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The process secondary administrators use to implement twenty‐first century learning skills in secondary schools

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Content Running head: THE PROCESS SECONDARY ADMINISTRATORS USE 1

THE PROCESS SECONDARY ADMINISTRATORS USE TO IMPLEMENT TWENTY-
FIRST CENTURY LEARNING SKILLS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

by

Synee Pearson

________________________________________________________________________

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 2014

Copyright 2014 Synee Pearson

THE PROCESS SECONDARY ADMINISTRATORS USE

2
DEDICATION
Devynn Noel may you always believe in yourself and your ability to accomplish your
heart’s desire. You have all of the skills to be productive in this century and the next. Do not let
what people think or say about you be an obstacle. You have the power to make your life
happen for yourself, the way you want it to be. You are my role model. I love you, Mommy.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank my dissertation chair Dr. Pedro Garcia for all of your
encouragement and patience. Your tough love inspired me when I needed to get in gear and
move through the process. You will forever be a source of inspiration to fight on and never
settle for the right now. Dr. Rudy Castruita I learned so much sitting in your class and watching
your interactions. A white shirt will never be just a piece of clothing. I too stand on the
greatness of your achievements and the legacy of your family – thank you. Dr. Katharine Strunk
you were the voice I needed when time was running out. I could hear you when you had not said
a word. I appreciate your directness; it was my motivation.
Dr. Rudy [Papa] Crew thank you for providing a safe learning environment when
learning was new again and for understanding that sometimes life just happens. Thank you
many times over. Dr. Cheryl Ward you are better than a sports coach! You were the catalyst for
this great body of work. Thank you for being a coach, inspiration, and a friend. You are
invaluable! I am already working on becoming my next best self.
To my family and friends thank you for supporting me throughout this process. To my
husband Dion, thank you for everything that you gave throughout this process. I know you
thought this was the end, but it is really the beginning. Mom, you have always been an
inspiration to me. Truly you are the wind beneath my wing. Dad, you have always watched
over me with admiration. Your love has remained endless. Machara, what can I say? When a
sister needed a rock, you were solid. Mommy’s little Tator Tot, words cannot express the
respect I have for you. You are a beautiful young lady and a great big sister. Mama and Papa,
thank you for all that you gave and shared. Eric, we can talk about the fate of Kings and Queens
for hours. Tish, you got it all started and never faltered. You offered support and answered
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every phone call. JB, you left me hanging; thanks! Marisela thank you for the encouragement
from the beginning to the very end. Kel Kel, Pat’e, and OHK, thanks for keeping me focused
and the final push; it felt like it would never get here. Laura, now we really have time to DGAF!
Thanks for reading papers and being you. Ange, a heart felt thank you. To the following people
you know what role you played: Focus Global Ministries, LB, LH, AW, JLJ, VCH, RK, AJ, KT,
LW, K Rob, MK, KO, RI, KC, BW, BB, JJ, TC, MS, MB, GB, SDH, AA, KW, and CG. To the
Brown Girls and Cream, Shenora, Terry, and Daniel – we did it! This journey was a little lighter
with you by my side.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication…………………………………………………………………………………….. ...2
Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………… ...3
List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………………. ...6
List of Figures………………………………………………………………………………… ...7
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………….. ...8
Chapter 1: Overview of the Study…………………………………………………………… ...9
Chapter 2: Literature Review………………………………………………………………. ...26
Chapter 3: Methodology……………………………………………………………………....54
Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion………………………………………………………... ...65
Chapter 5: Conclusions……………………………………………………………………......94
References………………………………………………………………………………….. ...105
Appendices
Appendix A: Interview Questions…………………………………………………...112
Appendix B: Mulberry High Teaching and Learning Culture: A Guiding………. ...114
Principles Document
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Trail Blazer High Student Demographics…………………………………………. ...68
Table 2. Canyon Middle Student Demographics…………………………………………… ...69
Table 3. Mulberry High Student Demographics……………………………………………. ...70
Table 4. Renaissance High Student Demographics………………………………………… ...71
Table 5. East Intermediate Student Demographics…………………………………………. ...72
Table 6. Green Meadow High Student Demographics………………………………………...73
Table 7. Correlations of 21st Century Skills and The Six A’s of Designing Projects……… ...78
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework (2011)…………………………......32
Figure 2. A process for building 21st century skills into a school………………………….. ...44
Figure 3. 21st century skill behavioral indicators by skill………………………………….. ...75
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ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine the process used to implement 21
st
century skills in
secondary schools by secondary school administrators. The rationale of the study was to
document how secondary schools implemented 21
st
century skills according to Tony Wagner’s
framework, the Seven Survival Skills, and the multilingualism component of the Partnership for
21
st
Century Learning’s framework, in order to prepare students in the United States to compete
in a global society. This study used a qualitative research approach to analyze: 1) how school
administrators ranked the implementation of 21
st
century skills through a behavioral indicator
performance task, 2) the system established by the secondary school administrators in
implementing 21
st
century skills, 3) the evaluation process secondary administrators used to
evaluate the implementation of 21
st
century skills, 4) the types of professional development
provided to teachers in order for them to successfully implement 21
st
century skills inside the
classroom, and 5) to provide a framework for schools aspiring to implement 21
st
century skills.
The researcher interviewed six secondary school administrators and evaluated internal
documents distributed to the school staff, students, and parent community. For the purpose of
this study the researcher identified six secondary schools with an API of 700 or greater, as
measured by California’s standardized assessment, that had begun to implement 21
st
century
skills learning. The data was analyzed by comparing the interview responses with the internal
documents collected from the school sites in order to determine the degree of validity and
discrepancies in the research. The data was examined within the school sites and across school
sites to consider similarities and differences in implementation patterns. The study findings
denoted that technology and project-based learning are the most frequently used methods for
implementing 21
st
century skills in secondary schools.
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CHAPTER 1
OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
Education has a fundamental role in maintaining the fabric of our society. We cannot ignore the
significant costs borne by our Nation when select groups are denied the means to absorb the
value and skills upon which our social order rests.
— U. S. Supreme Court, Plyler v. Doe, 1982

Introduction
As a country of heterogeneous citizens educational policy and reform in the United States
has long sought inclusion and equality for all students. In an effort to ensure an equitable
education for all, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (ESEA) into legislation in 1965 (Kantor & Lowe, 2006). At this time the goal was to
provide federal funds to schools during the War on Poverty, in an effort to close the achievement
gap. Since its inception ESEA is reauthorized every five years. Its last reauthorization, The No
Child Left Behind Act of 2001, proposed that all students achieve grade level proficiency by the
year 2014. The most common accountability measure used to assess the proficiency rate of
students is the state standardized assessment. As districts and schools quest to achieve this feat
for all students, teaching to the test has become a common practice (Darling-Hammond, 2007;
Darling-Hammond & Adamson, 2010). As teachers teach to the tests emphasizing the
memorization of rote skills, American student achievement levels have fallen behind their
international peers on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a national
assessment that has looked at countries comparably in Reading, Mathematics, and Science, since
2003 (Friedman, 2007; Salpeter, 2008; U.S. Department of Education, 2010; Wagner, 2008).
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In an effort to stave off the further decline in the academic performance of United States
students, the Governor’s Alliance sponsored the Common Core Standards. The Common Core
Standards are designed to provide consistency in what is taught across the United States to
students, beginning with kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The primary goal of the
standards is to ensure that American students are college and career ready; a factor that has been
absent from high school graduates based on data collected from institutions of higher learning
and business leaders (Wagner, 2008, 2012; Common Core State Standards, 2012). Common
Core Standards embed some of the 21
st
century skills: critical thinking and problem solving,
communication; access and analyzing information across networks (Partnership for 21
st
Century
Skills [P21stCS], 2011).
The lack of skills found in American students is echoed on the most recent Organization
for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OCED) report of PISA results. The United
States ranked 17
th
overall on PISA out of 65 nations and 17
th
in science, 25
th
in math, and 14
th
in
reading when compared to other countries respectively, education in the United States is in need
of reform to regain our position as a global leader (OCED, 2010; U.S. Department of Education,
2010). As educational leaders, government officials, and policy makers create the necessary
educational paradigm shifts, researchers indicate that the curriculum must focus on creativity and
innovation, skills that business leaders state are crucial for global competiveness in the
knowledge economy (Friedman, 2007; P21stCS, 2011; Wagner, 2008, 2012). The Partnership
for 21
st
Century Skills (2011) and Tony Wagner (2008, 2012) argue that American students need
a curriculum that encompasses critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, effective oral
and written communication, creativity, the ability to navigate technological media, flexibility and
adaptability, and entrepreneurial skills in a manner that will begin in kindergarten and continue
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through the completion of high school. Thomas Friedman (2007) purports that students need a
liberal arts education due to the cognitive cross-curricular connections that it allows students to
make. These types of connections are essential for the creative and innovative thinkers who will
lead in the flat world. Students need to learn how to learn, navigate the virtual world, and
embody curiosity and passion as the United States repositions itself as a world leader in the
global marketplace (Friedman, 2007; Wagner, 2012).
America’s historic ability to rebuild when it is necessary to make a transition, is an
advantage during the era of globalization (Friedman, 2007). In order to accomplish this feat on
an international level, the United States must conscientiously educate all of its students equally
and equitably. Educational excellence requires an impartial, just education system whereby all
students are perceived to be capable of learning at high levels and are provided opportunities to
be academically successful (Bennett, 2001). Implementation of this type of national reform will
go beyond the ideals of No Child Left Behind to include the core competencies of 21
st
century
skills learning. Writers of the Common Core Standards infused communication skills, critical
thinking and problem solving, and accessing and analyzing information from the 21
st
century
learning skills into the English Language Arts and Mathematic Standards (P21stCS, 2011). As
the foundation of the current education reconstruction in the United States, the impact Common
Core Standards will have on college and career readiness, and creativity and innovation is a
necessary consideration (Common Core Standards, 2012; P21stCS, 2011; Wagner, 2008). In the
majority of the states and territories, Common Core Standards have become the core instrument
which education practices are structured.
As Common Core Standards align K – 12 teaching and learning, administrators must pay
attention to the rigor and relevance of lesson design and delivery. In order for rigorous learning
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to take place using higher order skills, school districts must improve teachers through
professional development and accountability. Parents and students must make the mind shift and
understand that performing well in school does not guarantee that a career with job security will
be available. According to the economist Tyler Cowen (2013) self-motivation in students will
become the best predictor of upward mobility. Students must be willing and able to think
beyond rote memorization; possessing the ability and desire to learn, unlearn, and relearn
information. Students must be able to apply thinking and learning across unrelated areas,
utilizing their problem solving and critical thinking skills (Darling-Hammond, 2007; Wagner,
2012, 2008). Students must be given 21
st
century competencies that simulate authentic work
environments. They need to learn academic content through real-world examples, that engage
them to transfer learning from one setting to another in lieu of being told what to do next or
being unable to predict the next step or expected outcome (Mouza, 2008; Wagner, 2008).
Project-based learning (PBL) is one method used to link classroom learning with real
world problems or issues. The project in PBL is initiated with a meaningful question that
students will explore activating critical thinking and curiosity. Students work collaboratively
with peers to inquire into the problem or issue, develop an answer or solution, create a product
based on their findings, and present their work to the remainder of their peers (Buck Institute for
Education [BIE], 2009). This type of learning makes the task relevant and increases motivation
as students are required to be creative, improve an existing product, process or service as well as
invent a new one through their exploration of an authentic problem or issue (BIE, 2009; Wagner,
2012).
The researcher focused on secondary schools since similar schools in urban areas often
have the greatest need for quality teachers, accountability, and educational resources. Secondary
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administrators must ensure the simultaneous teaching of basic skills along with 21
st
century skills
as standardized assessments that evaluate Common Core Standards will no longer focus on
remembering pieces of information, but rather what can be done with, or the usefulness of, the
information across and within content areas (Common Core Standards Initiative [CCSI], 2012;
Darling-Hammond & Adamson, 2010; Silva, 2009). Students who do not learn the appropriate
skills will be crippled for life. This is partially a result of computers being able to perform tasks
that companies once relied on people to complete. As workers’ skills complement the computer,
a continued position in the labor market is a positive prospect. Once the computer is able to
perform at a higher proficiency rate than a human, the student, who is now the worker, is no
longer beneficial to the company (Cowen, 2013). The students’ inability to access technology
and higher order skills will be detrimental. They will be ill equipped to be active and informed
citizens or to be adults who will continue to be stimulated by new information and ideas. They
in essence will be disempowered and disenfranchised in a global marketplace where computers
will have taken the once coveted manual labor jobs (Cowen, 2013; Wagner, 2008). Without
manual labor jobs, there will no longer be a steady, secure life as a middle class worker. The
average lifestyle will not exists as the knowledge and economic divide increases (Cowen, 2013).
The Seven Survival Skills are the ‘new basic skills’ for learning, work, and citizenship in the 21
st

century and beyond (Wagner, 2008).
Due to the unprecedented transition with the United States economy and the need for
high skilled, information-based industries, not providing students with the opportunities to
develop 21
st
century skills and proficiencies will create a greater divide between the innovative
jobs being created and the skills of the workforce (North Central Regional Educational
Laboratory [NCREL] & Metiri Group, 2003). This system of public education in the United
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States that schools continue to operate within, its curricula, teaching methods, and standardized
assessment system was created in a different century for the needs of another era (Wagner,
2008). Students need to have education and career goals that will prepare them to experience
fulfilling lives and thrive in a particular competitive and global marketplace (Utah Department of
Education, 2010).
Background of the Problem
Secondary schools in the United States have been consistently underserviced leaving
students void of college and career readiness skills. This is more prevalent in urban areas where
families may not have direct access to high performing schools or health care. Research links
quality health care in young children to strong educational opportunities and developing other
skills essential for a productive life. Health care has a direct impact on dropout rates, attendance,
and academic performance (Wagner, 2008; Children Now, 2014). As a direct result of the lack
of preparation of American students, the United States is outsourcing jobs to more qualified
employees, in other countries, who have a higher work ethic than American employees and who
will work for cheaper wages. American business leaders attribute the outsourcing to the lack of
innovation and creativity in U.S. schools (Cowen, 2013; Wagner, 2008, 2012). The rationale is
that students are not leaving schools or universities ready for the work force. Researcher Linda
Darling-Hammond (2000, 2007) identifies the root causes of problems in urban schools as the
lack of quality teachers, access to the curriculum, teacher professional development, and unequal
access to educational resources for students. International assessments reveal that schools in the
United States are the most unequal in the industrialized world in terms of per pupil spending,
curriculum offerings, teaching quality, and outcomes (Darling-Hammond, 2006; Mouza, 2008).
In addition to these causes, Chrystalla Mouza (2008) attributes poor outcomes for urban students
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from low-income minority households as limited access to technology and the lack of internet
connectivity. The concentration of these reasons magnifies the need for education reform and
the thorough implementation of core competencies in American schools.
Statement of the Problem
Public education in the United States has become obsolete amidst the transition from the
20
th
century to the 21
st
century (Darling-Hammond, 2007). American public schools are not
adequately preparing students for the college or career readiness expected by 70% of the labor
market (Darling-Hammond, 2007 & Wagner, 2008). According to the 2009 Programme for
International Student Assessment (PISA) results, the United States currently ranks 14
th
in
literacy, 17
th
in science, and 25
th
in math; indicating no significant change from the 2006 PISA
results (Walker, 2010). In order to compete in the global knowledge economy, American
secondary schools must reform the structure of the lesson delivery, curricula materials, and
standardized assessment to meet the framework outlined by Tony Wagner (2008). Secondary
school administrators must oversee the implementation of this framework at the school sites with
an accountability measure.
This study aims to examine the successful implementation of 21
st
century skills as
outlined in the Seven Survival Skills of the Wagner (2008) framework and the multilingualism
component of the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills (2009) framework. Moreover, this study
seeks to examine this implementation of 21
st
century skills through the lens of secondary school
administrators that meet the definition of a 21
st
century learning environment. An environment
that is infused with various technological media, focused on student engagement, and
encompasses all the academic components of 21
st
century skills and learning that is customized
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for student creativity and innovation as learning is connected to real life application (Hargreaves,
2010; Wagner, 2012).
Research Questions
The study was guided by the following research questions:
1. What processes do secondary administrators use to implement 21
st
century skill
learning in their school?
2. What process is used to evaluate the implementation of 21
st
century skill learning by
secondary administrators?
3. How do secondary administrators implement professional development to improve
teacher effectiveness in delivering 21
st
century skills?
Purpose of the Study
This study of implementing 21
st
century skills in secondary schools aimed to find middle
and high schools that are successfully implementing 21
st
century skills while demonstrating
growth or maintenance on state standardized assessments, as measured by API, that will enable
students to be college and career ready after the completion of high school. Based on the
research compiled from business leaders and institutions of higher learning, skills that promote
critical thinking and problem solving, effective oral and written communication, collaboration
across networks and leading by influence, agility, and adaptability, initiative and
entrepreneurialism, accessing and analyzing information, curiosity and imagination, and
multilingualism, are necessary in order for American students to have the skills that will render
them competitive on a global level (P21stCS, 2011; Wagner, 2008). This study further aims to
learn the processes that these school administrators utilize in order for additional schools to have
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a framework for 21
st
century skills implementation while meeting the basic skill requirements
measured by the state standardized assessment.
Importance of the Study
The future of the United States will increasingly be determined by its capacity and its will
to educate all children well (Darling-Hammond, 2007). Currently, students in the United States
rank poorly in academic performance when compared to other OECD countries. The United
States’ performance level is significant on the PISA developed by OECD since the organization
developed the assessment as a means for countries to compare educational systems, work toward
global education equity and equality, and meet the established developmental objectives (OECD,
2013). The United States that led other countries in K – 16 instruction and learning throughout
the 20
th
century, has failed to maintain its position and is faltering in the transition to global
knowledge. The education system in America continues to rely on the routine skills used in
factory jobs that once fueled an industrial economy. This class of jobs has declined sharply in
demand as jobs are computerized, outsourced, or made extinct by changing the nature of the
work (Cowen, 2013; Darling-Hammond & Adamson, 2010). Other countries, such as India,
have gained a competitive edge as technology has made it possible for the United States to
benefit from flexible work arrangements with other countries at a more cost effective rate
(Cowen, 2013; Kay, 2010). The implications for American schools and its citizens, if the current
state of education continues, is that students will never reach their economic potential and the
United States will further decline as a global resource.
Performing well in school and earning a diploma is no longer adequate preparation for
the global economy. A guaranteed job and security are no longer certain after high school or
college; students must be able to think beyond rote memorization and have the ability to learn,
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unlearn, and relearn information. Students must be able to apply thinking and learning across
unrelated areas utilizing their problem solving and critical thinking skills (Darling-Hammond,
2007; Wagner, 2012, 2008). As students are expected to complete these tasks immediately in
order for the United States to remain globally competitive, urban public schools must do a better
job at educating students beyond the basic facts and teach 21
st
century skills simultaneously.
Limitations
This dissertation examined six secondary schools in California. Although a limited
number of schools are being studied in a confined region of the country, examining the
implementation process may serve as a roadmap for other schools that have not begun the
process. Another limitation of the study is the length of the study, as the data collection process
took place within three months. There is no standardized national instrument used to collect data
on 21
st
century skills. The testing system is reliant on PISA, which is administered every three
years. A transition from the California Standardized Assessment to the California Assessment of
Student Performance and Progress (CASPP) type of standardized test, is a limitation as CASPP
is in the scientific field test stage. This assessment is designed to evaluate and measure Common
Core State Standards; it is unknown how effective it will be in evaluating how well 21
st
century
skills are being taught and demonstrated as an effective learning tool.
Delimitations
There are multiple definitions of 21
st
century skills. For the purpose of this dissertation,
Wagner’s framework of the Seven Survival Skills will be used and the multilingualism
component of the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills framework. As the researcher examined the
implementation of 21
st
century skills in secondary schools, a rubric must be designed to ensure
that the evaluation of 21
st
century skills is consistent across the schools observed. Secondary
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schools implementing 21
st
century skills may be difficult to find given that a variety of
definitions for 21
st
century skills exists and schools may choose to apply a few skills outlined in
the Seven Survival Skills framework instead of all of the skills. At the time of this study it was
unclear how the national transition from California State standards to Common Core State
Standards will impact 21
st
century skills learning and assessment performance as measured by
CASPP.
Definition of Terms
21
st
Century Skills: Tools or skills required to be successful in the current mode of the
economy (Fadel & Trilling, 2009).
Accessing and analyzing information: The ability to access and process information
effectively for appropriate use through analysis or synthesis (Wagner, 2008).
Achievement gap: Disparity in academic performance between groups of students. It
shows up in grades, standardized test scores, course selections, dropout rates, and college
completion rates (Rios Mobley & Holcomb, 2008).
Adequate Yearly Progress: A measurement defined by the United States federal No
Child Left Behind Act that allows the U.S. Department of Education to determine how every
public school and school district in the country is performing academically according to results
on standardized tests (No Child Left Behind Act, 2002).
Agility and adaptability: The ability to think, be flexible, adaptive, manage disruption,
work through ambiguity, use a variety of tools to solve new problems, work in an ambiguous
setting, learn while performing a new task in a team based, non-hierarchical environment
(Wagner, 2008).
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Annual Performance Index: Public School’s Accountability Act of 1999 that measures
the academic performance and growth of schools on a variety of academic measures at the state
level (California Department of Education [CDE], 2011).
California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CASPP): The online
assessment through the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (CDE, 2014).
Collaboration across networks and leading by influence: The skillfulness to operate as
an individual and collaborate with others across cultural boundaries and time zones with global
awareness and appreciation, with less emphasis on hierarchical and more emphasis on reciprocal
and relational practices, creating an alliance of groups who work together toward a common goal
(Wagner, 2008).
Common Core State Standards Initiative: Common national standards developed by the
National Governor’s Alliance and the Council of Chief State School Officers that provide a
consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn in grades kindergarten
through twelfth (Common Core State Standards, 2012).
Creativity: The act of bringing something into existence that is genuinely new, original,
and of value either personally or culturally (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory &
Metiri Group, 2003).
Critical thinking and problem solving: The ability to ask good questions from the
perspective of a learner in order to understand the evolution of a problem or situation in an effort
to find the best plausible solution (Wagner, 2008).
Curiosity and imagination: Use of inquisitiveness to understand a problem or system at
the root and offer an innovative solution (Wagner, 2008).
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Echo: New Tech Network’s learning management system (LMS) designed to support
project-based learning, facilitate communication and collaboration, and improve teaching
practice. Echo provides the education community access to course resources, project plans,
assignments, and a multi-dimensional gradebook, online groups, and an extensive library of
instructional resources for teachers (Retrieved from www.newtechnetwork.org/services/learning-
management-systems, December 2013).
Effective oral and written communication: The ability to communicate in an authentic
voice in a clear and concise manner using focus, energy, and passion around the points that
promote verbal, written, and presentation skills (Wagner, 2008).
Elementary and Secondary Education Act: Legislation developed by President Lydon B.
Johnson in 1965 to attempt to narrow the achievement gap between minority students and middle
class white and non-economically disadvantaged Asian students, by ensuring the students receive
equitable services through equitable Title I funding (Kantor & Lowe, 2006).
Flat world [platform]: The digital ability to collaborate and compete globally (Friedman,
2007).
Formative Assessment: A process that occurs during instruction using activities that
focus on making a student’s thought process visible in order for the instructional strategies to
better meet students’ needs (Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills, 2007).
Globalization: Coined in 1985 by economist Theodore Levitt to describe changes in
global economics affecting production, consumption, and investment (Spring, 2011).
Global achievement gap: The gap between the type of education the best educated
children receive and what all students need to be successful as learners, workers, and citizens in
today’s global knowledge economy (Wagner, 2008).
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Global knowledge economy: The ability to go beyond the duties of a job to adapt in a
way that creates a position that fits ones authenticity in the workspace (Wagner, 2008).
Global market: On a worldwide scale reconciling or taking commercial advantage of
global operational differences, similarities and opportunities in order to meet global objectives
(Spring, 2011).
Google Documents (Docs): An online site to create documents, spreadsheets, and
presentations for personal use or to share and collaborate with others in real time. All changes
are saved automatically in Drive (Retrieved from www.google.com/drive/apps.html, 2013).
Initiative and entrepreneurialism: The exhibition of an achievement orientation and
drive for results by an individual to seek out new opportunities, ideas, and strategies for
improvement (Wagner, 2008).
Napa Learns: A partnership with Napa County Schools and the County Office of
Education, Napa Learns encourages the success of every student by providing resources,
funding, and support to help district staff adapt new teaching methods focused on the demands of
the future. Program areas that are addressed through Napa Learns are project-based learning,
digital early learning, access to technology, professional development, and partners for projects
(Retrieved from http://napalearns.org, 2013).
New Tech Network: A nonprofit organization that transforms school into innovative
learning environments. It has a project-based learning approach that engages students with
dynamic, rigorous curriculum through professional development and hands-on coaching
(Knowledge Works, 2013).
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No Child Left Behind Act of 2001: The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary
Act (ESEA) that stated all American students will be proficient in basic skills, as measured by
standardized assessments, by the year 2014 (NCLB, 2002).
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): An organization
that provides a forum in which governments can work together to share experiences and seek
solutions to common problems (Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/about/, 2014).
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC): A
consortium of states and territories working together to develop a common set of K – 12
assessments (Retrieved from http://www. parcconline.org. about-parcc, 2014).
Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA): An international survey that
measures the knowledge and skills of 15 year olds in participating countries every three years,
allowing countries to track progress in meeting key learning goals (Retrieved from
http://www.oecd.org/pisa/faqoecdpisa.htm, 2013).
Seven Survival Skills: Essential habits of mind: critical thinking and problem solving,
collaboration across networks and leading by influence, agility and adaptability, initiative and
entrepreneurialism, effective oral and written communication, accessing and analyzing
information, and curiosity and imagination, needed for college, careers, and citizenship for life in
the 21
st
century (Wagner, 2008).
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium: A state-led consortium working
collaboratively to develop next-generation assessments aligned to Common Core State Standards
that accurately measure student progress toward college and career readiness (Retrieved from
http://www.smarterbalanced.org, 2014).
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Summative Assessment: An accountability method that determines whether the learning
that was intended actually has occurred. This is a measure that will produce data that is useful,
valid, reliable, and used to inform curricular or policy decisions (Partnership for 21
st
Century
Skills, 2007).
Organization of the Study
This study is organized to look at scholarly work in the area of 21
st
century skills in
secondary schools in the areas of: implementation, evaluation of implementation, and
professional development for student global competence. The researcher focused on secondary
schools that continue to master basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics while
simultaneously implementing 21
st
century skills. The dual focus is necessary as secondary
schools have continued to meet the federal demands of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the
state Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) target while implementing 21
st
century skills with rigor
and relevance to being college and career ready after high school graduation.
The study further aims to analyze the successful implementation of 21
st
century skills by
secondary schools through the examination of an implementation plan, the evaluation of
implementation, and a professional development plan.
This study is organized into five chapters: 1) Chapter 1 presented an overview of the
study through the introduction, background of the problem, statement of the problem, research
questions, purpose of the study, importance of the study, limitations, delimitations, definition of
terms, and organization of the study. 2) Chapter 2 presents a review of the literature with an
introduction, presentation of major 21
st
century skills frameworks, a presentation of international
education systems, the United States education system and the need for reform, leadership and
implementation practices, evaluation of effective 21
st
century skills implementation, professional
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development, assessment, gaps in the literature, and a summary. 3) Chapter 3 is the methodology
utilized for this study, that includes the purpose of the study, design of the study, sample
population and criteria for selection, qualitative instruments and data analysis. 4) Chapter 4
reports the findings of the study and a discussion of the findings via analyzing the study
participants and demographics, responses to the three research questions, and a summary and
discussion of the findings. 5) Chapter 5 presents a conclusion of the study, an implementation
plan, recommendations for future research, implications and limitations of the study.
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CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
Today, more than ever, a world-class education is a prerequisite for success. America was once
the best-educated nation in the world. A generation ago, we led all nations in college
completion, but today, 10 countries have passed us. It is not that their students are smarter than
ours. It is that these countries are being smarter about how to educate their students. And the
countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow.
— President Barack Obama (2010)

Introduction
Twenty-first century skills originated in the late 1970s as economists sought to describe a
post-industrial world that would require an educated workforce capable of working in services,
ideas, and communication (Spring, 2009; Hargreaves, 2010). The education system in the
United States progressed as long as it maintained pace with technology. When education ceased
to keep this pace, income inequality began to widen and job opportunities for high school
dropouts began to decline (Friedman, 2011). Today 85% of the jobs require education beyond
high school, compared to 61% in 1991 (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory & Metiri
Group, 2003; Crew, 2007). Education is no longer a choice; it is a necessity (Friedman, 2011).
With the on-going scrutiny of public education and the constant call for educational
reform the United States must take national action to reform its education system. A national
curriculum is not a possibility under ESEA so the country must look to standards and
assessments for the foundation (Kantor & Lowe, 2006). In this era the foundation must also
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include 21
st
century skills. These skills are critical for students across the country to remain
globally competitive for jobs and maintain the U.S. economic system.
The first step toward national restructuring is the adoption of Common Core standards by
46 of the 50 states. These standards, sponsored by The National Governors Association,
encompass a kindergarten through twelfth grade alignment on what students across the nation
must learn in mathematics and English Language Arts. The standards become more rigorous as
students matriculate through school (Common Standards, 2012).
The second step is an effect in standardized assessments for states that have adopted
Common Core Standards. It is the transition from scantron multiple-choice assessments to
computerized-performance based assessments. The significance of this shift is that it will allow
American students to demonstrate a depth of knowledge on performance-based tasks rather than
the regurgitation of facts via multiple-choice questions (Darling-Hammond & Adamson, 2010).
Standard and assessment reform practices embed components of 21
st
century skills
learning in the applications, as students are required to think critically and problem solve in order
to perform the various tasks within the standards and on the assessments. Additional 21
st
century
skills, information and communication technologies, are raising the bar on the competencies
needed to succeed in the 21
st
century and to engage our citizens in economic and civic life
(NCREL & Metiri Group, 2003).
The United States is facing two achievement gaps, one national and one international.
The national achievement gap persists between the academic achievement of non-Asian minority
students and White students. The international global achievement gap exists between well-
developed nations and how well the nation has invested in its education policy (OECD, 2009;
Darling-Hammond, 2007). As the United States seeks to improve its economy, it has to make
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educational improvement a priority. Education reform in other countries has included 21
st

century skills. United States policy makers and educators alike must define 21
st
century skills,
highlighting the relationship of those skills to conventional academic standards and the role 21
st

century skills learning will have in the reform process.
The purpose of this chapter is to review the literature on 21
st
century skills learning as it
relates to the implementation of 21
st
century skills in secondary schools. The researcher will
look at: a) the rise of globalization and the economy’s effect on 21
st
century skills learning, b) the
different frameworks that address 21
st
century skills, c) international education systems, d)
education reform efforts in the United States, and e) the leadership and implementation of 21
st

century skills in the United States.
The main objective of this chapter is to establish the premise for further research on 21
st

century skills learning in secondary schools. To this affect the literature will inform practices on
administrator leadership at the secondary site level and the implementation of 21
st
century skills,
the 21
st
century school environment and student, as well as professional development practices.
As part of the implementation process the researcher will also review assessment practices in the
United States and internationally.
The Economy and Education Create Globalization
The globalization of education is the joining of nations regarding education policy and
the superstructure of the global education process, and integration of the movement of goods,
capital, labor, and ideas (Spring, 2009; Bloom, 2004). Discussions born from globalization
impact the processes and institutions at a local educational level as individual countries and
states examine policies and procedures within. Globalization affects human capital, economic
development, and multiculturalism (Spring, 2009). Americans need a secure understanding of
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global issues that affect them as citizens, students, and workers. With the advances in
technology, the most educated American citizen is capable of being outperformed by a person
living in the remote areas of undeveloped countries that possess passion and creativity.
Globalization does not recognize the person who is able to show off their talent, it compensates
individuals who crave knowledge (Cowen, 2013).
In a report on achieving the necessary skills for the 21
st
century, the U.S. Department of
Labor declared that we live in a new economy; powered by technology, fueled by information,
and driven by knowledge. With the acceleration of globalization, knowledge, work, and societal
changes, what students learn as well as how and when they learn it is changing (NCREL &
Metiri Group, 2003). Students must be able to be a part of a larger society outside of the nation,
a global society, in which American students interact with other cultures including economic and
political organizations as well as civil societies (Crew, 2007; Spring, 2009). The degree of
importance for individuals to possess a collaborative capacity in the global society is growing
now that teams of people increasingly accomplish work in knowledge-based economies. As
American students become 21
st
century workers, there is an increased need to accomplish tasks
through mediated interactions with peers halfway across the world that they may never meet in
person (Dede, 2010; Wagner, 2008). Students will need contact with a specific skill set when
going out into the world in order to compete globally (Crew, 2007). This transition to 21
st

century skills learning has been challenging since the nature of schooling is to maintain the status
quo, making changes only for the societal elite (NCREL & Metiri Group, 2003). The new skill
set that is essential to students’ global survival in the 21
st
century and in the future will not come
forth by continuing the practices that have always existed.
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Proficiency in the 21
st
century differs primarily due to the emergence of incredibly
sophisticated information and communication technologies. The Knowledge Age is quickly
giving way to the Innovation Age where the ability to solve problems in new ways, to invent new
technologies or create the next great application of existing technology, or to discover new
branches or invent entirely new industries will be highly sought after (Trilling & Fadel, 2009).
Growing portions of the nation’s labor force are engaged in jobs that emphasize expert thinking
or complex communication (Dede, 2010). In a current report indicating the most modern
technology jobs, employers are seeking employees that can look at information with a unique
perspective to develop applications, monitor the workings of local and wide area network
systems for the internet and intranet, and provide [cyber] security support (www.mashable.com,
2014).
Major Frameworks
Researchers acknowledge that the skills referred to as 21
st
century skills are not new. To
fully realize the educational opportunities that 21
st
century skills can bring to students, education
leaders must formally incorporate them into the mainstream of school curriculum, instruction,
and assessment (NCREL & Metiri Group, 2003).
All of the major frameworks for 21
st
century skills are very similar to one another. The
primary differences rest in what each author believes should be highlighted, based more on belief
of importance (Dede, 2010). Twenty-first century skills provide students with the ability to
easily adapt to situations while learning and relearning the necessary information.
Seven Survival Skills
Tony Wagner (2008) published the Seven Survival Skills after interviewing cooperate
executives and business owners. These conversations yielded what business people believed
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were the most important skills to have as students transitioned from high school or college to
work. The skills are: critical thinking and problem solving; collaboration across networks and
leading by influence; agility and adaptability; initiative and entrepreneurialism; effective oral and
written communication; accessing and analyzing information; and curiosity and imagination
(Wagner, 2008). The skills represent an interdependent systems approach to the improvement of
instruction (Wagner, 2003). Students who embody these skills are more apt to be successful in
college, careers, and as citizens in the 21
st
century because they will have the foundation to think
creatively and be innovative (Wagner, 2012). The Seven Survival Skills foster advancement in
the knowledge economy, as individuals are not waiting to be told what to do by employers.
Individuals understand the working environment and make advances in the environment to make
production better based on who they are as an individual and the unique skills they possess
(Wagner, 2008).
Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills
One of the most prevalent frameworks was published by Partnership for 21
st
Century
Skills. The framework was created based on the outcomes the organization believed all students
should possess in order to be successful in the 21
st
century. The framework outlines four specific
areas for development: core subjects, 21
st
century themes, learning and innovation skills,
information, media, and technology skills, life and career skills, and 21
st
century education
support systems for success (see Figure 1). All of these components encompass a vision for the
21
st
century education system. Together these competencies create the foundation for students to
learn and adjust to new learning that must occur to maintain pace with an ever-changing
education system and global society (Kay, 2010; Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills, 2011).
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Figure 1. Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills Framework (2011)

Multilingualism is a critical component of the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills
framework (2011). It is a global competency that provides students with an additional tool to be
successful in the global society and economy by promoting relationships between the user and
the target countries (Olan & Risner, Retrieved 2014; Sweitzer, 2001). Between half and two-
thirds of the world’s population is at least bilingual making knowing more than one language the
standard (Zelasko & Antunez, Retrieved 2014). Multilingualism has also been attributed to
enhancing academic levels in students by improving their cognitive ability (Sweitzer, 2001).
Students who are literate in more than one language are reported to have better scores in verbal
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intelligence, conceptualization, global thinking and original approaches to problem solving
(Marcos, 1998) all of which are 21
st
century skills.
There are additional frameworks created by North Central Regional Educational
Laboratory (NCREL) / Metiri Group and OECD, the author of PISA. The NCRL framework
focuses on literacy in the digital age (NCREL, 2003). The enGauge 21
st
Century Skills
methodology grew from reports from literature reviews and reports from business and industry.
The framework is broken into four components: Digital-age literacy, inventive thinking,
effective communication, and high productivity. These skills were viewed as critical as the
United States shifts learning for students from plateaus of knowing to continuous cycles of
learning (NCREL, 2003). The OECD framework focuses on using language, symbols, texts, and
managing and resolving conflicts. A separate part of this framework is life plans as well as
defending and asserting rights, interest, limits, and needs which are major components of
OECD’s philosophy for a better world (Dede, 2009).
The Wagner (2008) and the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills (2011) frameworks are the
most comprehensive for this study. Both of these studies advocate the development of critical
thinking and problem solving skills, communication and collaboration, creativity and innovation,
technology, adaptability, and entrepreneurialism (Wagner, 2008; Partnership for 21
st
Century
Skills, 2011). The Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills framework delves deeper to encompass
skills that will develop students as civic citizens and produce financial literacy (Kay, 2010). All
21
st
century skills frameworks can benefit from more effective assessment and additional tools
for measuring the effectiveness of the skills in producing citizens that narrow the global
achievement gap and keeping jobs in the United States.
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International Educational Systems
The international countries that are a part of this study have a Minister of Education that
leads the education system. The goal of the ministry is to identify core values of the system, the
essential beliefs about teaching and learning, and continually refine the education practices.
From this standpoint changes are always made to make the institution better (Darling-Hammond,
2007, 2010). Nations that score highest on PISA are focused on creating curriculum and
assessment systems that are focused on 21
st
century skill learning. The assessments are
developed based on a strong curriculum and are in an open-ended formant that requires students
to demonstrate what they can do with the information they have learned. Countries such as
Singapore, Finland, and China achieve this feat by teaching fewer topics with more depth that
focuses on reasoning skills and applications of knowledge. Learning is organized in a sequence
of expectations based on developmental learning progressions within and across domains
(Darling-Hammond, 2010; Sahlberg, 2011). In these high-performing nations a significant
investment is made in public education. The number of private schools is virtually nonexistent
(Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012).
Singapore Transformation
Singapore was able to transform its educational system through a four-vision process: a
vision for the nation, a vision for education, a vision for implementation, and a vision for
collaboration (Fogarty & Pete, 2010). The vision for the nation is embedded in the country’s
education philosophy for prestige and excellence that will build a core set of life skills, attitudes,
and dispositions in students that will create a mindset of innovation and enterprise (Fogarty &
Pete, 2010). Singapore’s vision for education provides a strong and steady anchor for
transformational bridging from the 20
th
century to the 21
st
century. Singapore uses the
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framework of the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills (2007) juxtaposed with core subjects from
the various and traditional disciplines in which the Ministry of Education’s philosophy is Teach
Less, Learn More. The ideology behind Teach Less, Learn More is that teachers will reflect on
why they teach, what they teach, and carefully consider how they teach. The vision for
implementation combines an adherence to central design principles with the expected
accommodations to the needs, resources, constraints, and particularities that occur in schools and
districts (Fogarty & Pete, 2010).
The final vision of Singapore is professional learning communities, which completes the
countries model for change. Professional development provided to schools for professional
learning communities is a part of the national reform initiative. Resources are provided through
the Ministry of Education, Teach Less, Learn More (TLLM) network of schools, and through the
schools own professional development planning teams. The collaborative learning teams work
through the implementation process believing that social discourse will bring about the creativity
necessary to implement change. The desired change is an evolutionary process dedicated to
teachers learning and teaching together (Fogarty & Pete, 2010). As a team Singapore’s teachers
aim to incorporate “what” and “how” questions into the teaching by questioning what 21
st

century skills themes can be coupled with common disciplines, and how they can more
effectively deliver the information that embrace 21
st
century themes as curriculum is designed
(Fogarty & Pete, 2010). It is regarded as an honor in Singapore to work in a school that services
a challenging population of students. The reassignment to a lower performing school is seen as
recognition of a teachers professional quality and a test of their commitment and their skills
(Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012).
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Finnish Reform
Finland underwent a 30-year reform model of its educational system that involved the
intensive investment in teacher education and a transformation in the curriculum and assessment
system to ensure access to a thinking curriculum for all students. As part of the investment in
teaching, all teachers receive three years of high-quality graduate level preparation paid by the
state. Better training the teachers has created more autonomy. As an additional part of this
system teachers have become part of the process to design the curriculum focused on the national
standards. It is a common curriculum that continues through high school. The system of
accountability has shifted from a highly centralized one emphasizing external testing to a
localized system (Darling-Hammond, 2010; Sahlberg, 2011; Schoen & Fusarelli, 2008). Instead
of being tested each year, students are tested at the end of second and ninth grade. This testing is
a measure to inform the effectiveness of the curriculum and school investments. There is an
additional assessment at the end of high school, the matriculation exam that students must take
prior to attending the university. The exam contains four open-ended response items that
emphasize problem solving, analysis, and writing. The open-ended responses are embedded in
the curriculum, which allows students to do well on national and international assessments, such
as the PISA. Students have been trained to reflect upon and analyze their own performance on
the assessments. Students work with their teachers to determine their own learning targets and
tasks that they will work on at their own pace. The level of independent learning allows students
to develop metacognitive skills in ways that enhance overall learning. In Finland testing is a
reflective process. Inquiry is a major focus of learning as understanding, critical thinking,
problem solving, and learning how to learn are critical concepts in the curriculum (Darling-
Hammond, 2010; Sahlberg, 2011).
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The Finnish created education policies as a result of systematic development born from a
culture of diversity, trust, and respect of Finnish society and its educational system (Darling-
Hammond, 2010). Finland’s central principal in its schools is caring for students on an
educational and personal level. As part of the reform process the Ministry of Education desired
to provide all children with the best education possible in lieu of opening private schools. Class
size is generally in the 20s and uniformly equipped with teaching and learning resources
(Darling-Hammond, 2010).
The most recent Finnish reform improvement, that further strengthened teacher
education, which focused more on teaching diverse learners higher order thinking skills, took
place in the 1990s. The central idea was to prepare teachers for a research-based profession.
Teachers began to understand the standards deeply due to teacher involvement in creating
assessments derived from the teaching standards. Through this process, teachers learned how to
refine the curriculum so that they became increasingly more effective in teaching the standards
(Darling-Hammond, 2010).
United States Reform
The United States has attempted to reform its educational system in various forms since
the adoption of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). In its most recent effort,
former President George W. Bush implemented the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The
legislation increased accountability to individual schools and districts in its call for all students to
be proficient; a measure determined by each state (Kantor & Lowe, 2006; No Child Left Behind
Act, 2002).
A Race to The Top was introduced as part of President Obama’s education plan during
the final years of NCLB. A Race to The Top is a grant program that states and local school
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districts apply for from the federal government. A Race to The Top maintains accountability
based on test scores, increasing the number of charter schools, and punishment as motivation
similar to NCLB (www.ed.gov., 2012). The most significant difference is that to receive A Race
to The Top funds, agencies must include student achievement and performance pay for teachers
in their evaluation system (Dufour & Marzano, 2011; www.ed.gov., 2012 ).
Education reform in the United States must become a national priority in which the
nation regains its lead in the world with the number of students completing college by the year
2020 (Obama, 2010). The Governor’s Alliance sponsored Common Core Standards are the most
recent endeavors in the direction of nationalizing the American education system. Still every
state is not mandated to implement the standards that are designed to ensure American students
are college and career ready on a national and international platform (corestandards.org, 2012).
The inequality in the education system in the United States has an enormous influence in
preventing this objective (Darling Hammond, 2010). According to the 2009 PISA results,
America ranks 31
st
in mathematics, 17
th
in reading, and 23
rd
in science respectively out of 33
developed countries (Friedman, 2011; OECD, 2009). The lowest score was received in problem
solving, one of the learning skills emphasized in 21
st
century skills frameworks (Darling-
Hammond, 2010; P21stCS, 2011; Wagner, 2008).
The urgent need for the United States to reform our educational system, grew out of an
era where teaching was intuitively and individually done through improvisation, which led to
increased numbers of inconsistencies in teaching practices across the profession as well as within
the same school. This practice improved the quality of teaching for some; however, since there
was no leadership development or professional development to create widespread consistency of
practice, the impact did not reach enough students (Hargreaves, 2010). The current population
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of teachers garners a high percentage of educators that are not well educated in the content area
to do a good job, and they are not challenged by the education system to strengthen their practice
(Friedman, 2011). These challenges coupled with a large degree of autonomy enhance the
predicament of ineffective schools for many American children.
The primary means to return the United States to a position of leadership in the
international education community is with a comprehensive, systematic approach that reaches all
children (Darling-Hammond, 2010). Other areas that are suggested in the United States’ reform
and transition to 21
st
century skills learning are: national teacher salaries and certification,
universal pre-schools, upgraded facilities, and support for middle schools (Crew, 2007). These
components are necessary in order to address pre-school through high school challenges on a
national platform.
In United States high schools, there is a lack in focus in terms of what an effective high
school looks like and how it becomes a vibrant learning community. The result has become
students who are not engaged, because the intellectual and personal potential has not been
extracted from them to embrace curiosity and innovation. To this end students cannot become
the inventors, entrepreneurs, and stewards of the earth that the United States needs (Friedman,
2011). High schools must become institutions that prepare students to be lifelong learners in a
world where the nature of work will change constantly over the individuals’ life span (Barton &
Coley, 2011). High schools should transition students for the next step in education, or skill
building, in order for students to successfully enter colleges and vocational training programs
without taking remedial courses (Friedman, 2011). The vocational programs need to be of a high
quality in which students demonstrate through their skills that they have achieved proficiency
based on the established occupational curriculum (Friedman, 2011; Sahlberg, 2011).
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The Need for 21
st
Century Reform
In order for 21
st
century skills to successfully filter into the American school system the
school community must acknowledge that the skills are essential to the education of today’s
learners. The spread of affluence and economic inequality has reduced the quality of life for
people in the United States and put the United States at the bottom of the developed world on
international indicators of child well being (Hargreaves, 2010). It is this aftermath of a global
economic collapse that has created the necessity to develop skills for an innovative and creative
economy (Hargreaves, 2010). Adequately reforming education in the United States must be a
priority in the economic plan for the future of the country (Friedman, 2011). Twenty-first
century learning ought to form a major part of the foundation of school improvement (NRCEL &
Metiri Group, 2003; Wagner, 2008, 2012). Schools must embrace new designs for learning
based on emerging research about how people learn, and 21
st
century skills in the context of
rigorous academic content. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills should be learned
through a variety of inquiry and problem-solving activities. As schools prepare students to learn
these skills, the level of informational literacy and fluency must increase (Trilling & Fadel,
2009).
The supporting infrastructure of education must be modernized to establish the conditions
for 21
st
century teaching, learning, and outcomes (Kay, 2010). There needs to be a focus on
coherence and consistency, restoration of professional energy and teacher quality (Hargreaves,
2010). Tony Wagner proposes that the United States create a National Education Academy
similar to the military academy. It is at this level of reform that the country will be able to
recruit and train the best citizens to teach all children in every type of school (Friedman, 2011).
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America could begin to successfully reform its schools if all of the citizens agreed that
schools in general need the best teachers; the best principals; parents who are more involved in
and demanding of their children’s education; politicians who raise standards for all children, not
just their own; neighbors in school communities who will invest in local schools whether their
children attend the schools or not; business owners who will raise the educational standards in
their communities; and children who come to school prepared to learn, not text (Friedman,
2011).
The Governor’s Alliance sponsored standards, Common Core, are at the foundation of
the current shift in education restructuring in America. Not adopted in all 50 states, Common
Core Standards are intended to address the deficiencies in college and career readiness through
English Language Arts and Math. The standards narrow the breadth of content learned by
students and focuses on depth beginning in kindergarten. Each sequential year, student learning
in standard areas will increase in depth and rigor. Students are expected to complete
performance tasks that require them to work through multiple steps in a scenario and explain
their answers (www.corestandards.org, 2012; P21stCS, 2011). Critical thinking, problem
solving, communication, and creativity are 21
st
century skills that are natural embedded in
Common Core Standards (P21stCS, 2011).
States with Significant Reform Models
Several states in the United States have invested extensively in reform practices.
Fourteen states have committed to retooling the standards and assessments, curriculum and
instruction, professional development, and learning environments to support 21
st
century skills
outcomes (Kay, 2010). The most noteworthy United States reform has come from North
Carolina. In 1983 North Carolina passed legislation that addressed 10 key areas, some of them
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simultaneously. Teacher salaries were increased twice within a seven-year period. A teacher
career development program was created that rewarded teachers for receiving more education
and National Board Certification. North Carolina introduced the most wide-ranging set of
incentives for teachers to pursue National Board Certification in the nation. Schools of
education were required to become accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of
Teacher Education (NCATE). North Carolina increased licensing requirements for teachers and
principals. It launched a beginning teacher and mentoring program, and a teacher fellowship
program that allowed the recruitment of high school students into teacher preparation with the
benefit of subsidizing college education. It invested in the improvements of teacher education
curriculum and developed teacher development networks. Connecticut followed with similar
strategies known as the Educational Enhancement Act of 1986 (Darling-Hammond, 2000).
Shortcomings of Reform
Not enough states have invested in the type of reforms that have yielded results in teacher
preparation or student achievement (Darling-Hammond, 2000). Traditional education’s focus on
facts, memorization, basic skills, and test taking has not been good for the development of
creativity and innovation needed in the 21
st
century (Trilling & Fadel, 2009). Fraught with good
intentions No Child Left Behind and A Race to the Top have established a punishment system in
an attempt to motivate schools toward higher rates of student proficiency. In an honest attempt
to promote student achievement for all students in schools regardless of demographics, NCLB
has caused damaging effects (DuFour & Marzano, 2011).
Leadership and Implementation
An important aspect of 21
st
century skills implementation is teaming and collaboration
amongst teachers and administrators. According to NCREL and Metiri Group, there are four key
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elements to team collaboration: 1) shared goals, 2) team members with competencies that will
contribute to successful outcomes, 3) team members that operate within a formal structure, and
4) mutual respect, tolerance, and trust (NCREL & Metiri Group, 2003). NCREL and Metiri
Group (2003) recommend the following process for implementing 21
st
century skills into
individual schools: 1) stay focused, 2) take on something doable, 3) build bridges, 4) honor and
extend existing work, 5) make decisions at the system level. As administrators plan “doable”
tasks, an evaluation should be included of what schools are already doing and what can be done
with more efficiency. By extending these ideologies, administrators will convince others that the
21
st
century skills can add to students’ viability in this knowledge-based, global society.
Teachers should not be expected to make individual decisions to incorporate 21
st
century skills
into the classroom until the school or school district has made a formal commitment to do so. As
the school transitions to 21
st
century skills learning a systematic process will be increasingly
important as reflected in Figure 2 (NCREL & Metiri Group, 2003).
In order to effectively incorporate 21
st
century skills with fidelity, it is incumbent upon
principals to ensure there are teacher leaders on the staff. The role of the teacher leader is to lead
within and beyond the classroom motivating others to improve the practice of teaching
(Muhammad & Hollie, 2012). This practice will build a culture of empowerment and shared
decision-making.
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Figure 2. A process for building 21
st
century skills into a school (NCREL & Metiri Group, 2003)

School leaders must make sure that there is a productive environment for learning to be a
success for all students (Muhammad & Hollie, 2012). It is essential that principals support the
staff by ensuring effective communication and accountability of goals and priorities. Within
these parameters, communication must be facilitated with a clear and thorough explanation of the
rationale for change (DuFour & Marzano, 2011; Muhammad & Hollie, 2012). All relevant data
around the rationale for change must be shared with all stakeholders. Once the change is
implemented, principals must enforce the accountability measures that have been put into place.
The expectations for implementation and performance must be clear and fair (Muhammad &
Hollie, 2012).
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Students of the 21
st
century need to develop as global citizens who understand the power
and responsibility of technology and who have a deeper understanding of the core concepts in
the disciplines than they currently receive. Students need to be able to design, evaluate, and
manage their own work by using both content knowledge and skill (Darling-Hammond, 2010;
Fisher & Frey, 2010; Kay, 2010).
Educators are responsible for teaching students to think and use technology in a
responsible manner. Students need to know how to use technology, including cellular phones, to
solve problems and locate information during class as well as outside of classroom (Fisher &
Frey, 2010). This type of responsible navigation, using technological devices, can take place
when educators are as savvy as the students in advocacy and use.
Students also need to frame, investigate, and solve problems using a wide range of
resources outside of technology. The communication ability of students must include writing
and speaking in world languages as well as using mathematical symbols (Darling-Hammond,
2010; Kay, 2010). These 21
st
century skills can be learned with rigor through the gradual release
of responsibility and project-based learning (PBL). The transition to gradual release of
responsibility is important since the teacher has been the focal point of the American classroom
and students must now become responsible for their own learning. The gradual release of
responsibility happens in four stages: 1) focus lessons; 2) guided instruction; 3) collaborative
tasks; and 4) independent learning (Fisher & Frey, 2008, 2010). Coupled with PBL the teacher
is able to transition to facilitator and place the responsibility of learning, researching, and
discovering information on to the students (BIE, 2009; Fisher & Frey, 2008, 2010). During the
PBL cycle, students collaborate with peers to explore a meaningful question and engage in a
real-world problem to solve (BIE, 2009). Gradual release of responsibility and PBL allows
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students to become comfortable with the curriculum in a learning environment that has multiple
layers of teacher and peer support (Fisher & Frey, 2008, 2010).
Evaluation of Effective 21
st
Century Skills Implementation
As the United States has lagged behind other countries in student performance, the
evaluation of how 21
st
century skills are implemented is crucial. Whatever instrument is used in
this process must evaluate the ability to apply knowledge in complex situations (P21stCS, 2007).
This will ensure that students in the United States are being measured for their mastery of 21
st

century skills in ways that allow for comparison with students from other countries and that
United States students are able to demonstrate competency on a global scale (P21stCS, 2007).
The foundation of the evaluation process should focus on how well students are
progressing and why. It needs to include the creation of rubrics, protocols, and checklist
including how well the students are learning. In order to evaluate student learning the
assessments need to encompass the Seven Survival Skills (Wagner, 2008), be performance-
based, embedded in the curriculum, and based on evidentiary model of cognition and learning
(P21stCS, 2007).
Beyond using student performance to evaluate 21
st
century skills learning, educator
collaboration is a significant factor as well. As administrators and teachers discuss the
implementation of 21
st
century learning skills and their effectiveness in producing globally
competent citizens the necessary professional development and resources will emerge (Soliman,
2013). Professional development is discussed in the next section.
Professional Development
The essential purpose of professional development is the improvement of schools and
school systems through the improvement in knowledge and skills of educators. Effective
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professional development is connected to questions of pedagogy that educators are asking about
the consequences of instructional practices when applied to actual classroom environments as
well as general questions about effective teaching practice. The service of improvements
requires commitment to consistency and focus over an extended period of time. The most
effective professional development requires that the physical location of the learning be as close
as possible to where teaching occurs, in school or classroom settings (Dede, 2010; Elmore,
2002). Professional development is a part of the investment in the teaching profession to obtain
good teaching for all learners. Good teaching requires the teacher to be highly committed,
continuously developed, well networked with other professionals to maximize their own
improvement, and able to make effective judgments using all of their capabilities and
experiences (Hargreaves & Fullan, 2012).
The lack of professional development focused on 21
st
century skills is one reason that the
skills are underemphasized in schools (Dede, 2010; Elmore, 2002). The 21
st
century skills
movement seeks to fundamentally restructure classroom-learning experiences through student
exposure to more authentic activities. Using a constructivism approach teachers must be able to
teach students to use the mind well, rather than to attain mastery of a static body of knowledge.
Principals and teachers must build professional learning communities in which they share how to
do these practices, learning, unlearning, and relearning practices in a shared environment that
builds upon one another’s skills and knowledge (Schoen & Fusarelli, 2008).
A Major Challenge of Professional Development
A major challenge of professional development is helping teachers, policymakers, and
local communities to unlearn beliefs, values, assumptions, and cultures underlying schools’
industrial-era operating practices, such as the number of minutes in a class period or block
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scheduling that allow insufficient time for all but superficial forms of active learning by students.
Intellectual, emotional, and social support is essential for “unlearning” and for transformational
learning and relearning that can lead to deeper behavioral changes that create next generation
educational practices (Dede, 2010; Elmore, 2002). Focusing professional development on a
well-articulated mission or purpose grounded in student learning assumes leaders know what the
purpose of the system is and how to achieve it. Leaders exhibit the ability to articulate the
purpose and identify the activities to achieve the purpose (Elmore, 2002).
A Model of Professional Development
North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) created a five phase
professional development model that promotes growth and encourages individual reflection and
group inquiry into teachers’ practices. The phases of this model are: Building a knowledge base;
observing models and examples; reflecting on your own practice; changing your practice; and
gaining and sharing expertise. The purpose of building a knowledge base is to acquire new
knowledge and information and to build and conceptual understanding of it. Once this has
occurred instructional examples are studied in order to develop a practical understanding of the
research. Professional development practices then focus on analyzing individual instructional
practices on the basis of new knowledge. New knowledge is then translated into individual and
collaborative plans and actions for curricular and instructional change. In the gaining and
sharing expertise phase teachers continue to refine practices through learning from, and sharing
with, colleagues (NCREL, 1997, 1999). Within this framework, professional development
moves through a cycle of readiness, implementation, and institutionalizing the practice. Once
practices become institutionalized changes are embedded in the structure of the school (NCREL,
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1997, 1999). This model may be useful for 21
st
century skills implementation as the skills are
new for principals, teachers, and students.
Assessment
Assessment results for the United States were significantly below other developed
countries on the PISA 2009 report (OECD, 2009). Reeves (2010) asserts that assessments in the
United States are bound by the destructive traditions of standardized conditions, secrecy of
content, and individual results. The educational system becomes distorted, being more
concerned with producing effective test takers than successful learners (Ritchhart, Church, &
Morrison, 2011).
Common Core State Standards will bring a more systematic testing system across the
country. With the implementation of a national assessment from the two consortiums the federal
government would be able to focus on the practices of high performing schools as a way of
improving lower performing schools. The government would be able to look at the practices of
the higher performing schools and configure teams charged with replicating the practices in
lower performing schools with similar demographics (Common Standards Initiative 2012; Crew,
2007).
Assessment and No Child Left Behind
No Child Left Behind has created positive and negative national affects around the test
type, administration, and sanctions for schools who have not met adequate yearly progress, AYP
(DuFour & Marzano, 2011; No Child Left Behind Act, 2002). One beneficial component of
NCLB is that the federal government, the state, districts, and schools employ more accountability
for student learning and academic performance. It has produced a narrowing of the national
achievement gap between White students and non-Asian minorities (Schoen & Fusarelli, 2008).
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The negative aspects of the legislation have far outweighed the benefits. Teachers engage in the
practice of teaching to the test and watering down the curriculum to enforce tested standards.
There has become an increased emphasis on test preparation. These practices have narrowed the
opportunities of lower achieving students to attain higher standards (Darling-Hammond &
Adamson, 2010).
Policymakers must base school accountability on assessments that measure both
academic achievement and 21
st
century skills (NCREL & Metiri Group, 2003). Reeves (2010)
argues that 21
st
century skills should be assessed in three ways: variable conditions, in teams, and
publicly. The Smarter Balanced and PARCC assessments aim to do so by having students
operate between different platforms as they perform tasks on a computer based assessment. This
will be a significant achievement for the United States as it moves completely away from
multiple-choice assessments that merely assess rote facts and basic skills (Darling-Hammond &
Adamson, 2010). A transition toward performance-based assessments is necessary; as Reeves
(2010) contends, it is not possible to reconcile the demands of 21
st
century skills with the
realities of the traditional testing environment. Even on the proposed assessments by
SMARTER BALANCE and PARCC, students will take the same test items and be evaluated in
the same way based on the same rubric. These elements assume the same stability, normality,
and control of norm-referenced assessments (Reeves, 2010). A good assessment practice is one
that has test items that are openly available for study and consideration with students
contributing to the creation of the assessments. Students should know the range of test questions
in advance in order to have an opportunity for comprehensive study and preparation (Reeves,
2010).
Types of Assessments
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The College and work readiness assessment (CWRA) measures how students perform on
constructed response tasks that require an integrated set of critical thinking, analytic reasoning,
problem solving, and written communication skills. These skills represent collective outcomes
that can be taught within one class offering or in a single academic year (Dede, 2010).
The Programme for International Study Assessment seeks to measure how well 15 year
olds are prepared to meet the challenges of the knowledge societies. The assessment focuses on
students’ ability to use knowledge and skills to meet real life challenges. The test covers
reading, mathematical and science literacy in a manner that evaluates what knowledge and skills
will be needed in adult life (Dede, 2010; OECD, 2009).
Key Stage 3 ICT Literacy Assessment based on Great Britain’s national curriculum
gauges students’ ability at the end of ages 12 to 13. The test is set in a complex virtual world in
which students carry out task using a set of resources without access to the Internet. The
objective is for students to solve a set of complex problems involving research, communication,
information management, and presentation. Students’ actions are tracked by the computer and
mapped against expected capabilities for each level of the national curriculum. Students receive
performance scores as well as a profile of individual strengths and weaknesses (Dede, 2010).
Gaps in Literature
Research on 21
st
century skills is more readily available than in the past ten years. There
still remain gaps in the literature. The literature neglects to analyze the extent to which
decentralized education in the United States is inhibiting the academic performance of students.
The literature neglects to report how 21
st
century skills will be addressed in vocational education
programs and colleges. There is a lack of literature that addresses the importance of students in
the United States learning and being literate in other languages besides English, particularly as
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multilingualism skills relate to obtaining employment in a global knowledge economy. The
literature does not address kindergarten through college collaboration, and impact on the work
force and the country’s economic development.
Summary
The 21
st
Century School
In order to fully implement 21
st
century skills, the United States must invest in 21
st

century schools. Friedman (2011) concludes that American fourth grade students performed
comparably to their peers in other countries. As students progress through school their academic
performance becomes worse. Hargreaves (2010) describes the 21
st
century school as one that
encompasses all of the academic components of 21
st
century skills and learning, that is
personally customized for students connecting learning to life projects. Learning can be
connected in this manner because it is evidence that informs where improvement targets are
shared through systematic leadership and networks that connect schools. In this promising
system, schools of more proficient performance help the weaker schools because they service the
common good outlined by OECD (Bellanca & Brandt, 2010, p. 346).
Competency in 21
st
century skills gives people the ability to keep learning and adjusting
to change. One of the most effective ways to develop creative skills is through design challenge
projects or PBL in which students invent solutions to real-world problems (BIE, 2009; Trilling &
Fadel, 2009). This is important in the United States where most learning is done as isolated
skills or in isolated content areas with very little cross-curricula collaboration. These skills are
critical for individuals to move up the economic ladder. Without 21
st
century skills people are
relegated to low-wage, low-skill jobs (Cowen, 2013; Kay, 2010).
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The Future of Education in The United States
The future of education in the United States must involve every citizen collectively
working together regardless of age and socio-economic status. Education must be protected
from the pendulum of politics and become a true national issue. As long as education is a local
issue where each state is able to determine curriculum and policy in isolation, America will not
have true educational policy (Crew, 2007).
The United States must produce a new cohort of skilled and responsible leaders who will
be the stewards of the future (Hargreaves, 2010; Howe & Strauss, 2000). America needs to be
sure that teachers and administrators have access to a strong knowledge base and trust them to be
responsible for teaching and learning (Darling-Hammond, 2007, 2010). Teachers need to be
better equipped to support students to address the different skills required in the 21
st
century.
Teachers need to expand their own skills set and receive training and support to infuse the new
skills into the classroom as they teach traditional subjects in ways that acknowledge the digital
future, and introduce topics they have no knowledge of and have never seen taught before
(P21stCS, 2007).
The United States must reinvent its education systems to renew the workforce and the
economy (Kay, 2010). It is vital that high schools and community colleges offer vigorous
vocational tracks and that we treat them with the same esteem as we do the university track
(Friedman, 2011). Students must be prepared for multiple career streams as many of the jobs of
the future, do not even exist today (Trilling & Fadel, 2009). As the researcher furthers the body
of work in the field in regards to the implementation of 21
st
century learning skills in secondary
schools, Chapter 3 describes the methodology that was employed for this qualitative
study.
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CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
Rarely would anyone starting out on a trip walk out the door with no thought of where to go or
how to get there. The same is true when beginning a research study. You need some idea of
what you want to know and a plan for carrying it out.
— Merriam, 2009

Introduction
The previous two chapters presented an overview of ESEA and how its reauthorization,
NCLB, increased accountability at the district and school levels (Kantor & Lowe, 2006). With
the increased accountability, NCLB created a culture of teaching to standardized assessments
and instruction focused on basic skills that lacked rigor and higher order thinking skills. As
schools attempted to improve the academic performance of students across the nation, the United
States fell behind other developed nations on PISA, the international assessment that measures
reading, mathematics, and science proficiency (Friedman, 2007; Salpeter, 2008; U.S. Department
of Education, 2010; Wagner, 2008). The disparity between the United States and other nations
created a global achievement gap and cause for the United States to reform education from a
national level.
This chapter aims to re-examine the need for educational reform in the United States
based on research collected from business leaders (Wagner, 2008). This chapter will also restate
the purpose of the study and the research questions used to establish the goals and design of the
study. The sample population and criteria for selecting the study participants will be discussed.
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As part of that discussion the researcher will present the instruments for data collection and an
analysis of the data. The chapter will conclude with the ethical considerations of the study.
The ESEA prohibits the United States from creating a national curriculum (Darling-
Hammond & Adamson, 2010). The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief
and State School Officers (CCSSO) sponsored Common Core Standards to promote equity in
preparation for college and career readiness.
In other research Tony Wagner (2008), 21
st
century skill proponents, business leaders,
and universities reported that American high school students were not prepared to effectively
enter the world of work or university life. The necessary skills are referred to as 21
st
century
skills. Wagner (2008) refers to 21
st
century skills as The Seven Survival Skills. The 21
st
century
skills are: critical thinking and problem solving; collaboration across networks and leading by
influence; agility and adaptability; initiative and entrepreneurialism; effective oral and written
communication; accessing and analyzing information; and curiosity and imagination. The
Partnership for 21
st
Century includes multilingualism as part of the skills necessary for 21
st

global success (Kay, 2010; Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills, 2009). Based on the frameworks
of Tony Wagner (2008) and The Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills (2009) research for this study
was collected.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study was to analyze the implementation of 21
st
century skills in
secondary schools by site administrators. This study aimed to find schools that have successfully
implemented 21
st
century skills while maintaining a consistent performance or demonstrating
growth on state standardized assessments, as measured by the API. Based on the research
compiled by business leaders, these are the skills that will enable students to be college and
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career ready after the completion of high school. The study further aimed to learn the process
that these schools utilized, in order for schools that have not implemented 21
st
century skills to
have a framework for implementation while meeting the basic skill requirements as measured by
the state standardized assessment.
The data for the study was collected using interviews and internal document analysis.
The research questions addressed in the study are:
1. What processes do secondary administrators use to implement 21
st
century skill
learning in their schools?
2. What process is used to evaluate the implementation of 21
st
century skill learning by
secondary administrators?
3. How do secondary administrators implement professional development to improve
teacher effectiveness in delivering 21st century skills?
The questions guided the researcher through the implementation process, identifying
successful steps toward 21
st
century skill implementation in secondary schools. The focus was to
identify secondary schools that have begun 21
st
century skill implementation and identify the
practices used to do so. The administrator was part of the interview process since 21
st
century
skills were implemented, or continued implementation, under that leadership.
Goals of the Study
The study sought to identify secondary schools that have successfully implemented 21
st

century skills using a researched framework (Wagner, 2008; Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills,
2009). The study sought to identify the method used to apply 21
st
century skills in the areas of
implementation, evaluation of implementation, and professional development. An additional
goal of the study was to provide a structure for other schools that have not begun the
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implementation process toward 21
st
century skill learning. All of the goals led to identifying
schools that are preparing students to be college and career ready in order to meet the demands
of a global market.
Design of the Study
This study employed basic and critical qualitative research approaches in which
qualitative data was collected to identify and broaden the understanding of 21
st
century skills
implementation (Merriam, 2009). The data was used to address the research questions in the
areas of implementation, evaluation of implementation, and professional development.
Qualitative analysis has been selected to address the objectives of the study, given the time
constraints caused by the duration of the study. The composition of the study was a qualitative
design based on interviews and internal document analysis. Together these methods allowed the
researcher to triangulate the data between what is reported in the interview about 21
st
century
skill implementation, what was discovered from internal documents analysis, and comparisons
between the sites (Merriam, 2009). The types of qualitative design employed were basic and
critical research, as the researcher sought to discover the ways that 21
st
century skill learning was
being implemented in order to transform schools across the country (Merriam, 2009).
Methodological Emphasis of the Study
The study emphasized two methods to collect data, basic qualitative research and critical
research approaches, due to the interpretive nature and critique of 21
st
century skills to transform
classroom teaching and empower students to become more aware and responsible for their own
learning (Merriam, 2009). The qualitative focus had been selected due to the primary types of
data collection, interviews and internal document analysis. These data forms provided the most
information about where each school site is in its implementation process and allowed the
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researcher to make comparisons across schools sites with the information collected. In view of
the fact that a significant number of secondary schools have not shifted to 21
st
century learning
due to the proficiency timeline of NCLB and the transition to Smarter Balanced and PARCC
assessments, interviews and document analysis are better suited to understand the complexities
of 21
st
century skill implementation (Merriam, 2009; NCLB, 2002; Corestandards.org, 2012).
The interpretive nature of the basic qualitative approach portion of this study, aided the
critique of the critical, qualitative research portion by identifying which skills the administrators
had already implemented, and what instruments and resources were utilized to do so. The
ratings from the behavioral indicators identified in question two of the interview protocol (see
the Appendix for interview questions) of the study provided a measure of where administrators
believed their school sites were in 21
st
century skills implementation. The interview questions
were designed to confirm or refute information gathered during the interview and the internal
document analysis phases of the study (Maxwell, 2013; Creswell, 2009; Merriam, 2009).
The purpose of the critical research approach portion of the study, was to find similarities
and differences among the sites studied to find whether a culture of curriculum, where the
orientations about the needs and nature of learners, the role of the teachers and instruction, and
the learning environments, existed across the sites for the purposes of replication (Joseph, 2011;
Merriam, 2009). The critical research approach further examined the manner in which 21
st

century skills were implemented; singularly or in groups and the measure of success associated
with the overall implementation (Merriam, 2009).
Sample and Population
Multiple methods of purposeful sampling were used to identify specific principals at
school sites that had already implemented 21
st
century skills and continue to maintain an API
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above 700 (Merriam, 2009). The intended interview population was the administrator of
secondary school sites in Southern and Northern California. The study aimed to examine three
high schools, and one of the feeder middle schools for matriculation and collaboration practices,
where possible.
Network sampling was used to identify schools across California that met the criteria of
the research. Network sampling is the most common form of purposeful sampling as it involves
locating participants who easily meet the criteria of the study (Merriam, 2009). Network
sampling allowed the researcher to identify secondary schools that have a base API of 700.
Unique sampling was used to examine the instructional delivery and professional
development at school sites. Unique sampling was significant, as the implementation of 21
st

century skills in the era of NCLB mandates and sanctions has remained non-existent to slow.
The researcher sought secondary schools that had attributes and occurrences that represent
phenomena of interest in the implementation of 21
st
century skills learning (Merriam, 2009).
Convenience sampling was used based on the time period of the study and the location of
the school sites. The researcher sought to find sites within the state of residence as these sites
operate on a similar academic calendar and was more cost effective for the researcher to study
(Merriam, 2009).
The objective of the purposeful sampling was to locate a sample size for the study that
would provide rich information for the study by guiding the researcher through the 21
st
century
skills implementation process, the evaluation of the process, and relevant professional
development (Merriam, 2009). The second objective was to identify a deliberately selected
sample population based on established criteria that provided information that was relevant to the
questions and goals of the study (Maxwell, 2013).
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Criteria for Selection
The participants in the study are the administrators at secondary schools that have begun
the implementation of 21
st
century skills into the curriculum. The criteria for selecting the
administrator were: (a) the administrator had been at the school for at least two years, or was part
of a district that had begun 21
st
century skill implementation; (b) the school was located in
California; (c) the student population was 50 % non-Asian minority; and (d) the school had a
minimum API of 700 as measured by the California Standardized Test. The participating high
schools were identified using demographical and statistical data from the California Department
of Education, DataQuest website, an internet search for 21
st
century schools, personal referrals,
and school accountability report cards (SARC).
Selection Process
The selection process was done on a voluntary basis once school demographical and
statistical information had been verified, as well as the leadership tenure of the principal at the
school site or the position of the district on implementing 21
st
century skill learning.
Sampling Issues
Due to the qualitative nature of the study and the specificity used in selecting the sample
size, generalizability may be difficult. It was the hypothesis of the investigator that data
collected from the study would be transferrable to other studies with a thorough description and
presentation of a comprehensive framework (Merriam, 2009).
Instruments
The following instruments were used to collect data for this study to ensure a reliable
approach to data collection: (a) interviews and (b) internal document analysis. The interview
questions were developed to examine the research questions in depth regarding the specific
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details of 21
st
century skills implementation. Internal documents were collected to validate or
dispute the data collected from the research questions (Merriam, 2009). The appendices will
address the methods for aligning the processes used in this study.
Qualitative Instrumentation
The qualitative design included three instruments to research 21
st
century skills
implementation. The first qualitative instrument used was person-to-person interviews with the
site administrators identified through emails and telephone conversations. The interviews were
semi-structured to create a more open-ended format during the interview process. The semi-
structured formant enabled the interviewer to ask the same questions of each respondent in a
different order, with flexibility in wording and with follow up questions depending on the initial
response of the interviewee (Merriam, 2009). Question two of the interview protocol asked
respondents to rank the staff’s level of implementation of each skill according to Wagner’s
Seven Survival Skills (2008), The Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills multilingualism framework
component (2009), and the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, CBAM (2005) (see appendices for
interview question). The question asked for administrators to rank the level of implementation
based on the behavioral indicators: non-use, renewal, integration, refinement, routine,
mechanical, preparation, and orientation (National Academy of Sciences, 2005). The interviews
provided insight into the administrators’ implementation plan and procedures as it relates to
instructional delivery, evaluation, and professional development, focused on 21
st
century skill
teaching and learning.
The second qualitative instrument was internal document analysis. The researcher’s
purpose was to analyze documents that the principal has given to the staff that would support the
implementation of 21
st
century skills. Documents sent to students or parents at home, and school
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and community communication focused on 21
st
century skill implementation and learning, were
also examined. The types of documents reviewed were newsletters, professional development
agendas and handouts, articles, school calendar, and memorandums. These documents did not
cover the scope of documents that were analyzed throughout the study (Merriam, 2009).
Data Collection
Data collection for this study was conducted in two phases. The first phase was the
interview of the school administrator. An emailed description of the purpose and goals of the
research was sent after the initial email. The second phase was the internal document analysis in
which documents were compared to the interview notes for affirmations or refutations regarding
the implementation process of 21
st
century skills.
Data Analysis
In order to effectively and efficiently answer the research questions developed for this
study, the researcher analyzed the findings from the two data collection methods (interviews and
internal document analysis) to generate theories regarding the subject being investigated.
Basic Qualitative Data Analysis
The qualitative data analysis and collection was a simultaneous process as soon as data
compilation began by reviewing the purpose of the study. The interview data was read and
reread with notations in the margin commenting on the data. Reflective notes were written by
the researcher regarding possible themes, ideas and things to pursue that had been identified in
the first set of data. This process allowed the researcher to prepare a second set of interview
questions for follow up (Merriam, 2009).
Data was coded according to 21
st
century skills, the degree of implementation, and the
evaluation of implementation. Additional codes were assigned, as data was deemed significant
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in the data collection process. The coding process was open coding as all data points were open
to analysis (Merriam, 2009).
Internal documents were used to confirm and refute what had been said during the
interview process about 21
st
century skills learning. Together the interviews and internal
document analysis provided a holistic interpretation of the phenomenon being investigated. The
data was recorded through narrative analysis. Narrative analysis gave accounts based on the
stories being told regarding the implementation of 21
st
century skills. The analysis was recorded
according to theme and structure (Merriam, 2009).
The data was managed manually and on the computer. A transcription recorder was
utilized to aid in the transference of interview notes. Notes were transcribed by rev.com, an
online transcription service. All transcribed notes were verified by the researcher for accuracy
and stored in a secure location and on a password-protected computer.
Data analysis is discussed in more detail in Chapter 4 using rich, thick description
(Merriam, 2009). The findings of each research question is analyzed as similarities and
differences across school sites are presented. The study participants, student demographic
information, and recommendations for future research is also presented in Chapter 4.
Triangulation
Triangulation was the last step to ensure the validity of the findings as each data source is
compared to another (Merriam, 2009). The interviews were compared to the internal documents
collected from the school sites. The responses provided by the interviewees were compared to
one another in order to report similarities and differences. Triangulating the data in this manner
provided a documented description of practices secondary schools implemented that were
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successful. Triangulation also reduced the risk of biases and threats to validity as data was
compared and cross-checked (Maxwell, 2013; Merriam, 2009).
Ethical Considerations
This proposal was submitted for approval to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the
University of Southern California. Written emailed consent from administrators that were a part
of the study was gathered. Five interviews were done in person. Interviewees were asked for
permission at the time of the interview, before it began, to record the interview. The recorder
was left in plain view for all interested parties. The interview with the district office senior
director was conducted via phone and was not recorded. The researcher took manual notes for
that interview. It was recorded that all parties were participating in this research study on a
voluntary basis. Adequate permission was obtained from the appropriate school district(s) and
charter organization. All names have been changed to pseudonyms to protect individual persons,
schools, and districts.
Conclusion
This chapter focused on the design of the qualitative research that was used to collect
data via interviews and internal document analysis (Merriam, 2009). Network sampling and
convenience sampling were discussed as the methods to identify the schools selected for the
purpose of this study within the allotted time (Merriam, 2009). The data was triangulated to
validate the findings of the interview questions with the documents analyzed. The data was also
triangulated to reduce biases. The next chapter describes and analyzes the findings of the study
using rich, thick description (Merriam, 2009).
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CHAPTER 4
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
Prediction is difficult, especially about the future. Still, it can help us make sense of the present
to lay down some possible trends about where things are headed.
— Cowen, 2013

Introduction
The United States does not have a national education system for preparing its students for
life in the 21
st
century. The Governor’s Association sponsored the Common Core Standards as
a means to address the standardization of education standards, Common Core Standards, in the
disciplines of English language arts and math. Each state and school district must still have a
plan as to how these standards will get implemented in classrooms and reach students. The future
of education in the United States is dependent upon school leaders’ ability to transform
classrooms from the 20
th
century model to one that upholds the Seven Survival Skills of critical
thinking and problem solving, collaboration across networks and leading by influence, agility
and adaptability, written and oral communication skills, accessing and analyzing information,
curiosity and imagination, and initiative and entrepreneurialism. An additional component of
21
st
century skill learning examined for the purpose of this dissertation is multilingualism;
students’ ability to speak more than one language and potentially increase their ability to be
competitive in the global marketplace.
This chapter presents and discusses the data collected from a qualitative study intended to
identify the process used by administrators to effectively implement 21
st
century skills in
secondary schools. Secondary administrators were asked to define 21
st
century skills, and to rate
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the school’s usage and implementation of Tony Wagner’s Seven Survival Skills as well as
multilingualism, using the CBAM level of use behavioral indicators. Qualitative data was
collected via five person-to-person interviews and one phone interview. The data from the
interviews was triangulated with documents from the school sites, and where appropriate, the
school district or charter organization for accuracy and validity of the findings.
This chapter presents the responses from the administrator interviews, internal document
analysis, student and school demographic information, and the researcher’s discussion with
regard to the analysis of the research findings.
The study was guided by the following research questions:
1. What processes do secondary administrators use to implement 21
st
century skill
learning in their school?
2. What process is used to evaluate the implementation of 21
st
century skill learning by
secondary administrators?
3. How do secondary administrators implement professional development to improve
teacher effectiveness in delivering 21
st
century skills?
Criteria
The criteria developed for this study was that the middle or high school studied would
have begun the implementation of 21
st
century skill learning as defined by the Seven Survival
Skills presented by Tony Wagner (2008), and be able to identify the practices of implementation.
The schools may also have a multilingualism program as defined in the framework from the
Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills (2011). The principal or head site administrator would be
available for an interview, and have been a part of the implementation process or have definite
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knowledge about the implementation process. The other criterion was that the school had a
minimum API of 700 (Retrieved from Data Quest, 2013).
Methodology
The data analysis from the interviews and document analysis led to the discovery of four
themes and findings as to how middle and high schools have successfully implemented 21
st

century skill learning at the school sites.
The data collected includes responses from the interview questions, sample professional
development documents, rubrics and protocols, newsletters, a handbook, and articles. The
interview questions were transcribed by Rev.com and checked for accuracy by the researcher.
Additional data used was from notes taken by the researcher during the interview.
The data collected was coded and categorized by research question in order to address the
process of implementation, the evaluation tool or measure used to interpret the effectiveness of
implementation, and the professional development provided to teachers.
Participants and Demographics
There were a total of five secondary school administrators and one district level
administrator interviewed for the purpose of this study. The district administrator is the former
principal of Trail Blazer High in northern California. He was the principal at the time Trail
Blazer High implemented 21
st
century skills 18 years ago. He has since become the secondary
director of curriculum for the district and oversees 21
st
century skills implementation at other
secondary sites in the district. Trail Blazer High is the smallest school in the study with a
2012/2013 student population of 395. In 2012/2013, 15% of the student population attending
Trail Blazer High was Limited English Proficient (LEP). Thirty-two percent of the student
population was socio-economic disadvantaged (SED). The most significant ethnicities at Trail
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Blazer High are White, 46% and Latino, 40%; see Table 1 for additional student demographic
information. In 2013 Trail Blazer High garnered an API of 797 (Retreived from Data Quest,
2013).

Table 1
Trail Blazer High Student Demographics (Source: Data Quest, 2013)
Latino 40% Ethnicity Not Reported 1%
American Indian/Alaskan 1% Female 52%
Asian 2% Male 48%
Pacific Islander 0.5% Total Number of Students 395
Filipino 2%
African American 2% LEP 15%
White 46% SED 32%
2 or More Races 5% Graduation Rate 2011/2012 96.3%

The two other northern California schools are a feeder middle and high school. Canyon
Middle garnered an API of 815 and Mulberry High an API of 717 (Retrieved from Data Quest,
2013). In 2012/2013 Canyon Middle had a population of 980 students. The most significant
populations were Latino, 37% and Filipino, 25%. Twenty-five percent of the student population
was LEP. Thirty-nine percent of the student population was SED; see Table 2 for additional
student demographic information (Retrieved from DataQuest, 2013).
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Table 2
Canyon Middle Student Demographics (Source: Data Quest, 2013)
Latino 37% Ethnicity Not Reported 1%
American Indian/Alaskan 0.03% Female 51%
Asian 5% Male 49%
Pacific Islander 1% Total Number of Students 980
Filipino 25%
African American 10% LEP 25%
White 15% SED 39%
2 or More Races 5% Graduation Rate
2011/2012
Not relevant
to grade
levels

Canyon Middle is in its third year of 21
st
century skills implementation using the PBL
approach. The school has unsuccessfully attempted PBL twice in recent years. Implementation
at Canyon Middle began in grade eight, and moved down to grades seven and six in subsequent
years in order to support the PBL implementation that was already in place at the feeder high
school, Mulberry High. Canyon Middle has a seasoned staff that asked for a third
implementation of PBL. One major difference is that the school is using New Tech Network as
its implementation partner. New Tech Network provides the PBL professional development for
the secondary and some elementary schools in the district.
Mulberry High is in its fourth year of existence. It opened as a new school in 2009
focused on 21
st
century skills implementation as a PBL, PrBL, and technology site. In 2013,
Mulberry High graduated its first class with a student population of 1,399. Twenty-three percent
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of the student population was LEP and 35% SED. The most significant ethnicities were Latino,
33% and Filipino, 28%; see Table 3 for additional student demographic information (Retrieved
from Data Quest, 2013). Mulberry High is a “bring your own device school,” which means
families provide laptops or tablets for the students during the instructional day. Mulberry High
does have a partnership with a community group to assist families with technology needs. The
staff is a mixture of seasoned and new teachers. When Mulberry High opened with its veteran
teaching staff the principal had each teacher read and sign a document regarding the guiding
principles by which the school would operate. This document has been a living document to
refocus the staff when the task seems momentous, see Appendix B to review the document.

Table 3
Mulberry High Student Demographics (Source: Data Quest, 2013)
Latino 33% Ethnicity Not Reported 0.04%
American Indian/Alaskan 0.04% Female 47%
Asian 6% Male 53%
Pacific Islander 1% Total Number of Students 1,399
Filipino 28%
African American 9% LEP 23%
White 14% SED 35%
2 or More Races 8% Graduation Rate
2011/2012
No graduating
class
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The southern California schools consist of Renaissance High, part of a charter
organization, East Intermediate, and Green Meadow High, a feeder middle and high school.
Renaissance High has a 2013 API of 807. It is part of an organization that has twelve schools in
which students from an elementary school have the opportunity to matriculate to the middle
school, and middle school students are able to matriculate into the high school. In 2012/2013
Renaissance High had a student population of 578, selected through a lottery. The most
significant populations are Latino, 51% and White, 33%. Twelve percent of the student
population was LEP, and 35% SED, see Table 4 for more student demographic information
(Retrieved from Data Quest, 2013). At Renaissance High, all of the Seven Survival Skills are
embedded in the curriculum; like the three northern California schools, PBL is emphasized.

Table 4
Renaissance High Student Demographics (Source: Data Quest, 2013)
Latino 51% Ethnicity Not Reported 0%
American Indian/Alaskan 1% Female 46%
Asian 7% Male 54%
Pacific Islander 0.05% Total Number of Students 578
Filipino 6%
African American 11% LEP 12%
White 33% SED 44%
2 or More Races 0.05% Graduation Rate 2011/2012 96.2%
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East Intermediate opened in 2010 as a technology based 21
st
century skill school. It is in
a new community, and opened in response to the increasing housing market. In 2012/2013, the
student population was 1,033 of which 12% was LEP and 35% was SED. The most significant
student populations were Latino, 46% and White, 24%; see Table 5 for more student
demographic information (Retrieved from DataQuest, 2013). As a technology focused campus,
East Intermediate searches out the best technological resources for its students. In 2013 East
Intermediate garnered an API of 851.

Table 5
East Intermediate Student Demographics (Source: Data Quest, 2013)
Latino 46% Ethnicity Not Reported 0.06%
American Indian/Alaskan 0% Female 51%
Asian 12% Male 49%
Pacific Islander 0.04% Total Number of Students 1,033
Filipino 5%
African American 11% LEP 12%
White 24% SED 35%
2 or More Races 0.08% Graduation Rate 2011/2012 NA

East Intermediate is the model that Green Meadow High uses in its transitional approach
to prepare students to be college and career ready after graduation. Green Meadow High has a
2013 API of 819. Green Meadow High is the newest high school in the school district. The
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2012/2013, student population was 3,457. Of this population 18% was LEP and 42% SED. The
most significant student population was Latino, 49%, see Table 6 for more student demographic
information (Retrieved from Data Quest, 2013). Green Meadow High is following the district
guidelines for 21
st
century skills implementation. The basis of its implementation is based on
Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

Table 6
Green Meadow High Student Demographics (Source: Data Quest, 2013)
Latino 49% Ethnicity Not Reported 2%
American Indian/Alaskan 0.03% Female 50%
Asian 12% Male 50%
Pacific Islander 0.01% Total Number of Students 3,457
Filipino 5%
African American 13% LEP 18%
White 19% SED 42%
2 or More Races 0.5% Graduation Rate 2011/2012 96.6%

Participants Define 21
st
Century Skills
The interview participants defined 21
st
century skills in a variety of ways. The constant
components of 21
st
century skills learning were that it encompasses technology, student
engagement, critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, communication, and creativity.
All study participants indicated that a transformation had to occur for adults in education as well
as students about how students learn and what they are expected to do with the information once
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it is learned if students in the United States are going to leave high school prepared for college or
career. Only one respondent indicated that it was essential for students to obtain literacy in a
second language as a 21
st
century skill.
Response to Research Question One
What processes do secondary administrators use to implement 21
st
century skills in their
school?
Behavioral Indicators of 21
st
Century Implementation
In order to answer where administrators were in the process of implementing 21
st
century
learning skills, the researcher first had to understand which skills had already been implemented.
Interview question two asked administrators to rate the level of implementation as defined by the
behavioral indicators from the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM). See Appendix A for
the interview questions and behavior indicator levels. The levels of development ranged from
non-use, in which instances the administrators had not implemented the skills, to renewal, at
which level the skill had been fully implemented and the administrator was seeking more
effective alternatives, if they exist, to the established use of the innovation. Five of the
administrators viewed renewal as the highest level of implementation. The remaining
administrator viewed routine as the highest level of implementation. This was evident based on
the response that routine skills were implemented first and presented to the teachers, that these
are the skills that you will need in order to work at this school. Figure 3 indicates the overall
level of development from five of the six sites. Information from Trail Blazer High is not
recorded due to the current position of the reporting administrator and the lapse of time since the
skills were implemented.
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Figure 3. 21
st
century skill behavioral lndicators by skill

Technology
The 21
st
century skills implementation at three of the six sites was grounded in
technological media. Trail Blazer High opened its doors in 1996 with the purpose of preparing
its students to thrive in a technologically advanced marketplace. Trail Blazer High encompasses
the lastest software as a “bring your own device school.” The New Tech Foundation was
established to chanel grant money provided to support the school in assisting students who
cannot afford technology. As Trail Blazer High added a PBL focus, technology became infused
into the PBL curriculum.
East Intermediate marketed itself to the community as a 21
st
century school with a
technological focus; other areas of 21
st
century skills are important and a part of the
implementation. Technology media is preveleant throughout the campus. Faculty, staff,
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
Renewal
Integration
Refinement
Routine
Mechanical
Preparation
Orientation
Non-use
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students, and parents are all hardware and internet users. Every classroom contains a Mimio, an
interatctive classroom white board. All students use iPads during English instruction. The
principal stated that “a student can attend school for two to three days without touching a pencil
or sheet of paper in this content area.” The science lab contains a touch screen computer next to
each station. In the science lab there is a central LCD projector (liquid-crystal display) that
projects to the front center of the classroom. The school library houses some books. The
majority of the novels and resources in the library are digital or can be found through ebooks
from iLit Publishing, Pearson. To acquire the best resources to support the technology, East
Intermediate pilots a variety of programs as often as it can. One of the most recent pilots for
students has been a character building program that gives immediate feedback to their responses.
The teaching staff undergoes a plethora of professional development to increase their
technological literacy and obtain mastery with the various East Intermediate programs. East
Intermediate has a partnership wiith OnPointe to assist teachers with creating documents using
technology and using tecnology to dirve instuction. A number of East Intermediate’s electives
are technological based as well. There are robotics classes, four different levels of band class
that require digital sheet music, Designing Web Graphics, Digital Photography I, Introduction to
Video Production, Industrial Arts, Journalism/School Newspaper, and Website in Adobe
Photoshop. Offering this number of electives provides students with a wide exposure to
technology beyond the scope of core classes. There is also a gaming room for student use during
lunch or as a reward that completes the array of technologicla media offered at East Intermediate.
Mulberry High opened its doors as a “bring your own device” technology school.
Technology is used to enhance learning and allow students to compete in a digital world. As part
of the disrict focus on 21
st
century skills learning, Mulberry High offers filtered wireless access.
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All of the textbooks are electronic and accessed online for free. Technology is infused in
learning throughout the day as the students’ primary resource.
Canyon Middle became a “bring your own device” school over the last three years. As
part of its technology transformation, Canyon Middle started implementing technology with
laptops from a community partner. The partner was able to ensure each classroom had nine
laptops for student learning. Currently Canyon Middle and Mulberry High receive support from
a community partner to assist students whose families cannot afford laptops or tablets for school
transport.
Project-Based Learning and Problem Based Learning (PBL and PrBL)
Three of the six school sites use PBL as the entry point for 21
st
century skills
implementation. The largest reported success of project-based learning is that it creates a shift in
the amount of time teachers spend delivering lessons and students spend collaborating with one
another or working on projects. Project-based learning decreased the teacher’s direct instruction
time from 50% or more to 20%. It increased student work time from 50%, mostly
independently, to 80%, often in collaborative groups or working on a project.
At Renaissance High 21
st
century skills learning was introduced through PBL. When
introducing PBL Renaissance High followed The Six A’s of Designing Projects developed by
Adria Steinberg. The six A’s (authenticity, academic rigor, applied learning, active exploration,
adult relationships, and assessment) are principles to assist students in their transition from
school to work. Each A asks three questions that are answered in the process of solving real
problems. To develop the project there are some adult connections in which students work with
adults outside of the school. A requirement of a Renaissance High project is that it is authentic
in that it solves a real problem and is real to kids as they do the problem solving. “The project
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must have applied learning, which means the kids are going to go and do something with it
which embeds the problem-solving and collaboration skills of 21
st
century skills learning.” In a
Renaissance High project the teacher is considered the designer. It is the responsibility of the
designer to ensure that the six A’s are met which translates to ensuring that 21
st
century skills are
embedded in the project. See Table 7 for the correlation of 21
st
century skills to the six A’s. As
the figure denotes The Six A’s of Designing Projects apply to more than one 21
st
century skill.

Table 7
Correlations of 21
st
Century Skills and The Six A’s of Designing Projects
21
st
Century Skills Six A’s of Designing Projects
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Authenticity
Applied Learning
Academic Rigor
Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by
Influence
Applied Learning
Active Exploration
Agility and Adaptability Applied Learning
Assessment
Written and Oral Communication Applied Learning
Active Exploration
Adult Relationships
Accessing and Analyzing Information Active Exploration
Assessment
Curiosity and Imagination Authenticity
Academic Rigor
Initiative and Entrepreneurialism Applied Learning
Adult Relationships
Assessment
Multilingualism Not Addressed
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Canyon Middle is in its third implementation of PBL. Teachers requested to implement
PBL school-wide after observing high student engagement as a result of PBL in other
colleagues’ classrooms. The PBL implementation began in the eighth grade to support the
learning that was taking place at Mulberry High, the feeder high school. It filtered to seventh
grade the following year, and sixth in the third year. With the application of PBL the teacher
moved from the front of the classroom and assumed the role of learner facilitator. In this role the
teacher is now “doing the work of helping kids learn.” Infused in PBL at Canyon Middle is the
four C’s: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. PBL is not utilized in
math classes due to its non-effectiveness in this content area. Problem-based learning (PrBL) is
being explored as an option. It was not definitive at the time of this study if that would transpire
in the future. The philosophy of PBL used at Canyon Middle is derived from the University of
California at Davis. Training is conducted by New Tech Network, which will be discussed more
in response to research question three. Two part time coaches are on site to assist teachers with
the implementation of PBL.
Mulberry High opened as a PBL site. As part of the teacher collaboration for PBL, the
ninth and tenth grade students participate in Humanities classes where they receive core English
and social studies instruction. The Humanities class size averages 60 students at these grade
levels. The teachers team-teach so they are both present in the classroom during the class period.
While one teacher facilitates or directs the lesson, the other teacher facilitates and observes the
student learning. The math classes participate in the PrBL approach to learning. Problem-based
learning is different from PBL in the number of standards being presented in a problem.
Problem-based learning assignments last one to four days versus the two to six weeks for a
project. The emphasis of the assignment is on the process it takes to get to the answer instead of
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the project itself. Three coaches are available to assist teachers in the implementation processes.
Mulberry High is also a part of the district partnership with New Tech Network.
Twenty-first century skills implementation at Mulberry High goes beyond technology,
PBL, and PrBL. The school principal describes 21
st
century skills learning as an entity that had
to be a part of the core values and the culture on the first day that the school opened. The A-G
college preparedness plan is a central component of addressing student needs for post secondary
experiences.
Response to Research Question Two
What process is used by secondary administrators to evaluate the implementation of 21
st

century skills in their schools?
After examining what administrators do to implement 21
st
century skills learning, the
researcher looked at the procedures used to evaluate the implementation process. To answer this
question the researcher asked the interviewees about the impact 21
st
century skill learning had on
lesson delivery and student achievement, the connection to Bloom’s Taxonomy, and college and
career readiness. The researcher also asked how school goals are monitored and how feedback is
collected from the staff and other stakeholders regarding the curricular program. The responses
focus on staff feedback and student achievement. Obtaining evidence from the teachers is
reported in the form of protocols; rubrics; student surveys about learning, relevancy, and
engagement; classroom walkthroughs; and professional development sessions that enlist
implementation and PBL feedback.
Protocols and Rubrics
Student competence in 21
st
century skills, particularly critical thinking, communication,
collaboration, and creativity is the primary evaluation measure of success in three of the schools
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studied. Prior to the inception of Smarter Balanced and mandated usage of Common Core State
Standards, 21
st
century skills learning has been currently measured in the quality of student work
produced from projects and problems. The sites use protocols as a discussion tool to determine
how well the teacher projects are written and to improve the overall quality of the project. At
Canyon Middle and Renaissance High teachers have to present their projects to colleagues and
receive feedback about what the peers liked and questions surrounding the project. Protocols
keep this process consistent and focused on the work, not the person. This is also a part of
professional development and will be discussed further with the findings of research question
three.
The protocol used at Renaissance High aids in the evaluation of the project before it is
presented to the students. The teacher presents the project to a group of colleagues as if they
were the students. The focus question that is the premise for the project is posed to the
participants. In their natural role the attending teachers ask clarifying questions about the
project. In this round of questioning the presenter should be able to answer the questions as yes
or no. This is followed by the audience asking questions to understand the presenters thinking,
decisions, and purpose for the project. During the discussion phase the presenting teacher does
not speak; the audience evaluates whether or not the project is worth doing through a series of
questions. In the response phase of the presentation, the presenter explains their view on the
project having heard the group’s response.
Student rubrics for PBL are presented at the time of the project launch and outline how
the students will be evaluated. Students at Renaissance High are given a presentation of learning
chart to use as a guide in preparation for the actual presentation. At Mulberry High there are five
school wide outcomes (professionalism, content knowledge, written communication, oral
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communication, and collaboration) based on PBL and PrBL. These learning outcomes are
reported through ECHO, the online grade book established through New Tech Network. Parents
have access to the system to monitor how students are performing in these five areas. The
primary effectiveness of the learning outcomes is that although projects are completed in groups,
four of the evaluation areas focus on the learning and product of individual students.
Student Achievement
Student achievement is the ultimate measure of 21
st
century skills evaluation. In the 21
st

century skills environment learning is no longer quantitatively based on student assessment data.
It is an evaluation of authentic work produced by the student and the student’s ability to present
the work and discuss the process. In this form of evaluation, learning is incumbent on the
student and their ability to transition from being given the answer to go find the answer. In its
most effective form, evaluation by student achievement allows learning to be scaffolded across
the spectrum of skills students should learn. This enables students to acquire skills over time
throughout the development of projects. It also allows the teacher to examine the growth aspect
of student learning and focus on the development of skills versus the regurgitation of information
that is no longer significant with the varieties of technological media.
The evaluation of 21
st
century skills at Renaissance High is based on student achievement
in the quality and professionalism of student work. This level of work is showcased twice a
year; in the fall there is a student exhibition day and in the spring there is a presentation of
learning. For both events students present projects with the intention that the project will live
somewhere within the school. From the quality of student work produced teachers are able to
internally measure quality projects. This also allows the school to come to a consensus about
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what a quality project is and establish standards of expectations. For students the work becomes
an artifact as to who they are as a student for the year.
Mulberry High evaluates 21
st
century skills through student learning when projects are
presented. Civic and community leaders are invited to the school to evaluate the projects
alongside the teachers. In addition to student presentations, Mulberry High has its students
complete a survey about relevancy, learning, and student engagement. The results are discussed
in small learning communities (SLC) and professional learning communities (PLC). A third
form used to evaluate 21
st
century skills learning at Mulberry High is student performance on
college readiness assessments. Mulberry High began Common Core State Standards
implementation in English its opening year. There was never a focus on CST performance.
Instead the staff looked at the performance on college indicators such as the SAT and ACT.
Current student performance at Mulberry High exceeds the state average on the ACT.
Trail Blazer High’s student evaluation of 21
st
century skills focuses on college and career
readiness. The school performs the highest of the high schools in its district on CST. It is the
only school that takes the College and Work Readiness Assessment (CWRA). The CWRA is an
online assessment that includes performance tasks that presents an engaging, real-world situation
with supporting documents. Students are asked to evaluate the scenario using the information
provided. The task questions evaluate students’ ability to reason, read critically and assess
information, and critique faulty arguments. This assessment is administered to ninth and twelfth
grade students.
East Intermediate monitors the implementation of 21
st
century skills through formative
assessments that its teachers have created to coincide with CCSS. There is a pre-test to show
where students are prior to instruction. Instruction is delivered, and followed by a post-test. The
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teachers look for students to do well on the post-test. When a student does as good a job as
perceived, teachers re-teach the students. At the end of the re-teach students take an alternate
test or quiz to determine mastery.
Teacher Feedback
It is standard across all of the sites interviewed for this study that oral feedback derived
from leadership meetings and professional development sessions has been an effective
evaluation tool for the implementation of 21
st
century skills learning. In these settings teachers
and teacher leaders are able to address components of the implementation process and discuss
next steps for the school, departments, and grade levels. The conversations in these settings help
inform professional development needs and levels of coaching support to individual teachers.
Response to Research Question Three
How do administrators implement professional development to improve teacher
effectiveness in delivering 21
st
century skills?
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of professional development, participants were
asked to provide examples of professional development topics and handouts, describe teacher
collaboration within grade levels and across disciplines, and inform the researcher regarding the
allocation of resources for professional development and 21
st
century skills implementation. The
21
st
century skills development of use scale is useful for this research question, as it informs the
site administrators which 21
st
century skills require more professional development, monitoring,
and resources.
Allocation of Professional Development Time
The school sites that have implemented 21
st
century skills well, have ensured teachers
receive adequate time to learn and practice skills and strategies in a professional environment
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before introducing the material to the students. Canyon Middle, Mulberry High, Renaissance
High, and Trail Blazer High begin professional development before the opening of school.
Veteran teachers receive between three and five days of professional development. This time
length is standard across the sites. At Renaissance High beginning teachers receive a total of
nine days of summer professional development.
Professional development during the school week varies by school site. Green Meadow
High has monthly professional development focused on teacher collaboration. The leadership
team meets monthly to focus on the vision and goals of the school. An hour is spent weekly in
grade level and disciplinary teams. Resources that have been allocated to the school are for
Common Core preparation.
East Intermediate has professional development every Wednesday for teachers to
collaborate by departments for an hour. Teachers have common preparation periods to complete
lesson plans. Occasionally, the Wednesday professional development session focuses on using
technology to drive instruction. OnPoint, an educational partner, conducts these sessions to
assist the teachers in gaining foundational skills and customize CCSS lessons. The elective
teachers have gone over to Green Meadow High to collaborate on the variety and use of
technology. This dialogue supported the high school to consider what students from East
Intermediate have to look forward to once they matriculate to the Green Meadow High.
The professional development plan at Trail Blazer High is differentiated based on the
teacher’s knowledge of PBL. During the summer there are five days of training. Three days are
devoted to PBL 101 training, a foundational project class, or PBL 201, a more advanced class for
English Language Development, Special Education, and World Languages. Teachers can also
take the eight elements of PBL modules online. Six times per year a PBL instructor teaches the
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cycles through evolved classrooms. Every Wednesday is an early release day dedicated to
professional development.
Teachers at Canyon Middle receive a week of PBL training in the summer. Canyon
Middle also has an early release day every Wednesday. The teacher collaboration sessions are
governed by norms to stop bullying among the adults, and to support quality teaching and adult
learning over seniority. These norms help establish the concept of working well as a team
instead of an individual. The team approach is critical to the success of PBL and the
implementation of 21
st
century skills. The most successful teams work well together. These
teams experience healthy disagreements, but they appreciate the adult feedback to improve
instruction. Canyon Middle principal’s philosophy is that training has to occur often, be
ongoing, and over-resource the level of need. Teachers must have the tools they need in order to
have effective instruction.
Like the other two schools in the district Mulberry High has a weekly early release
Wednesday. During this time the staff may come together or meet in small learning
communities (SLC). When the staff is together, they may still be in smaller cohorts that mix the
three SLCs. The cohorts do internal learning walks to see how other teachers teach and share
ideas about how to improve instruction. The small learning community meetings are facilitated
by one of the three coaches. Each coach is assigned to a community, which affords the
administrators the opportunity to attend the meetings as participants instead of facilitators.
Within the SLC, the professional learning community (PLC) has a prep period every day. In the
PLC meetings the teachers discuss discipline within the SLC, designing assessments, and how to
effectively work with groups of students. Professional development at Mulberry High does not
always happen at the same time. It will occur on Tuesday or Wednesday depending on the
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modified block schedule. The theme is the same for everyone; by the end of the day Wednesday
everyone will have had the same training.
Changing Mindset
There is a consensus that to transform from the 20
th
century way of thinking to the 21
st

century skills learning pedagogy, there has to be a change in the mindset of the teacher to invoke
a transformation in learning by the students. Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset Transformation has
been used in three of the schools to provide a discussion forum during professional development
sessions. Consequently developing a deeper learning mindset around learning how to learn, like
agility and adaptability. The administrators agree that the teachers have to change the way they
view teaching and instruction in order for students to change the way they learn. The
professional development on mindset is introduced with the work of Carol Dweck and the team
of Nancy Frey and Douglas Fisher. Mulberry High also uses the article The Effort Effect by
Marina Krakovsky who references the work of Dweck. The work on mindset is essential to
instructional changes that occur in individual classrooms as teachers get over the fear of teaching
with technology and being the single person that delivers learning to students. In the 21
st

century, students have to be empowered to learn on their own and present their learning. Based
on the results of the learning and changes in technology, students will have to relearn
information. This is the agility and adaptability component of 21
st
century skills learning that
moves teachers and students away from a fixed mindset. The mindset shift requires teachers to
create lessons on Bloom’s Taxonomy higher levels of thinking where students interpret learning,
synthesize it and apply the information to real world situations.
The mindset spectrum will always be differentiated based on teacher comfort level and
whether they are convinced that what they are being asked to do will work. Mulberry High
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principal classifies teachers in three categories of: implementers, lagers, or adopters. The lagers
can move to become adopters or implementers with adequate information and training.
The administrator of Renaissance High does not focus on a change in mindset as much as
teachers possessing the passion to teach. Since Renaissance High is a charter organization the
idea of changing a mindset often means changing the working environment. At Renaissance
High the focus is on teachers who are passionate and reflective. When teachers are reflective
they question their teaching practices. The reflective practice along with being interested in
equity for students will lead to a change in mindset.
Resources
Technology is one of the driving forces of 21
st
century skills implementation. It is
incumbent upon the district to ensure that the schools have the appropriate types and levels of
technology to support teacher learning, teacher teaching, student learning, and parent learning.
Of all the sites interviewed no one was responsible for securing technological media outside of a
district plan or district facilitated partnership. In the “bring your own device” schools, the
district has a plan for all schools if a family does not have the physical device or monetary
resources to provide it for the student.
Project-based learning is the catalyst for 21
st
century skills implementation in four of the
six schools. The district and charter organization fully support the implementation of PBL with
ongoing professional development and on site coaches. In the school district the coaches are
built into the plan as a necessary resource that the community partner will help fund if the school
categorical budget does not support the position.
In the remaining two schools that do not use PBL as the foundation for 21
st
century skills
implementation, fiscal resources are being used to support the implementation of CCSS. The
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administrators indicate that Common Core State Standards will be the entry point to drive further
implementation of 21
st
century learning skills.
Summary and Discussion of Findings
Administrators found it difficult to rank the implementation of 21
st
century skills learning
across the school. One reason is that it varies by teacher, grade level, or disciplinary team and
the teachers’ belief about lesson delivery and student achievement. The Renaissance High
administrator believes that the school is truly at renewal due to the way it thinks about teaching
and learning, and they are always looking for the next best tool for student achievement. The
performance indicators are seen as a circle where information is tested, tried, and improved
upon.
Concurrently monitoring basic skills and foundational learning while requiring students
to think about the application, synthesis, and presentation aspect of learning has presented a
challenge for all sites. Basic skills can be met within the context of a project or problem. In the
cases where it is not and the students need additional support, teachers and administrators enlist
the assistance of other students through peer tutoring programs, teacher tutorials, and online
learning software or websites.
Among the sites studied 21
st
century skills have been implemented most successfully
with technology or PBL at the core. For math courses PBL did not have a high impact of
relevancy; PrBL was implemented at Mulberry High for math. New Tech Network and the Buck
Institute for Education provide professional development for PBL and PrBL. It is noteworthy
that Renaissance High lost 50% of its teachers in the first year because they were figuring out
how effective project-based learning was demonstrated by teachers and presented to students.
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The Seven Survival Skills are embedded into learning within these schools based on the
type of learning tasks that are being asked of the students. With the exception of Renaissance
High, Mulberry High, Canyon Middle, and Trail Blazer High there is not a clear indication as to
which skills are the focus in the schools. Three sites are a part of a 21
st
century learning district
that explicitly focuses on the four Cs: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and
creativity. The four Cs are orally communicated by the administrators to all stakeholders and
visitors; they are also found on each school’s website. Administrators understand the meaning of
the skills and what they look like in teacher presentation and student learning.
Green Meadow High has identified Common Core State Standards as the tool for 21
st

century skills implementation. There is no evidence of a prior systematic implementation
throughout the school. The principal indicates that implementation has happened by individual
teachers in a happenstance manner. He indicates through evidence acquired from standardized
and benchmark assessments, the students who are taught by teachers who have implemented
some level of 21
st
century skills perform better than the students where teachers have not. The
site leadership team is working on an implementation plan for all teachers to follow
systematically that weaves the implementation of CCSS and 21
st
century learning skills. The
principal describes the systematic implementation as taking 21
st
century skills to the next level.
When reporting alterations to the curriculum the administrators reported that critical
thinking and problem solving was the areas of most concern. To make the transition, Mulberry
High moved away from the focus on CST to focus on college indicators as measured by
assessments like the SAT and ACT. In a similar manner East Intermediate is in the process of
rewriting its district benchmarks to align with Common Core State Standards. East Intermediate
has also implemented a new Social Studies Curriculum to move from memorization to
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interpreting and reenacting historical events, debate, and online research. Renaissance High
examines the quality and growth of student work at the end of a project. The results are telling
during the fall exhibition and the spring presentation of learning. Canyon Middle has not
monitored student achievement through critical thinking. The staff made the decision to wait for
CASPP, the assessment developed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. The
principal believes Canyon Middle’s student performance will be ahead of the district when
CASPP is administered.
All of the schools have a positive culture; there are no signs that 21
st
century skills
teaching and learning has contributed to the high staff morale, except at Mulberry High. The
principal at Mulberry High reports that 21
st
century skills learning and the focus on
communication have impacted the school culture for the betterment of the students. The students
intermingle across racial and ethnic lines. No students are sitting alone. An executive from
Pearson Publishing visited the school and reported that, “They came up to me. They shake my
hand. The introduced themselves. They want to know who I am. They gave me eye contact.
They were happy to share about their school and what they loved about being here.” The
principal remarked that it is an element of the school he does not ever want to loose. He reminds
the teachers to build great relationships with kids by supporting them; connecting with them; and
making them feel welcome.
The evaluation of 21
st
skills learning transmits beyond technological media, PBL, and
student projects and presentations. It is also the process of knowing that all students are A – G
compliant with the University of California acceptance requirements, and have the tools to attend
a two or four year college if they desire to do so. Within this process there is the weeding out of
lower level classes for all students and starting the high school experience with courses like
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biology instead of earth science or Integrated Science. Renaissance High has students take
physics in the ninth grade because of the comparability with algebraic concepts. Mulberry High
enrolls ninth graders in biology and offers two forms of chemistry, general chemistry and
Comchem, an environmental approach for students who cannot handle the mathematical quantity
of general Chemistry, in the tenth grade. Students then transition to physics, anatomy, or
physiology. East Intermediate has a strong AVID program that highlights Cornell Note taking
and mandatory grade checks by the parents via the online school website which requires a parent
signature.
Schools that employ PBL had a more thorough implementation of 21
st
century learning
skills. The PBL approach is transformative based on stakeholder knowledge of the necessary
actions in the implementation process.
1. Teachers need the mindset or understanding that PBL is one foundational approach
for delivering 21
st
century skills instruction that will transfer to student 21
st
century
skills learning. This is one avenue to attain global student achievement.
2. The site administrator is a 21
st
century skills visionary and supports the
implementation.
3. The school district or charter organization supports the implementation and allocates
resources for its development.
4. Sufficient and ongoing professional development is provided.
5. Coaches are available to support and help monitor the implementation, provide
professional development, and assist with the creation and development of projects.
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Conclusion
This chapter presented the analysis and discussion of 21
st
century skills implementation
based on the interviews with site and district level administrators, and internal document
analysis. Twenty-first century skills were defined according to the study participants. An
analysis was conducted of the process administrators use to implement 21
st
century learning
skills, evaluate the implementation of 21
st
century learning skills, and provide professional
development to increase teacher effectiveness in lesson deliver. The findings were presented
primarily in a narrative form. Further discussion of the data and recommendations for future
study will be discussed in the next chapter.
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CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSIONS
It has become clear everywhere that the schools we have today will not be able to provide
opportunities to learn what is necessary in the future. The demand for better quality teaching
and learning, and more equitable and efficient education is universal.
— Pasi Sahlberg, 2010

Summary
A critical contemporary issue that continues to plague both business leaders and
educational leaders of post-secondary institutions is the lack of preparation of students with
essential 21
st
century skills. Specifically, there is a concern with the type of students American
schools are producing as research asserts that students leave school unprepared for the demands
of college and career in the domains identified as 21
st
century skills. Tony Wagner and the
Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills have identified skills that students will need in order to
become globally competitive. The purpose of this study was to gain insight on how The Seven
Survival Skills identified by Wagner and the multilingualism skill identified in the framework
presented by the Partnership for 21
st
Century Skills are currently being implemented in schools
through the lenses of school administrators.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 prohibited the United
States from having a national curriculum. In its latest reauthorization of the ESEA, No Child
Left Behind (NCLB) proposed that all students achieve grade level proficiency by the year 2014.
Currently there has not been a revision to the reauthorization as NCLB sunsets. The closest
document to nationalizing a curriculum or standards in the United States has been the Common
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Core Standards sponsored by The Governor’s Alliance. Forty-five states have adopted Common
Core Standards since 2010. Common Core standards have some 21
st
century skills embedded
within them. The primary purpose of the standards is to provide states with a consistent
framework for college and career readiness.
Other countries have made education a national priority working toward a solution with
other divisions of government. As the United States addresses education independent of any
other domain of life there has to be a level of uniformity that all states and territories ascribe to,
not because you are willing, but because it is good for the future of America.
The researcher aimed to examine the implementation of 21
st
century skill learning in
secondary schools and the process that school site administrators used to do so. The researcher
found that in the six schools studied that 21
st
century skills were implemented via a technology
media foundation, project-based learning, or both. The school that attempted to implement 21
st

century skills without using either of these approaches was not successful.
Purpose of the Study
The study aimed to examine the implementation 21
st
century skills in secondary schools
while demonstrating growth or maintenance on standardized assessments as measured by API
that will enable students to be college and career ready after the completion of high school. The
researcher identified schools where 21
st
century skill learning had been implemented, and student
achievement was increasing or maintained. The study further intended to communicate the
process that school site administrators used to implement 21
st
century learning skills and to
create an implementation plan that schools can use as students continue to learn foundational
skills and meet the proficiency requirements as measured by state standardized assessments
while becoming globally competitive.
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Implementation Plan
The implementation of 21
st
century skill learning is possible in other secondary schools
based on the data collected by the researcher. The researcher found that the instruments used to
implement 21
st
century skill learning are within the scope of the average school site. The
following plan outlines steps other school districts and site administrators can take in order to
transfer 21
st
century skill learning into their learning institutions. Twenty-first century skills can
be implemented by individual teachers, grade levels, departments, schools, or at the district level.
As found in the research, the best results are achieved when the directive come from the district
to implement 21
st
century skill learning. District level mandates provide a system of
accountability and more resources than a single school site can afford.
Step 1: The district or school must establish a definition of 21
st
skills based on a
framework that will be used. The definition must be established at the highest level of 21
st

century skill introduction so that all of the stakeholders within the organization have knowledge
of, and present the same definition and information to, the community and visitors. Refer to
Chapter 2 for 21
st
century skill frameworks that are research based. Identify the medium through
which 21
st
century skill learning will be introduced. The schools in the study have used
technology or project-based learning as entry points. Identify the material resource and
professional development needs of the school, based on the type of medium for the
implementation and the existing knowledge of the staff. Make an early decision if persons at the
school, within the district, or an outside agency, will lead the professional development sessions.
When persons at the district level or an outside agency conduct the professional development,
determine whether teachers or coaches from the school will be trained to monitor and provide
supplemental sessions for the staff.
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Step 2: Understand the teaching staff and their learning needs. It is not always feasible
to transfer in or hire new teachers; it is necessary to solidify a teaching staff that understands the
direction of the school and the learning needs of the students. To assist in this process prepare a
document for teachers to sign stating the vision, mission, and core values of the school (see
Guiding Principles document in Appendix B).
Have a plan for transitioning a veteran staff. Teachers may already have the skills to
support the academic focus of the school or they may have the passion to learn in order to obtain
the skills. Inquire about teachers’ current philosophy around teaching and learning through a
survey and focused discussions if interviews are not a possibility. Continue dialogue with the
teachers about the implementation of 21
st
century skills and why it is necessary. Have
conversations about the mindset transformation that is necessary and the changes that are
required to convert student thinking and the way the students work. It is essential that the staff
has the frame of mind to acquire the skills and training that is vital to transform student
achievement.
Step 3: Phase three focuses on identifying the curricular program that will be used to put
21
st
century skill learning into practice. Based on the research gathered it is effectively done via
project-based learning and technological media. The first approach explained is PBL and PrBL.
This approach to 21
st
century skill learning has been implemented with a significant amount of
professional development before the teachers assign a project in the classroom to students. It is
beneficial when teachers plan and present a project to colleagues prior to assigning a project to
students. This task provides experience and critical feedback. The Buck Institute for Education
and New Tech Network are two sources that have effectively been used by study to lead the PBL
learning in the schools and district.
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The project or problem is based on a learning-standard and an issue in society that can be
solved through a variety of practical methods. Students will work in collaborative teams of two
to four participants researching information to solve the problem. At the onset of the project
students complete a project-planning sheet that summarizes the key points in the project. A
timeline may be part of this process. The teacher delivers direct instruction at various stages
over the weeks of the project. At least one of the lessons contains information that will benefit
the research of the different collaborative groups. The caveat is although students work
collaboratively on the project, they receive individual grades based on their research and
presentation. Throughout the project, the teacher observes how the students work in their
collaborative teams and has mid-project check-in dates. At the end of the project or problem
students share the process of the work and their solutions.
When technology is the foundation of 21
st
century learning, decisions are made for
students to experience learning in as many content areas as possible via multiple technological
devices. This includes having digital textbooks and completing fewer assignments using the
pencil and paper method. Teachers use devices such as Mimio touch boards, Smart Boards,
LCD projectors, and computers or tablets to disseminate and collect student assignments.
Grades and assignments are posted on the Internet. In many instances schools have developed
paperless systems in which students submit assignments via email or programs such as Google
Docs. Teachers grade assignments in this system and resubmit them to students online. Parents
monitor student progress and communicate with teachers through a reputable parent portal.
Since technology is an expensive resource, consideration needs to be given to what type of
devices will be purchased and an expenditure timeline should be established.
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Step 4: The usage of PBL/PrBL and technology is not achieved without an enormous
amount of professional development. Professional development needs to be continuous and
ongoing. At times instead of presenting information the administrator needs to be available to
hear the teacher needs and concerns. Listening to the teachers will allow for effective future
planning and professional development sessions. As part of the professional development
process the staff needs to engage in discussions around research about the practice that is being
implemented.
A significant part of the professional development should include transformation
mindset. Twenty-first century skills learning disrupts the way teachers have previously taught
and students have learned. In some instances, both populations are moving from lower level
Bloom’s Taxonomy questioning to higher level thinking accompanied by relevance and
application to real life situations. Students are being asked to perform on tasks and transfer the
acquired knowledge to similar situations. For these reasons, it is crucial for the staff to come
into the same mindset in order to bolster change within the targeted student population.
Teacher collaboration and meetings in professional and small learning communities
provide smaller settings for grade levels and disciplines to collaborate, question, and provide
feedback in order to advance student achievement.
Step 5: Twenty-first century skill learning is currently measured through standardized
assessment and qualitative measures. The primary standardized assessment is the College and
Work Readiness Assessment (CWRA) that provides performance tasks and 25 selected response
items. Schools in the study have also used the results from students’ performance on the college
readiness assessments ACT and SAT.
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Qualitative measures occur more frequently by administrators engaging the staff and
students in discussions about teaching and learning around technology and PBL. During an early
implementation this should be done at least once a month in case adjustments in professional
development or teaching are necessary. Another qualitative method monitors the progression of
student work in the product and presentation of projects. In this manner the teachers and
administrator examine the sequence of student work. The goal is for the student to
independently show growth over time as measured by project product and presentation according
to observation and a scoring rubric.
This implementation plan is a suggestion based on the data collected in the study.
Schools should make adaptations to the plan according to the needs of their teacher and student
populations. This implementation plan is a guide for schools who want to implement 21
st

century skill learning to have a research-based resource derived from schools that have been
successful in the process.
Recommendations for Future Research
This study provided a plan to assist secondary schools in the implementation of 21
st

century skills in order for American students to increase their competiveness in the global
marketplace. Since the study was conducted during the era of No Child Left Behind for school
and district accountability, additionally research may be necessary to further understand the need
of 21
st
century skills in secondary schools and to ensure that students in the United States are
college and career ready upon graduation. Future research needs:
1. A study that intertwines the implementation of Common Core State Standards and
21
st
century learning skills.
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2. What is the impact Common Core State Standards will have on the direction of 21
st

century skill learning? Some 21
st
century skills are embedded in Common Core State
Standards.
3. A look at longitudinal data from 21
st
century learning high schools, to synthesize the
selected college majors of students who attended 21
st
century high schools.
4. How will 21
st
century skill learning impact the United States on international
assessments? The current performance on PISA ranks the United States beyond the
10 highest performing countries.
5. The high school graduation rate of students at 21
st
century learning sites in
comparison to non-21
st
century learning sites to assist in determining the
effectiveness of the competencies.
6. A look at longitudinal data from 21
st
century learning high schools to synthesize how
many students attend the university.
7. Will students who engage in 21
st
century skill learning become better citizens due to
the learning that they have engaged in and the interactions with relevant life
situations?
8. What benefit does 21
st
century skill learning provide for all students regardless of
ability and post secondary expectancy?
9. Will American companies began to re-invest in the job market or continue to
outsource jobs to other countries regardless of the United States citizen skill level?
The current skill level has been identified as a reason to export jobs to other countries
leaving an increased number of Americans unemployed.
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10. Do schools in the United States have the resources capacity to close the global
achievement gap?
11. Are teachers in the United States being adequately trained to teach 21
st
century skills?
Have teacher certification institutions changed the certification programs to align with
the demands of education?
12. Will parents of all socio-economic backgrounds support schools in the
implementation process?
13. How important is multilingualism as students enter the world of work? Job
applications have a space to indicate additional languages that have been acquired.
Implications
Based on the information gathered from the schools in the study and a review of the
literature it is plausible for schools to successfully embed 21
st
century skills into the curriculum.
Twenty-first century skill learning will transform education from a system of fact regurgitation
to one of authentic performance. Project-based learning and technological media are appropriate
pathways to implement 21
st
century skill learning and enhance student creativity and innovation.
These methods of learning allow students to exhibit a variety of skills while bringing passion,
ingenuity, and inventiveness to the learning environment. Through collaboration with fellow
students, students will have learned how to work in teams becoming more adaptable and agile
under complex conditions. As more schools throughout the United States begin to implement
21
st
century skill learning, the prospect of students across the United States receiving an
equitable education is more likely regardless of socio-economic status.
The secondary education system will operate in conjunction with colleges and businesses
ensuring that students are ready for either path upon graduation. The role of the secondary
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teacher will shift from dispensing standards based information they believe students need to
know or are capable of learning. The teacher will become a facilitator, guiding student learning.
The presentation of lessons will allow students to research problems from a variety of sources
and demonstrate scholarship in an authentic mode. This active approach to learning will increase
student engagement transforming education. The adaptation in instruction has the capacity to
narrow the achievement gap among American students and the global achievement gap wherein
its international counterparts have consistently outperformed the United States.
Through 21
st
century skill learning American students will acquire the proficiencies that
business leaders seek in employees alleviating the need for companies to outsource jobs to other
countries. United States citizens will have the knowledge and skill capacity to complete the
work themselves effectively and efficiently rendering them more marketable. American citizens
will be able to acquire work in other countries based on their skill competencies and multilingual
aptitude. The study provided two mediums for schools to successfully achieve this feat.
Limitations
Besides the commonplace limitations found in a qualitative study, some specific study
limitations exist. Working with site administrators to acquire the necessary internal documents
for analysis in a timely manner posed a threat to data triangulation. Because only six sites were
studied and the implementation process varied across the sites, generalizations to a specific
process for 21
st
century skill implementation could not be verified. The definition of 21
st
century
skills remains objective based on the defining organization. The scope of skills identified as 21
st

century skills remains wide, as various frameworks exist with slightly different perspectives.
THE PROCESS SECONDARY ADMINISTRATORS USE

104
A subjective standardized instrument is not extensively used to determine the benefit of
21
st
century skill learning through a quantitative method. The evaluation of 21
st
century skill
learning remains somewhat subjective.
The transition to Common Core State Standards will have an impact on the rate and
manner schools and districts will implement 21
st
century skills. Since some 21
st
century skills
are embedded in Common Core standards it is possible that only those skills will be addressed.
Conclusion
This study adds to the existing body of literature relevant to the importance of 21
st

century skills in education to advance the United States economy. It further aimed to identify a
method through which American citizens could learn and relearn the skills necessary for global
competiveness during the secondary educational years. The study examined the importance of
21
st
century skill learning for students to be college and career ready. The research and data
collected in this qualitative study provide a plan for other schools that aspire to implement 21
st

century skills. This study has shown that in cases where school districts support 21
st
century
skill learning procedurally and with resources, financial and physical, the implementation is
more apt to occur. Twenty-first century skills are beneficial for all students to reach their full
potential as learners in an ever-changing world.
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105
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APPENDIX A
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
1. How do you define 21s century skills?

2. Twenty-first century skills are not typically implemented at the same rate and can
therefore be in different stages of development. This survey is designed for the
interviewee to indentify the stage of implementation for each skill. Some skills may be in
the same stage. Check the appropriate box that corresponds with the stage where you
believe your staff is in the 21
st
century skill implementation process. There is a definition
legend below to assist in defining the stage.

21
st
Century Skill Renewal Integration Refinement Routine Mechanical Preparation Orientation
No
Use
Critical Thinking & Problem
Solving

Collaboration Across Networks &
Leading by Influence

Agility and Adaptability
Written & Oral Communication
Accessing & Analyzing Information
Curiosity & Imagination
Initiative & Entrepreneurialism
Multilingualism

Levels of Use of the 21
st
Century Skills: Typical Behaviors

Level of Use Behavioral Indicators of Level
Renewal The user is seeking more effective alternatives to the established use of the innovation.
Integration The user is making deliberate efforts to coordinate with others in using the innovation.
Refinement The user is making changes to increase outcomes.
Routine The user is making few or no changes and has an established pattern of use.
Mechanical The user is making changes to better organize use of the innovation.
Preparation The user has definite plans to begin using the innovation.
Orientation The user is taking the initiative to learn more about the innovation.
Non-Use The user has no interest, is taking no action.
Adapted from CBAM (National Academy of Sciences, 2005)
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3. Were the skills with the highest ranking implemented before the others with less use?

4. How were 21
st
century skills implemented at your site?

5. Were stakeholders prepared prior to the implementation?

6. Were there any challenges transferring the mindset of the teachers from 20
th
century
learning pedagogy to 21
st
century skill learning?

7. Did you establish a timeline or set goals for skills to get implemented? Explain.

8. Describe the impact of 21
st
century skill teaching has had on student achievement?

9. What does lesson delivery, generally, look like or include throughout the disciplines?

10. Describe the connection between 21
st
century skills and upper level Bloom’s instruction?

11. What alterations or additions in the curriculum have been made to prepare students to be
[more] college and career ready?

12. Provide examples of professional development topics and/or sessions based on 21
st

century skill learning.

13. Describe teacher collaboration within grade levels and disciplines.

14. What is the culture of the school?

15. Are specific resources allocated for the implementation of 21
st
century skills?

16. How is achievement monitored around the goals that you establish for 21
st
century skills?

17. What knowledge and skills do you believe students in your school should possess upon
their graduation?

18. How do you collect feedback regarding the implementation of 21
st
century skills in the
curricular program?

19. With a 21
st
century skill based curriculum, how do you ensure that basic skills are met?
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APPENDIX B
MULBERRY HIGH TEACHING AND LEARNING CULTURE
A GUIDING PRINCIPLES DOCUMENT
I support and embrace a collaborative environment that allows staff to work together to
improve instructional practice and student learning through common formative assessment, data
analysis, common grading practice, peer observation and mutually established goals for our
learning community. I will be a supportive and productive member of my learning team.
I respect and support positive relationships as the basis for fostering our school culture as
well as supporting students learning and students social emotional needs. I will model the
behavior I expect to see from others. I will treat others the way I expect to be treated myself.
I support smaller learning community’s, collaborative practice, 21
st
century learning and
teaching strategies, college and career readiness, leveled English Language development for all
identified students, academic and behavioral intervention programs, along with other best
instructional practice methods.
I will problem solve and resolve issues by going directly to the person with a positive
attitude. My goals will be to resolve issues in a mutually beneficial manner that supports our
continued supportive relationship. I will seek first to understand; then to be understood.
I support consensus as the model of decision making within the Mulberry High
community. I accept the following definition of consensus. “We arrive at consensus when al
points of view have been heard, and the will of the group is evident – even to those who oppose
it.” I will follow this definition and I will support consensus when it is established. (When
voting is required by the contract then we will follow that model.)
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115
I support the following initial operating norms: Trust, Preparation, Participation,
Confidentiality, Professionalism, Acknowledge the contributions of others, Accept that success
is dependent on how well the group works together – not on individual activities.
I am in alignment with Mulberry High’s core values of relationships, relevance, and
achievement. These are the cornerstones to our collective work.
These guiding principles are the basis for future development of our collective teaching
and learning culture at Mulberry High. This is a working document that will document and
make collective revisions. The request of a signature is a symbolic act that you are choosing to
professionally support an environment that focuses on best practices for student learning.

____________________________________ _____/____/_____
Print Name Date

____________________________________
Signature

Abstract (if available)

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the process used to implement 21st century skills in secondary schools by secondary school administrators. The rationale of the study was to document how secondary schools implemented 21st century skills according to Tony Wagner’s framework, the Seven Survival Skills, and the multilingualism component of the Partnership for 21st Century Learning’s framework, in order to prepare students in the United States to compete in a global society. This study used a qualitative research approach to analyze: 1) how school administrators ranked the implementation of 21st century skills through a behavioral indicator performance task, 2) the system established by the secondary school administrators in implementing 21st century skills, 3) the evaluation process secondary administrators used to evaluate the implementation of 21st century skills, 4) the types of professional development provided to teachers in order for them to successfully implement 21st century skills inside the classroom, and 5) to provide a framework for schools aspiring to implement 21st century skills. The researcher interviewed six secondary school administrators and evaluated internal documents distributed to the school staff, students, and parent community. For the purpose of this study the researcher identified six secondary schools with an API of 700 or greater, as measured by California’s standardized assessment, that had begun to implement 21st century skills learning. The data was analyzed by comparing the interview responses with the internal documents collected from the school sites in order to determine the degree of validity and discrepancies in the research. The data was examined within the school sites and across school sites to consider similarities and differences in implementation patterns. The study findings denoted that technology and project‐based learning are the most frequently used methods for implementing 21st century skills in secondary schools.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Pearson, Synee D. (author)

Core Title The process secondary administrators use to implement twenty‐first century learning skills in secondary schools

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Education (Leadership)

Publication Date 04/17/2014

Defense Date 02/24/2014

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

Tag 21st century learning,21st century skills,collaboration,Communication,creativity,critical thinking and problem solving,global marketplace,OAI-PMH Harvest,project-based learning,seven survival skills,Technology

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Advisor García, Pedro Enrique (committee chair), Castruita, Rudy Max (committee member), Strunk, Katharine O. (committee member)

Creator Email chokprincess@yahoo.com,spearson@usc.edu

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