
complete the research. Step one included choosing content ideas, drawing from previous
scientific research, and scientifically testing the ideas. Step two was a translation from
finalized content ideas developed in step one to curriculum presented to students. Step
three was the development of assessments that were embedded in the learning

28
progressions. Step four was an empirical evaluation of the learning profession products.
The final step, step five, was a revision of the learning progression into a three-year
program. One of the major findings from this study had to do with the way assessment
takes place. The learning progression designed assessments for biodiversity content
proved more effective than the typical standardized assessment of content. Findings
indicated these assessments provided a great deal more information on students’
performance than standardized counterparts. This finding was significant as our current
measures of students success in schools is based solely upon standardized testing. What
educators could glean from studies such as this one was that complex thinking in Science
required more than standardized measurements.
Inherently Different Schools
What are the differences between the 21
st
Century learning school and the
traditional school? Kennedy (2011) suggested that there were currently few differences
between 21
st
Century learning schools and traditional schools, and, for the most part,
education institutions claiming to be 21
st
Century learning centers looked a great deal the
same as the educational institutions from this past century. Some schools, however,
demonstrated through a variety of ways that they were dedicated to 21
st
Century learning.
Three schools of note in Chicago that focused on 21
st
Century learning and were
physically built for the next century were Eric Solorio Academy High School, Federico
Garcia Lorca Elementary School, and Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts and Dual
Language. Eric Solorio Academy High School included science, computer, visual and
performing arts classrooms, in addition to a library, gymnasium, swimming pool, playing

29
fields, and tennis. The community was able to use these athletic facilities on the
weekends. Federico Garcia Lorca Elementary School was built with sustainable
elements, such as the combination green and reflective roof. Calmeca Academy of Fine
Arts and Dual Language boasted a dual immersion program of Spanish and English for
pre-kinder and kinder students, and a dual immersion for grades one through four in
Mandarin and English.
Additional examples of schools that focused on 21
st
Century skills included Kihei
Charter School in Kihei, Hawaii. At Kihei charter, the teachers used adaptive curriculum
to teach the students. Adaptive curriculum is a blended learning program where students
spend one to four days a week in regular classes and the remainder of the week they work
on virtual assignments from home (Sebit, LLC, p.1, 2010). Seattle’s John Stanford
International School had students taking classes in Japanese or Spanish as well as
English. All classes were focused on international concerns. At this school, students
actively applied their knowledge of foreign languages through video-conferencing with
sister countries, such as Japan and Mexico. Technology was also a major factor at John
Stanford International School and first graders began working with Powerpoint and other
internet tools. In one class at The Baccalaureate School for Global Education in Astoria,
New York, students spent the entire year examining news reports, websites, propoganda,
history books, blogs, and even pop songs to be discerning consumers of information and
focus on information literacy.
Schools focusing on the 21
st
Century encouraged students to think outside the
box, to learn how to problem solve in collaboration with others, and to be able to apply

30
knowledge to real life situations. Priorities for these schools included blending
technology with traditional coursework, the teaching of foreign languages from an early
age, the use of technology, and the ability to examine and analyze information. Programs
and practices at 21
st
Century schools varied, however there were clear departures from
traditional 20
th
Century learning.
International Baccalaureate
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme is an example of a program,
which promotes best practices for developing students’ 21
st
Century Skills. IB curriculum
includes Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the
Diploma Programme (DP). The three programmes work in a continuum. One core
component at the heart of the IB programme is creativity, activity, and service (CAS).
Cambridge and Simandiraki (2006) looked further at CAS in a case study
involving four schools and colleges in the United Kingdom. The study observed three
areas, the relationship between students and adults (known as intergenerational learning),
what are the learning outcomes for students in CAS, and how this learning takes place.
Findings from the case study indicated that students appreciated the opportunity to
interact and learn with adults. The case study also indicated there was a lack of common
assessment of CAS from one IB school to another.
Civic Education/Socialization
The CAS requirement for IB in many ways resembled a citizenship activity. Civic
education and positive socialization is a key component of the 21
st
Century Skills
framework. Law and Ng (2009) completed a case study on citizenship education in the

31
two cities of Hong Kong and Shaghai. Results from this study provided some helpful
insights into citizenship and how a framework for citizenship in the 21
st
Century was
developed and maintained.
Law and Ng (2009) studied three junior high schools in Shanghai and three
secondary schools in Hong Kong. The study assessed how students viewed others from a
global perspective. Data from this study was substantial and drew from over 1,400
student questionnaires and thirty-eight interviews with teachers and principals. This study
proposed a theoretical framework for the interpretation of citizenship and citizenship
skills. Results from this study showed differences in how citizenship is viewed in
schools, and how citizenship is developed and fostered in some schools and not in others.
It was also found that some factors were shared by students in both cities, while some of
the student perceptions differed greatly. The argument presented in this study was that
schools were the primary ways to socialize students. In this study, it was helpful to see
imperative evidence showing citizenship was not simply behavior amongst students, but
a more complex interaction of students and other players on many different levels.
Civic education must be expanded to include the diverse populations that are
served within the United States. Banks (2008) pointed out the challenge of forming
communities with shared values and goals in an era of globalization. He purported that
nations must rethink civic education, as the boundaries between nation-states have grown
less visible with migration. It was imperative educators teach students to develop the
necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to function in a world of diversity.

32
Banks (2008) indicated that the gap between the democratic ideals of Western
nations and the experiences of students in schools was growing. His answer to this gap
was to implement more multicultural education components in schools. This
implementation, though seemingly necessary, was neither consistent nor tried in schools.
The concept spoke to reform in schools, but the process of reform was unclear. Banks
(2008) pushed for different ethnic groups to maintain close ties to their own countries
pushes up against the idea of nationalism, a strong American way of teaching and
behaving. This push was a necessity as the United States encouraged a global economy
and global awareness. He suggested that students should learn to develop an urgency to
take action, and help solve critical problems of the world; this problem solving would be
merited. Global citizens see the world around them as dynamic, and a place of
opportunity for working together to address difficult world challenges. Banks (2008)
stated in the research that there was the need for students to participate and to encourage
others to work to enhance their communities through social justice.
The connection between Globalization and Philosophy of education are
controversial. In Watras (2010), the work of education philosophers John Dewey and
William Torrey Harris were examined with relation to the concept of globalization.
Harris focused on social institutions, the advancement of human rights, and a democracy
for all people during his career as a renowned educator and philosopher of education. He
observed what he termed the “self-activity” of individuals. Self-activity could be defined
as everything functioning in a larger system, and each one of those things working in
unison towards a larger, grander being. Dewey differed from Harris with regard to the

33
aspects of the nature of thinking and the source of development. Watras (2010) described
the shift to globalization dangerous without really following through with why it was
dangerous. This lack of follow through left the reader with a well-written reflective essay
on how Harris and Dewey viewed the development of learning and children.
21
st
Century Organizations and Frameworks
The teaching of 21
st
Century Skills are necessary according to several
organizations, including the Partnership for 21
st
Century Learning, OECD, ASIA Society,
ISTE, CCSSO, CSSR, The American Forum for Global Education, and the UNDP. These
organizations advocate for 21
st
Century Skills for a variety of reasons. The framework for
this case study on a school that demonstrates 21
st
Century Skills will be the framework
from the Partnership for the 21
st
Century.
Dede (2009) examined in a helpful manner three frameworks for 21
st
Century
Learning. One of those frameworks was the 21
st
Century Partnership framework used for
this study. This framework, assembled by the Partnership for 21
st
Century Learning, was
the most widely sited and adopted framework in education.
Gaps and Barriers
Barriers exist in schools that deter efforts to fully implement 21
st
Century Skills.
One of the barriers to implementation of 21
st
Century Skills is what is referred to as the
digital divide. This gap was found often in schools where students are of low socio-
economic status. This gap proved to be a barrier for successful implementation of
technology, a key aspect for 21
st
Century learning.

34
Along with the digital divide, the standardized testing of students proved an
additional barrier to creative thought and innovation. The federal NCLB legislation and
the mandate of standardized testing formed an organizational barrier.
The digital divide resulted from a combination of factors. Classroom teachers
lacked both the expertise and the comfort level necessary to fully implement technology
throughout the classroom curriculum. Swain and Pearson (2001) looked at the digital
divide and gave recommendations for how teachers could address the divide.
Recommendations for teachers included carefully viewing how computers were used in
instruction. If computers were used to word process or to look up information, these uses
were not sufficient to fully address the growth of students around technology. Teachers
also examined how certain software was used in the classroom. The software example
from Swain and Pearson (2001) was Accelerated Reader (AR). It was not enough for
instructors to use one program. Additional programs needed to be utilized in the
classroom.
Another study completed in Florida closely examined the digital divide with
relation to students’ socio-economic status’ (SES). Factors included in Hohlfeld,
Ritzhaupt, Barron, and Kemker (2008) were: Software access on student computers;
Technology support structure; Teacher use of software; Teacher use of administrative
technology. The significant results from this study, related to SES factors, found that
there were differences between students’ use of computers according to SES. Students
attending low SES schools used content delivery software, while students attending high
SES schools used production software. Implications were shared by the researchers, such

35
as the computer access issues high SES students have at home. Not proven, these
implications would be interesting for future research and certainly could impact what
students have greater access to technology, and thus to learning those important aspects
of 21
st
Century Skills. An additional implication of the research was that teachers in low
SES schools feel comfortable integrating the basic content delivery software, however
they lacked the knowledge necessary to implement the production software.
The barrier to full implementation of 21
st
Century Skills in schools was attributed
to the digital divide, but also to the federal mandates of standardized testing due to
NCLB. Schoen and Fusarelli (2008) explored the impact of NCLB on leading schools
into the 21
st
Century. The findings were stark if changes were not made to current NCLB
legislation. Due to NCLB and 21
st
Century Skills becoming both reform movements,
Shoen and Fusarelli (2008) provided an excellent comparative chart between the two
reform efforts. The differences in the reforms include: Aims of education. Driving forces.
Assumptions of educators. Locus of control over change. The type of accountability
stressed. Implications of teachers. Curricular implications and reactions. Affiliated
methods and materials. Advantages for students. Disadvantages for students. Societal
benefits. Drawbacks for society. Measures of success. As schools focused on students,
the drawbacks of students in the NCLB reform were intense. Students lacked interest and
had trouble retaining information, as well as lacked analytic skills and creativity. The
research really questioned whether or not the high-stakes, fear-ridden testing of NCLB
could exist with the creative, innovative, forward thinking of 21
st
Century Skills. Schoen
and Fusarelli (2008) proposed a two-pronged approach where both NCLB (the

36
standardization movement) and 21
st
Century Skills (a movement of globalization) are
fused in schools.
The central focus of a school must be 21
st
Century Skills if schools are going to
effectively address the problem of 21
st
Century learning. The partnership for 21
st
Century
Skills provides a framework for understanding what skills were necessary for students.
Economics, civics, and concern over the welfare of the world are all reasons why
students must be prepared for a new century of learning. This study will help to define
how a school draws upon 21
st
Century Skills in a way where students are focused on the
future. A global society is inevitable, and there are certain understandings that
accompany this inevitable globalization. The economy is a global economy and there
continue to be demands placed on students to communicate effectively with other
cultures.
The literature showed that current school practices and programs must include
more 21
st
Century skills. Not only are CEOS of businesses finding students unprepared
for the world of business, but also educators are finding schools to be institutions of the
past where learning is not changing with the times. The world needs prepared consumers
and communicators who are entrepreneurs and innovators. As Wagner (2008), Friendman
(2005), and Jacobs (2010) pointed out, the world of the 21
st
Century was no longer a
world of only reading, writing, and arithmetic. The current 21
st
Century is a world
of communication in real time, and learning through the use of technology. It is a world
where the global trend or devastation in one country impacts many other countries. This

37
case study on the 21
st
Century programs and practices at one school will add to the
current literature by bringing forth possible best practices.

38
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
Research supporting the need for 21
st
Century Schools shows that US students are
failing to compete with international peers on benchmark tests, such as the Programme
for International Student Assessment (PISA). In addition, the literature indicates that US
students lack the necessary skills to compete in the international marketplace. One of the
chief concerns of proponents of 21
st
Century skills is that the required state tests across
the US, which are intended to measure student academic achievement, are flawed and
negatively impact the ability for students to explore areas of interest, to think critically
about current issues, and to problem solve using creativity and innovation.
There are several schools, however, that are working to prepare their students for
success in a global, 21
st
Century world where students think critically, explore problems
creatively, and serve as exemplary citizens. The purpose of this study is to identify the
programs and practices that promote the acquisition of 21
st
Century Skills at a school that
is working to promote these skills.
Chapter three of this case study is intended to provide the research methodology.
This qualitative case study on 21
st
Century Skills is one case study of nine developed by a
team of researchers at the University of Southern California. The following pieces of the
methodology are described in this chapter: how the study was developed from its
inception, how the research design for the study appears, what the school population for
the study is, the sampling for this study, what instrumentation was used to gather data,

39
how the data collection took place, and what data analysis procedures are used.
Methodology for this case study was determined according to the research questions and
problem statement. In this study, the researcher looked at identifying the programs and
practices that promote the acquisition of 21
st
Century Skills at one school site.
Research Development
The development of this case study began as a collaborative team effort. A team
of 9 doctoral students started to develop this case study at the end of 2010. This group
continued to meet throughout 2011 and the first part of 2012.
Initial meetings included the perusal and preparation of the literature review.
These doctoral students worked to uncover important literature on 21
st
Century Skills and
learning. As 21
st
Century Learning is a broad concept and highly debated in the fields of
business, education, economics, and politics, the available literature was extensive.
Though findings in the research literature suggested the importance of 21
st
Century
Skills, there was a great variance in between the definitions and understandings of what
21
st
Century Skills included. In addition, though there was clear evidence stating the
importance of 21
st
Century Skills in the research, there was little evidence of an agreed
upon way of identifying, observing, and defining these skills.
Additionally, the research pointed at how poorly United States students
performed in comparison to other nations on international benchmarking tests like PISA,
and stressed the importance of teaching and learning for the future. The amount of
literature in support of 21
st
Century Skills, the evidence that United States students are

40
not well-prepared to compete in a global economy, and the lack of an agreed upon way of
addressing 21
st
Century Skills, led to the development of the research problem.
For two sessions, these doctoral students worked to articulate what the problem
for the study was. Due to the lack of consensus in the literature on how to clearly define
what 21
st
Century Skills were, the students spent several hours discussing possible
problems for the study. The discussion amongst the small number of nine doctoral
students showed how great the challenges are in defining what 21
st
Century Learning
means and identifying and implementing possible programs and practices at a school.
Eventually the group identified the problem for the study.
The investigators used the research problem to locate a fitting framework for the
study. They found the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills (2004) to have the most
compelling framework, because it supports core subjects and also infuses 21
st
Century
themes into schools at the classroom level and beyond.
Framework
Based upon the literature, the team of 9 doctoral candidates chose to use the
current framework from the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills. The Partnership for 21
st

Century Learning addressed key factors for 21
st
Century learners from a global
perspective. Key factors in determining whether or not students are 21
st
Century Learners
are presented by the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills. These key factors combined are
known as the framework for 21
st
Century Skills.

41
Figure 1: Framework

This 21
st
Century Learning framework (P21) was designed to assist practicing
educators with integrating necessary skills for the 21
st
Century into core knowledge
instruction. It was intended that this framework be combined and integrated with the
current, necessary systems of support at schools, such as standards, assessments,
curriculum and instruction, professional development, and learning environment.
As a result, at the center of the P21 framework were the core subjects and 21
st

Century themes. Core subjects included English, world languages, math, science, arts,
economics, geography, history, government, and civics, and 21
st
Century themes were
global awareness, financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy, civic
literacy, health literacy, and environmental literacy. Surrounding the core subjects and
21
st
Century themes, were three preparation areas for the 21
st
Century, life and career
skills, learning and innovation skills, and information, media, and technology skills.
Radiating out from all of this are school practices and important programs, which include

42
standards and assessments, curriculum and instruction, professional development, and
learning environment. See framework model above.
Research Problem
The development of the research problem was the result of findings from the
literature that showed performance of United States students is poorer than their
counterparts in other countries, the importance of 21
st
Century Skills in business and
economic enterprises, as well as findings that little consistency exists with defining and
articulating the what and how of 21
st
Century Skills in schools.
As a result, the problem statement addresses the both the importance of 21
st

Century Skills as well as the search for factors, which define 21
st
Century Skills. The
resulting problem statement designed by the team of researchers was: Currently, the
United States compares unfavorably to other industrialized nations on academic
benchmarks. As the world becomes more interconnected, the skills and knowledge that
students need to succeed as global citizens has changed. Some schools have responded by
embracing globalization. However, it is unclear what programs and practices they are
implementing.
Research Questions
In subsequent sessions, the research team reviewed the P21 framework, and
worked to hone the three research questions, as well as develop data gathering tools for
the case study. Research questions aimed at providing descriptive information about what
happened at the school were used to provide detailed information about the programs and
practices observed at the middle school of the study. A dissertation team that met over

43
the course of one year developed the research questions. The team collected research on
the factors that determine 21
st
Century skills in schools. The study specifically focused on
answering the following questions:
1. What are the practices and programs at the school and how are these programs
and practices aligned with 21
st
Century Skills?
2. What is the professional community of the school, and how does this professional
community support the programs and practices of the school?
3. What is the perceived impact of 21
st
Century Skills on the culture of the school?
Interview questions one and two were two-part questions. The reason behind this
combination of questions was to allow for the gathering of more detailed, rich, and thick
description. Rather than just ask what the programs and practices are at the school, the
investigator wanted to delve further into how these programs and practices supported the
21
st
Century Skills. In addition, since the framework for 21
st
Century Skills was used in
this study as the primary framework, the question regarding programs and practices
allowed the investigator to provide findings, which could be traced back to alignment
with this framework. Interviewees from the school site included six teachers, one
administrator, and the IB coordinator.
Research Design
The study used a qualitative case study design. In order to capture the programs
and practices that align with 21
st
Century Skills at a school, the qualitative research
design chosen was a case study. In Gall, Gall, and Borg (2003), a case study is developed
and completed in order to illuminate a particular phenomenon. Programs and practices

44
that demonstrate 21
st
Century Skills in schools was the phenomenon researched in this
study. Two focuses of case study research were particularly relevant to this study. Gall,
Gall, and Borg (2003) described the first focus as the purpose to produce detailed
descriptions of a phenomenon, and the second, to develop possible explanations of it.
Population and Sample
In determining a study population, Creswell (2008) suggests investigators
intentionally choose the individuals and sites to study. This intentionality allows the
investigator to focus on developing an understanding of the central phenomenon. The
central phenomenon for this case study appears in the purpose of the study, programs and
practices that promote 21
st
Century Learning. In addition, Creswell (2008) explains that a
researcher identifies a particular site for a case study because it is information rich.
Along with identifying a particular research site, purposeful sampling took place
regarding who participated in this case study. Patton (2002) describes purposeful
sampling as a theme for qualitative inquiry that allows for illuminative insight into a
phenomenon. The study examined the programs and practices that JG Middle School
uses with students to ensure they are prepared for the 21
st
Century. In this case study, the
investigator used three criteria to determine the school site where the case study took
place.
JG Middle School was chosen with the following selection criteria: California
Schools Academic Performance Index (API); California similar schools comparison;
school mission statement. The school needed an API of 800 or above to qualify for this
case study. The 2010 API growth for JG Middle School was 839. The 2011 API was 850.

45
In the criteria for California similar schools, the school needed to be ranked 7 or higher.
JG Middle School is ranked 8 in the similar schools ranking. Similar schools ranking is a
used in California to look at the academic performance of school with similar
demographics. This ranking was designed by the state for two reasons. According to the
California Department of Education (2007), similar school rankings allow for similar
schools to compare their performance to counterpart schools with similar challenges. In
addition, the similar schools allows for benchmarking evaluation where schools can learn
from similar counterpart schools with higher academic performance.
The student body demographics at JG Middle School are diverse. Out of 1273
students in grades five through eight, approximately 55% of the student population is
Hispanic or Latino, 38% is Caucasian, 3% is Black or African American, 2% is Asian,
and the remaining 2% is American Indian and other. JG Middle School is located in a
city with a population of 83,000. 77% of the residents are Hispanic or Latino, 18% are
Caucasian, 1.7% are African American, 1.7% are Asian, and the remaining percent
identify as other. The median household income is $53,000 and the median price of
homes is $174,000.
Finally, in order to determine whether or not JG Middle School manifested and
exhibited at least one of the P21 themes, the researcher compared the school mission
statement with the P21 framework. The mission statement for JG Middle School was
compared to the 21
st
Century skills presented in the P21 framework.
Learning and innovation skills, information, media, and technology skills, and life
and career skills were compared side-by-side with the mission statement for JG Middle

46
School. Findings indicated that information, media, and technology skills, as well as life
and career skills were articulated in the mission of the school. According to the mission
statement from the school website, students discover and construct meaning from
information and experiences, which aligns to the information, media, and technology
skills in the P21. Additionally, students at John Glenn learn the importance of community
and learn how to appreciate cultural diversity. This importance of community and
appreciation for cultural diversity aligns with the life and career skills in P21. Addition
alignment between the school mission statement and P21 include encouraging
opportunities for student choice, self-direction, and responsibility at the school. See
mission statement in appendix.
Instrumentation
Multiple forms of data were used to achieve hetero-triangulation. Patton (2002)
writes that triangulation is ideal in qualitative studies. In this study, the investigator
employed methodological triangulation, or multiple methods to study the problem, in
order to validate the results of the study.
This study used the following forms of multiple data: observations, surveys,
interviews, and document analysis. The research instruments were developed by the
parallel dissertation team, and were supported by findings in the current research
literature. Additionally, the instruments were created in direct alignment with the
research questions for the study. In keeping with the goal of data triangulation, research
instruments were designed to support confirmation of the findings. However, they were
developed to obtain different information and limit redundancy.

47
The observation instrument was designed to observe visible goals of the school,
instructional strategies, extra-curricular activities offerings, available resources,
professional development, and the culture and climate of the school. See appendix A. In
order to organize the observation data, the investigator used the Bolman and Deal’s
(2008) four frames, political, structural, human resource, and symbolic. This framework
allowed for both organization and analysis of findings from the observation instrument.
Along with the observation instruments, a survey instrument was developed
around the study research questions and the P21 framework. See appendix B. The survey
instrument included twenty-eight items. For each item, there were four possible
responses, never, sometimes, most of the time, and always. Items in the survey were
organized under the headings of instruction and pedagogy, professional community, and
culture/life of the school. Surveys were administered at a school site staff meeting.
In addition to the observation and survey tool, an interview instruments was
included for purposes of triangulation. See appendix C. Interview questions were
compiled with the research questions as the focal point. Under the research questions
there were sub-questions organized according to curriculum, leadership, collaboration,
and teacher, student, and community values and beliefs.
Along with the sub-questions there were additional reference point questions to
prompt the interviewee, if necessary, during the interview session. A guide list of the P21
themes accompanied the semi-structured interview questions for purposes of clarification
and to set the stage for a meaningful interview. See appendix D. The investigator found
one of the primary limitations to this case study was concerning his interviewing

48
experiences prior to the interview sessions. For the investigator, this was the first
interview conducted for formal research purposes.
Data Collection
Data collection took place at the school site over a period of 6 days. Observations
took place over a period of two days. One of these days included a department
professional development session. Another day included the observation of a school site
council meeting. Interviews were conducted with three teachers, the principal, a data
specialist, and a counselor at the school. The document analysis took place prior to the
school visit and the investigator reviewed further documents online. Survey results were
tallied and findings were shared in chapter 4.

49
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS
The following chapter is designed to report the findings from a study of 21
st

century programs and practices at a middle school. Data from interviews, observations,
review of documents, and a survey are provided and analyzed. The purpose of the study
is to identify the programs and practices that promote acquisition of 21
st
century skills at
a school.
To identify these programs and practices, the researcher used the framework for
21
st
century learning from Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills.
Figure 1: Framework

This framework is a combination of expected student outcomes, which includes
life and career skills, learning and innovation skills, information, media, and technology
skills, and systems to support student learning, the standards and assessments, curriculum
and instruction, professional development, and learning environments. At the center of
this framework are the core subject areas, which are English, Reading or Language Arts,

50
World Languages, Arts, Mathematics, Economics, Science, Geography, History, and
Government and Civics. Along with these core subject areas are the 21
st
Century Themes
of global awareness, financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy, civic
literacy, health literacy, and environmental literacy. This framework provided a primary
lens, with which to view this school.
Research questions that guided this 21
st
century skills study were:
Research Questions
1. What are the practices and programs at the school and how are these programs
and practices aligned with 21
st
century skills?
2. What is the professional community at the school, and how does it support
these practices?
3. What is the perceived impact of 21
st
century skills on the culture of the
school?
The researcher used a qualitative study design for this study, and included data
from observations, interviews, review of documents, and a survey. Data was gathered
from observations of the researcher during student intervention sessions, classroom
instruction, including Art, French, English/Language Arts, Math, and Science, passing
periods, the lunch hour, parent meetings, and teacher professional development. These
observations included many aspects of the classroom, such as the seating arrangement,
student engagement, curriculum, instructional strategies, and assessment.
In addition to completing observations, there were six 30-45 minutes interviews
in the study. The interviewees included two administrators, three teachers, and a

51
counselor. All interviewees voluntarily provided information for the study. Each
interview was transcribed and segments of each were initially labeled according to
research questions. Following the initial labels, secondary labels were chosen according
to the identified themes of Global Curriculum, Alternative Assessments, Intensive
Intervention, Constant and Purposeful Use of Data, Professional Development, Shared
Leadership, Community Involvement, and Student Perceptions.
Along with the observations and interviews, surveys were included for the
purposes of triangulation. The return rate of the surveys was 76%. The survey statements
were then numbered under each research question, survey respondents were tallied
according to the categories of Never, Sometimes, Most of the Time, and Always. The
average of respondents for each category was then calculated. See appendix A for full
survey results.
Data for this study was collected over a period of months during fall semester
2010. In order to triangulate the data, the researcher used the observations, interviews,
and the survey, along with a review of school documents. The result was the
establishment of common themes dedicated to 21
st
century learning at this middle school.
School Description
JG school parking lot was lined with full-grown palm trees, perfectly manicured
lawns, and a huge mural of the school mascot with the slogan, “Ready, Respectful, and
Reach Out,” across the face of the school. In addition, there were several others murals,
standing for some of the school’s programs and accomplishments. These included AVID
National Demonstration School, California Distinguished School, International

52
Baccalaureate World School, and Schools to Watch. JG school was located in one of the
poorest cities in the valley, but it bordered one of the wealthiest.
Upon entering the front office, to the left, was a trophy case filled with a variety
of accolades praising the school for academic achievements. This showcase was graced
by the face of the President of the United States on the Federal Schools to Watch plaque.
Alongside this plaque, was the California Distinguished School award with words from
the California Superintendent of Instruction. Well-organized, and full of efficient looking
individuals, the front office appeared like something out of a Fortune 500 Company
office. Individuals were completing tasks, asking each other questions in a quiet tone, and
conferring with students. Bolman and Deal (2008) human resource frame proved helpful
as I made some of my initial observations of JG school.
A woman greeted me in a welcoming manner as I entered the foyer of the main
office. Immediately, upon hearing of my arrival, the principal walked out of his office,
hand-outstretched with a big smile. Meeting him for the first time, I was impressed by his
openness. He immediately thanked me for showing interest in his school and shared with
me that he looked forward to reading my completed dissertation.
The first part of my visit was a full campus tour. I could only wonder and
speculate on whether or not the principal had anything else to do but give me a tour; he
seemed relaxed and appeared to have made my visit a priority. Upon exiting the front
office, we stepped into a massive quad area with beautiful grass, which he proceeded to
inform me the students had seeded as a project for the environment. I scanned the
classroom doors that surrounded the quad, and I couldn’t help but notice the colorful

53
paintings on each door. Upon closer examination, each door was dedicated to a certain
country. I saw Israel, Argentina, Canada, and many others. When I asked about the doors,
the principal shared that students created designs together in groups and that there was a
submission process. These school doors were stunning and explained so much about
other countries around the world.
Demographics
A newer school, opened since 2001, JG school was a high-performing school with
an Academic Performance Index (API) of 839 in 2010, and an API of 850 in 201l. The
principal shared this high-performance during his interview, when he said, “You know
what, we look very good out on the soccer field.” He clarified this statement later on in
the interview when he shared that most of the conversations between parents and others
in the community took place outside of a school, not just on the soccer field, but the
baseball field, cub scouts, and other community activities and events.
This principal was serving his fifth year as principal. In its inception, JG school
strove to fully implement smaller learning communities where teachers worked in cross-
curricular teams, with a certain group of shared students. Over time, that concept of
smaller learning communities and cross-curricular teams changed. As one instructor
shared in an interview, “JG school is now made up of Professional Learning
Communities organized by department, and I miss some of that cross-curricular time.”
Students at JG school were diverse. According to the 2009-2010 School
Accountability Report Card for JG school, there were 1273 students attending the school.
11% of these students were receiving Special Education services. Another 7% of the

54
students were designated as English Language Learners. Although, JG school was not
identified as Title I, 44% of the students qualified for the federal free and reduced lunch
program. Students were also ethnically diverse at JG school. 2% of the students identified
as African-American, 1% as American-Indian/Alaska Native, 2% as Asian, 1% as
Filipino, 1% as Pacific Islander, 55% as Hispanic/Latino, and 38% identified as
Caucasian.
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme
Research question one specifically addressed the practices and programs at JG
school and how these practices and programs aligned to 21
st
Century Skills. At JG
school, the cornerstone program for academics, as well as many social aspects was the
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IBMYP). IBMYP was a program
within International Baccalaureate (IB). The IBMYP mission was designed for students
to make connections to the world around them and to develop a sense of belonging in a
world that was becoming more and more connected. In addition, it encouraged students
to have a positive attitude about learning. In the IB framework, there were eight academic
areas surrounded by the five areas of interaction.

55
Figure 2: International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme

IB students were required to take units in all eight academic areas. At JG school,
the Languages offered for the Language B requirement were French and Spanish.
Administrator, teacher, and counselor responded to the interview questions result in
common and frequent referencing to IB. The data from the interviews, as well as the
observations, several documents, and the survey indicated that IB was infused in the
fabric of the school’s programs and practices. The interviews provided several insights
concerning classroom curriculum, instruction, and assessment, as well as how IB
manifested itself in other activities.
Research Question 1-What are the programs and practices at the school and how
are these programs and practices aligned to 21st century skills?
Global Curriculum
One of the findings from this study was that the IB curriculum was the standard
21
st
Century curriculum for JG school. For JG school, IB curriculum was the central
curriculum. As Wagner (2008) shared in his The Global Achievement Gap, the IB

56
courses were excellent examples of what 21
st
Century learning included. Critical thinking
was one of those skills aligned to 21
st
Century Learning. The P21 Framework included
learning and innovation skills, otherwise known as the four Cs of critical thinking,
communication, collaboration, and creativity, as student outcomes.
The interviews from this study illuminated the great commitment of teachers to
creating IB units for student learning. During the interview with the principal, the
principal pointed out that for some teachers every unit they planned was an IB unit. In the
case of the other instructors at JG school, there were bits and pieces of an IB unit.
Sharing additional insights around IB, the principal commended the effort
teachers made and the constant reflection and revision efforts of the staff. He did share,
however, that there was some discontent about the amount of effort necessary for
revision of classroom lesson plan, and the assemblage of units in order to be considered
an IB unit.
The curriculum base is definitely our IB program and we create units of study
through our MYP planners. The critical piece is that what is taught is all about relevance.
Its about taking your IB unit of study and creating relevance for that student, and whether
it is Math, Social Studies, or Humanities/Language Arts, it is for the real world. Then, it
becomes making those global connections, and sharing it through multiple perspectives.
If students are learning something specific in history, for example, looking at the civil
war of the United States and slavery, the questions become where and how does that
impact us today? What slavery still exists in the United States today? What slavery exists
in other countries today? A teacher has to establish a significant concept, and this

57
significant concept the instructor is teaching that he wants his kids to know twenty years
from now. Teachers always want to target it specifically to the curriculum and how well
do you, the student, know the math curriculum. A teacher has to step outside of that
approach, and ask the question how does it connect to the bigger picture in the world? In
Math, for instance, instead of being specific about algebraic equations, the concept is
how do systems in our lives support structure, or something like that?”
When asked in the interviews about the programs and practices at JG school that
aligned to 21
st
century learning, the teachers, the counselor, and the data specialist had
additional words to share about the IB program, clearly pointing out that it made JG
school a 21
st
Century school. One teacher responded that JG school was a difficult place
to work, but challenging in a good way. As a teacher, you had to be changing your
lessons and instruction on a regular basis depending on whether or not your lesson met
IB standards as well as meeting the needs of the students.
In addition, the teacher reported that the creation of IB units was an incredible
challenge compared to a regular California standards-based unit of instruction. As a
teacher, you had to decide what the overarching concept of your unit was and decide
what students really should know in ten or twenty years. Across the staff, teachers were
reflecting upon their curriculum and instruction and adjusting their curriculum when
necessary. 46% of the teachers responding to the survey indicated that they never or only
sometimes used the adopted curriculum. The IB curriculum went far outside of the
standards-based curriculum and addressed learning from a global perspective.

58
An important addition to this finding about using IB curriculum was how JG
school focused on globalization in the IB curriculum. Zhao (2008) pointed out that
teachers must be knowledgeable and be models for global awareness, which included
knowledge and ability in a foreign language, knowledge of world history, geography, and
global systems. One teacher shared how much she appreciated the approach JG school
used with globalization. In a lesson in Language Arts class, for example, the students
might first apply what they were learning in the lesson to an issue or concern in their
local community, then to the surrounding state, and even on to other countries. When the
interviewer asked whether or not this local to global approach was used in other
classrooms, this instructor responded that this was the difficulty. It took teachers who
were willing to challenge themselves on a regular basis. Both this instructor and the
principal shared that though JG school teachers were working towards quality IB units
for every unit of instruction, some teachers found the creation and implementation of
these units more challenging than others and they voiced concerns and lodged
complaints.
Survey results echoed this teacher’s appreciation for addressing learning from a
global perspective when 100% of the teaching staff responded that they included global
issues in their classroom instruction, either sometimes, most of the time, or always.
Along with including global instruction in the classroom, the survey findings showed that
60% of the respondents exposed students to different cultures, languages, and
experiences in classroom instruction.

59
One classroom observation in English/Language Arts grade 8 included a strong
connections piece. Students completed a literary analysis journal entry after reading
Sandra Cisneros’ novel The House on Mango Street. The expectations for the assignment
included reflection writings where students responded by making “text to self,” “text to
text,” and “text to world” connections. The instructor worked with the students to
develop clear, intentional connections to local and global community.
Additional findings from an observation in an Algebra class grade 8, where the
students were graphing inequalities, again showed a teacher deliberately working with
students to expand their knowledge from a local perspective, their school and their
classroom, to a global perspective, the world of business.
Students were asked to articulate questions about inequalities; for example,
students are asked why they needed to learn this Math concept. The teacher explained
that in a business situation, “I’m making this certain product, and it costs this much
money to produce it. It starts to narrow down where you can operate as a business owner
to make a profit.” This explanation brought it into the world of business and economics,
and many students “got it” at the same exact moment, and replied in unison, “I get it.”
This real-world approach to solving problems allowed for students to connect
their learning to the real-world experience. The instruction technique, also known as
problem-based instruction was a common occurrence at JG school. 100% of the teachers
responding to the survey indicated that they utilized problem-based instruction
sometimes, most of the time, or always.

60
In addition to evidence of instructors working to expand the horizons of students
from a local level to a global level, the counselor remarked on the quality of the
curriculum and how much of it was at the fore-front of higher order thinking. From the
perspective of the counseling department, the IB program provided students with quality
learning not found in non-IB schools. The counselor drew her comparison from her own
previous experiences as a teacher and counselor at other schools, and her daughter’s
experience at an IB elementary school. Students were taught to think, and much of that
had to do with the IB program. The school’s motto’s for the classroom was, “Thought is
taught.” There was such a large focus on students learning to think rather than just
completing assignments.
IB instructors were trained to ask their student to analyze with a critical eye and
examine, as well as produce innovative projects. The counselor mentioned the robotics
program club as well as a current partnership with the Raleigh Studios in Hollywood.
“Raleigh studios will partner with JG school technology instructors to teach students how
to produce their own Public Service Announcements (PSAs). One of the eight academic
areas, which made up the IB program, the technology projects, students were producing
with technology, was impressive from robotics to animation.
Alternative Assessments
Informal classroom assessments, like checking for understanding techniques,
were used a great deal at JG school. In a French class, a Smart Board projection of a
house with furniture and other items allowed for the teacher to intermittently throughout
the lesson, ask students to come up to the screen and identify vocabulary terms in French.

61
In a Freshman Life Science class, the teacher had groups of six, and within those groups,
pairs were working together to quiz each other on Kingdom, Phylum, and Class in
Biology. In Math course, the instructor asked the student to use responders after a
practice problem was projected on the ELMO. These informal assessments were regular
and ongoing in classes. Whether the students were responding with a thumbs-up, or using
the technique of “ticket out the door,” it was a clear finding that informal assessments
were continuous and ongoing for students. According to P21 framework, this system of
assessments was a support mechanism along with standards.
A finding with regard to formal assessment was eye-opening and reflected what
Shoen and Fusarelli (2008) explored regarding the impact of No Child Left Behind
(NCLB) on schools focused on 21
st
Century learning. Several of the interviewees shared
that there was disconnect between the California State Tests, a part of the state
requirements for measuring the Federal Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), and the IB
assessments.
Schoen and Fusarelli (2008) pointed out that there was research that really
questioned whether or not the high-stakes, fear-ridden NCLB regime could exist
alongside the creativity and innovation necessary for 21
st
Century Learning. They did
propose in their research a fusing of both NCLB testing, the standardized testing
movement, and 21ste Century Learning, the global approach. This fusing was portrayed
in P21, as standards for the content areas, which supported the student outcomes. In
interviews, the interviewees shared how disconnected state standards and assessment
could be from the IB curriculum.

62
California state standards, good standards, but in terms of meshing them with our
IB philosophy, at times it is a nice, easy fix, and at other times we have to be a little more
creative. You want kids to become lifelong learners, you want to inspire them and, yeah,
there are standards, and we need to meet AYP and all that stuff, but can you do both,
absolutely. The fortunate thing is that we are a high performing school, an API of 850,
and we continue to make gains, we continue to do really well, and we are provided some
freedoms because we continue to do well. Do we have to work hard and play the game?
Absolutely, the bottom line is that it may be a game, but if there is a subgroup we aren’t
meeting, and everybody else is doing really well; we are leaving that student behind.
The interviewees shared that with the assessment piece, it was really difficult to
have a multiple-choice test as an IB assessment. What the assessment needed for an IB
unit was extensive writing, or it needed to be project based, because students had to
demonstrate and show mastery of concepts, it was hard to do that on a multiple choice
test. The thinking and the ideas behind writing or project-based assessments were broader
than multiple-choice assessments.
Advancement Via Individual Determination
In addition to speaking a great deal about the JG school IB programme, the
counselor mentioned how well the IB program and the Advancement Via Individual
Determination (AVID) program worked together on campus. Though not specifically
designed around the premise of 21
st
Century Learning, AVID founder intended for the
program to be on the cutting edge of education strategies, so that students would be
successful as they faced the challenges of the future in a democratic society.

63
Listening to founder Catherine Swanson at an AVID professional development
session this past September in San Bernardino, she couldn’t stop talking about students
understanding how they fit into the world around them and how they would need to learn
strategies to face the challenges as a global, not a local, society. The upcoming AVID
National Conference will focus on 21
st
Century Programs and Learning. AVID was a
schoolwide program at JG school. Not all classes were AVID, and not all students were
enrolled in AVID, however several curricular practices from AVID were used across all
the content areas. Two of those commonly observed strategies included Cornell notes and
Socratic seminars.
In another interview, the Facilitator/Data Specialist responded to how AVID
complements IB. She shared that AVID complemented the IB programme, because it had
students using strategies to access those higher order-thinking skills. In addition, students
learned those writing, inquiry, collaboration, and reading (WICR) strategies necessary to
dig beneath the surface learning and look at the larger concept, and the more global
potential for what was learnt.
In the past, the AVID program at JG school was a nationally recognized. Due to
an unfortunate, unforeseen medical leave of the AVID coordinator, the school lost that
status, however, as the principal shared in his interview, regaining that status was a
school goal.
Intensive Intervention
The intervention programs at JG school appeared to be at odds to the IB program.
These two necessary programs addressed the needs of all students, however, through the

64
interviews, it became clear that IB wasn’t for everyone. Being that the IB curriculum was
considered a school wide curriculum at JG school, this finding brought into question
whether or not a 21
st
Century School needed to be an IB school or not.
When asked whether or not IB served all students, the Facilitator/Data Specialist
responds with, “I don’t think all students are IB students, and that’s fine.” The principal
also responded candidly in the interview about how the true IB curriculum wasn’t a part
of students’ academic lives who were targeted and placed in intervention classes because
of performance.
Where we don’t use the IB curriculum and units are in our intervention classes.
Those intervention classes are programs you must teach with fidelity; we still try to
integrate pieces of IB, like there is the IB learner profile attributes, risk taker, your
principled, your caring, those types of things, so we try to incorporate some of the IB.
Our interventions, for the most part, our language arts or our math, that type of stuff, we
don’t create IB unit plans; we try to incorporate the little pieces of IB. Every kid that
walks in the door, for the most part, will have the eight subject areas unless they are in
intervention.
Little research on 21
st
Century Learning in schools addressed the need for strong
intervention programs. The finding at JG school of a strong intervention program was
critical to this school’s 21
st
Century Learning Program. Two school-based programs for
intervention existed at JG school. In addition, there were two additional programs, which
were intervention programs for Reading and Math. All of these programs were designed
to facilitate and meet the needs of all students academically and behaviorally.

65
Both intervention programs had been created and fine-tuned by staff at JG school.
The Facilitator/Data Specialist described these programs as programs that were meeting
the needs of students when she stated that at JG school, “We approach each child, every
single one, from multiple vantage points. Not only do we view the student from an
academic angle, but we also see the individual child from social and behavioral angles as
well.”
Academic and Curriculum Enhancement for Students
The Academic and Curriculum Enhancement for Students (ACES) intervention
program at the school was a combination of using data-driven, decision making to
establish students in need of additional assistance and offering effective programming on
a daily basis. Every three weeks at JG school, administrators and the counselor met with
the different content area departments on campus to review student performance data, as
well as attendance and behavior data. Following the review of data, decisions were made
regarding the needs of each student, both the academic and socio-emotional needs.
This review of the data for each struggling student was just the beginning of this
program. According to the Facilitator/Data Specialist, this program allowed for teachers
and other school staff to view each student, and not leave anyone out. It was noted by
both of the administrators that certain departments, English/Language Arts and Math,
were the first departments to meet every three weeks to discuss placement of the
students. JG school insisted these departments met first to look at individual students as
the Federal Accountability System for No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was focused
primarily on achievement in English/Language Arts and Math.

66
Teachers, the counselor, the Facilitator/Data Specialist believed in the ACES
program as they saw data showing that many students individual needs had been met.
Essentially, not only were the academic needs the focus in these tri-weekly meetings, but
also the meetings allowed for the teams to collaborate on how to address attendance and
welfare issues. All of these discussions occurred as a collaborative group.
All Student Academic Prep
The student data then drove the teams’ decision regarding the daily forty-minute
period of time where students attended one or more intervention classes, enrichment
classes, or study hall. During the teacher interviews, across the board, teachers
appreciated this time because it allowed both struggling students to work on a one-on-one
basis with a teacher, as well as higher achieving student to choose a favorite interest or a
hobby area, such as computers, and attend a computer class. No students were left out of
this program.
Much of that teacher time every day was spent developing IB units of study and
addressing student data from previous units, so changes could be made in the future or re-
teaching could take place. The teachers in the interviews were passionate about the
difference this additional time made on instruction in the classroom, and ultimately
student achievement. This time was valuable time to share what strategies work and what
strategies needed revisited. Though English/Language Arts and Math were priority
departments and received an additional preparation time each day, the other departments
spent time meeting on early release Tuesday. Every Tuesday at JG school, the days were

67
early release days. More often than not, the second half of these days was organized
around departments and addressing student data.
Research Question 2-What is the professional community at the school and how
does it support these practices?
Constant and Purposeful Use of Data
Professional development was organized around the needs of students and
teacher- driven. In order to accurately identify the needs of students and thus the
necessary type of professional development, the teachers met regularly to address the
data around student academics and behavior. 88% of the teachers responding to the
survey indicated that teachers and administrators used data to promote best instructional
practices. It wasn’t always easy, according to the interviewees to establish priorities
around the data. One example professional development session addressed what was
referred to as the design cycle, which was essential to teachers developing an effective IB
unit of curriculum.
Approach to Professional Development
Professional development on these days had very strict, consistent norms
established in a collaborative fashion by the teachers. There were no department chairs at
JG school, but instead the teachers shared the leading of the department; for example, one
week it was a certain teacher, and the next week it was another. This system allowed for
both tenured teachers and newer teachers to take on a leadership role and guide the
learning that happened during this professional development time. 66% of the
instructional staff, however, indicated that professional development never or sometimes

68
addressed the teaching of global education issues. Interviewees arrived at a similar
conclusion stating that often collaboration around global issues was done on their own
time after school.
Shared Leadership
Leadership was shared at JG school. There were no department chairs; the
teachers rotated through a rotation where every instructor ran a meeting and assigned the
other teachers to a variety of roles, ranging from taking notes to summarizing to
reporting. This shared leadership approach was ideal for creating a collaborative
environment. 94% of the surveyed instructional staff agreed that collaboration was
encouraged and promoted by the school most of the time or always.
In addition to a shared leadership approach within the instructional team at the
school, many of the observations and the interviews indicated that there was a principal
who modeled effective formal leadership at the school. Many of the instructional staff
commented that the principal was so great to have at the school, because he believed in
innovation and creativity, as well as being a strong supporter of students and the IB
program.
During the principal interview, the principal shared that he was currently working
with the Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education. He had been retained as a
consultant by Compton Unified School District to work with school principals and build
stronger leadership capacity while addressing students’ needs. The Val-Ed instrument
used to rate the principals included 72-75 item inventory of behavior, and research had
shown it is an accurate, effective rating tool.

69
Research Question 3-What is the perceived impact of 21
st
century skills on the
culture of the school?
Community Involvement
Community service was an important aspect of the students’ education at JG
school. Projects for community service vary, however each student was expected to
complete a project prior. Student at JG school were involved in their local community.
After attending a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) meeting in the evening and
observing the dedication of parents, I saw firsthand the parent outreach component.
Though the meeting appeared to be a success as the parents and teachers worked together
to organize the Health and Wellness Expo taking place, there was a noticeably low
turnout for both groups.
The instructional staff responses to the survey, about whether or not parents were
involved in school related activities, also showed this trend in numbers. Out of the
number of teachers responding to the survey, 66% of teachers claimed parents were never
or only sometimes involved. The interviewees also suggested several times that they
wished there was more parent involvement at the school.
Even with little parent involvement, the community efforts and partnerships, such
as the annual Health and Wellness Expo showed the great efforts of some parents. Last
year was the first year JG school held the Health and Wellness Expo. The specifics of
this Health and Wellness Expo were shared in one interview:
We bring in a lot of the community. The blood bank will be here and the food
bank. Eisenhower Medical comes and participates. La Quinta High School has a medical

70
program that they do; the advisor is my neighbor. She came down and they were doing
blood pressure. Chiropractors come in and do wellness. They do those little scans that go
through your body. We did this last year for the first time in the spring; we finally got
around to it. This year we decided to do it sooner when it’s a little bit cooler, so we are
doing November. The money we generate from it, we can spend it this year. They had a
yoga thing in the Expo. They had Zumba. Kids were walking outside, but they were also
coming into the Expo and participating in some of those activities. Taek wan do, kids
were cycling through, and signing up for stuff.
Student Perceptions
Throughout all the observations of the students inside the classroom and outside
of the classroom, there was an air of contentment. During passing periods, all students
carried their student planners and provided them immediately to adult staff upon request.
It was impressive to see such organization; thirteen hundred middle school students all
with their planners opened to the current week with smiles on their faces saying hello to
others passing in the hallway.
Survey results mimicked that students were well behaved and organized. In the
survey, 94% of the teachers responded that students were responsible for their behavior
in the classroom most of the time or always. In addition to survey results for student
behavior, the 2009-2010 School Accountability Report Card indicated that there were 3
expulsions, .24% of the student population and 141 suspensions, 11% of the student
population.

71
Participation in school activities and being a part of the student body was
important at JG school. 100% of the survey respondents indicated that students at JG
school participated in extra-curricular activities related to the vision and mission of the
school. Also, the students were given opportunities to participate in out of school
activities.
In the observations of students during their passing periods, lunchtime, and after
school, there was also a sense of belonging. One program in particular assisted new
students with this feeling of belonging. This program was mentioned in several of the
interviews, as well as appearing in the 2008 IB Evaluation Report. In the report The
‘Where Every Student Belongs program’ (WEB) at JGMS connected new students with a
student partner to help integrate them into the school environment. Students worked
together to help new students understand JGMS’ policies and procedures, locate
classrooms, ensure a lunchtime friend, and answer questions concerning the familiarity of
the school campus. This program provided opportunities for students to take leadership
action through service to fellow students. This spirit of service was evident in the
interviews. One interviewee specifically mentioned this spirit through those who served
the United States in the armed forces.
The community and service aspect of it; you know people going out and
volunteering their time, and being in the military. That is the community services
aspect. You teach kids about this community and service, and provide them with
some great examples like the armed forces.
Summary of Findings
IB was considered the cornerstone program for curriculum, instruction, and
assessment at JG school. Wagner (2008) as well considered it to be the ideal curriculum

72
program to address issues such as globalization. Though IB was designated as the
cornerstone curriculum for JG school, it was found to be at odds with the strong
intervention programs designed to assist all students. Students in the intervention classes
did not receive instruction through IB units. When asked about IB being at odds with
intervention, the principal replied that the reason behind intervention students not being
taught through IB units was to keep fidelity of the intervention programs.
Teachers worked in collaborative department teams to develop IB units of
instruction. All students were expected to take courses in all eight focus areas, including
Language A, Language B, Humanities, Physical Education, Sciences, Arts, Mathematics,
and Technology. The one exception to all students receiving a true IB education at JG
school was the student population placed in English/Language Arts and Math
intervention classes. These classes included the Math program, Successmaker, and the
Reading program, Read 180. If only some of the students were being taught with IB units
at the school, were only a portion of the student body being prepared for the 21
st
Century,
global economy and world? If so, who made that life-changing decision about which of
the students were receiving a 21
st
Century education at JG school?
Findings indicated as well that a 21
st
Century Learning school like JG school
needed intervention programs that ran throughout the school day at JG school in order for
all their students to reach their fullest potentials. The finding at JG school was that
intervention was a strong component of this 21
st
Century School. Two of the most
effective intervention programs included the ACES and the ASAP programs. Each day,
with the exception of Friday, students attended the ASAP program for forty minutes

73
allowing all students’ needs to be met, intervention needs, enrichment needs, and study
hall as well. ACES, which was an additional time period for teachers to review student
data as a department as well as develop effective IB units, was only provided for Math
and English/Language Arts departments. This provision was the result of a cut back in
funding.
Staff members at JG school used data every day to address the needs of their
students. Interviews, observations, and survey findings showed that teachers promoted
best instructional practices through viewing and analyzing multiple sources of data. A
difficult, time-consuming task, teachers discovered that they adjusted their instruction
according to student results. Departments in a collaborative environment analyzed all of
this data. Ideas for best practice were shared and tested to ensure all students’ needs were
met.
Leadership at the school was shared leadership. Survey results for leadership roles
at the school indicated that 97% of the instructional staff saw themselves in the role of
leaders at the school. Along with leadership from the instructional staff, the strength and
effectiveness of the principal was a highlight for all the interviewees. Additionally,
throughout the school observations, the researcher mentioned the principal’s
effectiveness at JG school.
JG school parent involvement was limited. Parents involved in the PTO appeared
to have strong ties to the community and put forth a great deal of effort to make
improvements for their children. Though this group was not well attended and was an

74
area that continued to provide a challenge for JG school, the parents who were a part of
this association organize many activities at the school.
One of these activities, which students enjoyed a great deal, was the Health and
Wellness Expo. Not only did the students reap the benefits of the 21
st
Century Health and
Wellness trend, but there was a great deal of money raised for other school activities.
Students were well adjusted, happy, and behavior was positive for the most part.
School enrichment activities and extra-curricular activities were available. New students
were welcomed into the school through a specially designed program called WEB.
Students were exposed to a wide range of cultures, languages, and experiences
throughout the day in their classes.
Conclusion
After collecting data, organizing it, and articulating the findings from JG school, I
found JG school was focused on 21
st
Century learning for their students. Findings from
this study were both expected and unexpected. Expected findings, such as shared
leadership, the value of higher-order thinking skills, and a curriculum focused on the
global world were reassuring. However, the unexpected findings, how little professional
development sessions really assisted teachers, and the apparent clash between the
school’s primary curriculum, IB curriculum, and a strong intervention classes focused on
raising students’ achievement in English/Language Arts and Math raised questions about
whether or not 21
st
Century learning is successful for all students.

75
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS
Statement of the Problem
Currently, the United States compares unfavorably to other industrialized nations
on academic benchmarks. Students in the United States scores, on average, lower than
students in other industrialized nations on standardized tests. This news is alarming as
society continues to become more global. As the world becomes more interconnected,
the skills and knowledge that students need to succeed as global citizens has changed.
Some schools have responded by embracing globalization. However, it is unclear what
programs and practices they are implementing.
In an effort to understand and identify possible programs and practices that
promote 21
st
Century skills in students, this case study identified one school claiming to
prepare students for the next generation. This school has been identified by the federal
government as a school taking center stage, and has been recognized and awarded
various accomplishments.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study was to identify the programs and practices that promote
the acquisition of 21
st
Century skills at school. A great deal of research exists in support
of 21
st
Century programs and practices that support student learning. The research shows
that curriculum, assessment, professional development, leadership, and culture all play
major roles in determining how effective schools are in preparing students for the 21
st

Century.

76
The Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills Framework (P21) provides a clear and
well-supported framework for identifying what skills are essential for student outcomes.
Schools need to include core subject areas complemented by the 21
st
Century themes of
global awareness, financial literacy, civic literacy, health literacy, and environmental
literacy. The resulting student outcomes presented in the P21 are learning and innovation
skills, information, media, and technology skills, and life and career skills. The P21
served as the framework to guide this case study, and it was used as the conceptual model
for this study to analyze the data from research questions.
Research Questions
This study specifically focused on answering the following research questions:
1. What are the practices and programs at a school and how are these programs and
practices aligned with 21
st
Century skills?
2. What is the professional community of the school, and how does this professional
community support the programs and practices of the school?
3. What is the perceived impact of 21
st
Century skills on the culture of the school?
Population and Sample
The study examined the programs and practices that JG Middle School uses with
students to ensure they are prepared for the 21
st
Century. In this case study, the
investigator used three criteria to determine the school site where the study took place.
JG Middle School was chosen with the following criteria: the school needed an
API of 800 or above to qualify for this case study. The 2010 API growth for JG Middle
School was an 839. In the criteria for California similar schools, the school needed to be

77
ranked 7 or higher. JG Middle School ranked 7 in the similar schools ranking. The final
criteria for this case study focused on the school’s mission statement. This was compared
to the 21
st
Century skills present in P21. Learning and innovation skills, information,
media, and technology skills, and life and career skills were placed side-by-side with the
school’s mission. This comparison illuminated that information, media, and technology
skills, as well as life and career skills were articulated in the mission. In addition, there
was alignment between the school mission and the p21 life and career skills student
outcome.
The student body demographics at JG Middle School are diverse. Out of 1301
students in grades six through eight, approximately 55% is Hispanic or Latino, 38% is
Caucasian, 3% African American, 2% is Asian, and the remaining 2% is American
Indian and Other. JG Middle School is located in a city with a population of 83,000. 77%
of the residents are Hispanic or Latino, 18% are Caucasian, 1.7% are African American,
1.7% are Asian, and the remaining percent identify as Other. The median household
income is $53,000 and the median price of homes is $174,000.
Conclusions
This case study concurs with the current research on 21
st
Century skills with
regard to matters of curriculum, assessment, professional development, leadership, and
culture. The research examined finds that the components of a 21
st
Century school
include a global curriculum, alternative assessments, AVID, intensive intervention,
constant and purposeful use of data, professional development, shared leadership, and
community and student involvement.

78
JG school showed each of these components in the following ways.
Global Curriculum
 The International Baccalaureate Program was the cornerstone curriculum, which
drove classroom instruction.
 Teachers worked together in collaborative teams to develop International
Baccalaureate units of study.
 In the classroom, students made connections to their local community and
beyond.
AVID
 Developing higher order thinking skills, an AVID curriculum priority,
complements the IB curriculum.
 The ability to think deeply about an issue and have a discussion on the issue,
Socratic Seminar, was utilized in classrooms.
 Writing, inquiry, collaboration, and reading (WICR) the AVID curriculum
foundation allowed students to develop the necessary strategies to dig beneath the
surface and solve problems while looking at the global potential of what they
learned in the class.
Intensive Intervention
 Strong intervention programs, developed by staff, existed in order to ensure all
students achieved at school.

79
 Student data drives decision-making. Each student is addressed every three weeks
from several vantage points, including academics, attendance, student welfare,
and behavior. Consistent and purposeful use of data.
 School staff designed the intervention program
 Strong buy-in from staff regarding student intervention programs.
Professional Development
 Professional development centered around issues other than the IB curriculum
and issues of globalization.
 Teacher collaboration time to plan around issues of globalization and instruction
is completed on personal time, often after school.
Leadership Approach
 Shared leadership within departments. No department chair for departments, but
leadership roles on a rotating basis. All instructors have the opportunity to share
in all roles.
 Strong principal leadership. Principal works as a consultant for other school
districts and provides assistance to principals.
Community Involvement
 Supportive parents in PTO, however overall parent participation in the school is
low.
 Outreach into the city and surrounding communities is evident.
Student Perceptions
 Student assertive discipline, referrals, and behaviors incidents are low.

80
 Student practice being ready, respectful, and reaching out to others.
 Students want to participate in extra-curricular activities.
 Students enjoy being at school.
 Students welcome newcomers to the school with information and tours
Implications
This case study suggests that many schools are already implementing programs,
which are components of 21
st
Century learning, such as shared leadership, community
partnerships, effective intervention programs, extra-curricular programs, the use of data
to drive decisions for student learning. Though these are all evidence of a school with 21
st

Century skills, the major part separating most schools from a school focused on skills
necessary to be successful in the next century is the curriculum approach and a focus in
the classroom on viewing learning through a global lens.
There is not one specific curriculum approach that determines whether or not a
school is an institution of 21
st
Century learning, however the IB curriculum and program
is often recommended as an effective curriculum focused on broadening students
horizons beyond their local communities to the global aspects of the world.
This case study demonstrates that the current assessment measures under NCLB
do not allow for students to demonstrate mastery of skills necessary for the 21
st
Century,
such as higher-order thinking skills, writing strategies, problem-solving techniques,
analysis skills, and strategies for effective communication. Alternative assessments, such
as informal assessments used in the classrooms, writing assessments, as well as project-
based work are more useful in allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge of

81
content. The adoption of common core standards across many states may assist in the
alignment of standardized assessments and accurate measurement of 21
st
Century skills.
A final implication from this case study is the necessity for extra support
programs for struggling students. The quandary with intervention programs comes when
intervention programs become tracking systems not providing some students with all the
benefits of learning from a curriculum focused on global learning for the next century.
Intervention programs must be supplemented with reasonable global approaches to
learning while still maintaining the fidelity of the intervention program curriculum. This
is a tightrope walk to balance both the intervention and the global learning and
acquisition of skills for the next century.
Recommendations for Future Study
Findings and conclusions drawn from this qualitative case study on programs and
practices at a school focused on 21
st
Century skills indicate a need for further research.
The recommendations for future study are the following.
1. Future studies should observe the intervention programs at the school and
determine their connection to 21
st
Century learning. The impact of strong
intervention programs used in high-performing schools claiming to be 21
st

Century learning schools is an unexplored area.
2. Future studies should focus on the student perceptions in schools claiming to
be centers of 21
st
Century learning to glean insights into how programs really
work for students.

82
3. Future studies should examine the formal leadership roles at the school and
the impact these formal leaders have on setting a mission and vision for the
school.
4. Future studies should examine community service aspects of 21
st
Century
learning.
5. Future studies should elaborate on how students in the United States connect
their learning to other countries in the world.
From this case study, 21
st
Century schools feature a well-defined international
curriculum, such as the IB Programme, where higher order thinking skills and problem
solving are expectations. This case study resulted in many expected outcomes, such as
high levels of student engagement in the classroom, well-organized, structured
intervention programs to meet the needs of all students, instructors who share leadership
roles and work collaboratively, and content students who enjoy being at school. There is,
however, no magic bullet for schools to enact change and become an institution of 21
st

Century learning. Even this case study raises more questions about how intervention is
connected 21
st
Century learning goals.

83
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APPENDIX A
Observation Instrument
OBSERVATIONS
FRAME/RQ What to Observe
RQ 1

 Goals – are goals
(vision & mission)
visible?
 Are goals posted (also RQ 2)
 Faculty/staff and students’ actions
(also RQ 3)
 Does curriculum in action align
with the goals?
RQ 1
 Instructional
strategies ( through
observations you can
observe creativity,
innovation,
communication,
critical thinking,
collaboration (4Cs),
problem solving, etc.
 Student talk – what kind of
conversations are students engaging in?
low/high
 Use of group work
 Levels of questions (teachers and
students)
 How is technology integrated into
curriculum? Is it used for process and
product?
 Manipulatives
 Type of projects
 Student outcomes (also RQ 3)

87
 Teacher feedback
 Student participation (also RQ 3)
 Levels of student independence
 How is diversity address – global
awareness
 World languages
 Are subjects integrated?
 Objectives
RQ1
 Extra-curricular
activities
 Who is participating
 What are the options
 Do they develop 21
st
century skills?
RQ 1  Resources
 What type of resources do you see
in the classroom/school and how they
are being used?
 What types of books/literary
materials? Multicultural?
International?
RQ 2  Observing PD
 Who lead PD?
 How does the school’s
focus/vision/mission align?
 Observing faculty and staff

88
interactions (formal/informal)
RQ2  Culture & climate
 How do students walk into school?
 What do transitions look like?
 Interactions between
students/faculty/staff/parents
 Are parents on campus? If so, what
are they doing?
 What’s on the wall? –
multicultural, college, jobs, global
 Organizations (also RQ 3)
 Community (also RQ 3)
 School traditions (also RQ 3)
 School Site Council – how are
decisions made? Collaborative? Do
they promote 21
st
century schools?
 How are the front
office/entrance/classrooms organized?

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APPENDIX B
Survey Instrument
Programs and Practices

Instruction and Pedagogy 1 2 3 4
Never sometimes most of the time always
I utilize cooperative grouping
I utilize problem-based instruction
My instruction involves the use of technology
My students use technology
My instruction includes global issues
I model and encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Students demonstrate mastery in different ways
Students are exposed to different cultures, languages and experiences
Students participate in out of school activities
My instruction includes civic responsibility
I utilize multi-modal instructional approaches
I primarily use the adopted curriculum
I encourage collaboration in classroom
I encourage creativity and innovation in my classroom
My assignments require students demonstrate creative approaches

90
Professional Community 1 2 3 4

Professional development sessions help me be a better teacher
Professional development sessions address the teaching of critical thinking skills
Professional development sessions address the teaching of global education issues
The level of parents’ involvement positively impacts global learning
Collaboration is encouraged and promoted by the school
I have an adjunct duty to perform at the school site
Data is used by teachers and administrators to promote best instructional practices
My classroom is equipped to meet students’ instructional needs
School’s vision and mission are aligned with practices and programs

Impact on Culture of the School 1 2 3 4

Students are responsible for their behavior in the classroom
My students participate in extra-curricular activities
Parents are involved in school related activities
Students are exposed to different cultures, languages and experiences
Students are given the opportunity to participate in out of school activities, such as
fieldtrip

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APPENDIX C
Interview Instrument
Interview Questions

Prior to questioning, the interviewer will give the interviewee a handout on 21
st
century
skills (included below) as a reference.

Possible follow-up questions accompany each interview question.

Interview Question #1: What are the practices and programs at the school and how are
they aligned to 21
st
century skills?
CURRICULUM (Planning)
How does the school curriculum and instructional strategies reflect 21
st
Century
Learning?

1. What technology is used in classroom curriculum?
2. How are world languages a part of the school curriculum?
3. How does the school promote diversity and global perspectives?
4. What interdisciplinary work is done in classrooms at this school?
5. How does the curriculum promote collaboration, investigation, higher-
order thinking, and posing of analytical questions?

92
What kinds of extra-curricular activities reflect 21
st
Century Skills?

1. How do extra-curricular student activities include world perspectives?
2. What community outreach programs are available for students?
3. How do the extra-curricular student activities at the school build better
citizens?

Interview Question #2: What is the professional community at the school, and how does
it support these practices?
LEADERSHIP-VISION, DECISION-MAKING
What role does leadership play in supporting and developing 21
st
Century Learning?

1. How does the school’s mission and vision statement and vision influence
decision making at the school?
2. How are these decisions put into action?

COLLABORATION
What does collaboration look like at the school?
1. How often do teachers give common assessments, and what is done once
the assessments are scored?
2. How often do teachers instruct interdisciplinary units?
3. What discussions and activities are evidence of a collaborative staff?

93
Interview Question #3: What is the perceived impact of 21
st
century skills on the culture
of the school?
STUDENTS-BEHAVIOR, BELIEFS, ATTITUDES
What student behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes reflect 21
st
Century Learning?

1. What enrichment activities are available for students, and how do these
activities address positive behavior?
2. How is citizenship, also known as life skills, taught to students, and how
do students show their life skills?

TEACHERS-BEHAVIOR, BELIEFS, ATTITUDES
What teacher behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes reflect 21
st
Century Learning?
1. Who promotes positive school culture at your school, and what does that
school culture look like?
2. How is diversity appreciated and celebrated at the school?

COMMUNITY-BELIEFS, SUPPORT, PARTNERSHIPS
What community behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes reflect 21
st
Century Learning?

1. What organizations partner with this school to offer students internships
and classes outside of the regular school day?

94
2. How does the community show their support for school programs on
diversity, culture, and customs?

95
APPENDIX D
Interview Handout:
Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills 21st Century Themes and Student Outcomes

21st Century Themes

 Global awareness
 Financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy
 Civic literacy
 Health literacy
 Environmental Literacy

21st Century Student Outcomes

Learning and Innovation Skills
 Creativity and innovation skills
 Critical thinking and problem solving skills
 Communication and collaboration skills

96
Information, Media and Technology Skills
 Information literacy
 Media literacy
 ICT (information and communications technology) literacy

Life and Career Skills
 Flexibility and adaptability
 Initiative and self-direction
 Social and cross-cultural skills
 Productivity and accountability
 Leadership and responsibility

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This case study examines the programs and practices at a middle school claiming to promote 21st Century Skills. Research questions for this study included: What are the practices and programs at a school and how are these programs and practices aligned with 21st Century skills? What is the professional community of the school, and how does this professional community support the programs and practices at the school? What is the perceived impact of 21st Century skills on the culture of the school? Findings from this study showed that strong interventions programs existed in order to ensure all students are achieving, there was evidence of continual data-driven decision making by school staff, leadership was shared at the school, there was evidence of community outreach, alternative assessment and measures for student success were frequently used by teachers, and student assertive discipline incidents were low.

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Asset Metadata

Creator McLachlan, Kurt Roger Wimer (author)

Core Title A case study of 21st century skills programs and practices

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 04/06/2012

Defense Date 03/10/2012

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag 21st century skills,Education,middle school,OAI-PMH Harvest

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Gothold, Stuart E. (committee chair), Hocevar, Dennis (committee member), Mafi, Gabriela (committee member)

Creator Email wimer6@hotmail.com,wimermcl@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-3094

Unique identifier UC11288055

Identifier usctheses-c3-3094 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-McLachlanK-574.pdf

Dmrecord 3094

Document Type Dissertation

Rights McLachlan, Kurt Roger Wimer

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA