INTRODUCTION SUMMARY

Information taken from Blackboard Wiki

Creators: Cassidy Grist, Jessica Veysey, Danielle Busby, & Tara Brackin
One of the most challenging difficulties facing educators in the 21st century is knowing how to
effectively motivate and engage students. The answer lies within uncovering the individual
passions of our students. Utilizing learning through passion allows teachers to create engaging
and motivating learning paths unique to the learner as students get to apply and explore content
within a context that most interest them.

While many teachers have begun to believe that students are no longer learning or have short
attention spans, the reality is much different. Students are learning. However, they are not
learning the way many of their teachers did years prior. Today, most of student learning comes
from things that happen after school rather than during school. Students are learning and
teaching themselves through technology and other things relevant in their lives. Students are
teaching themselves because they are driven by their own passions.
As far as students' attention spans, they have not necessarily become shorter. In fact, their
capability to pay attention hasn't changed at all. Their needs, however, have. With today's
technological society, students have depended upon things that interest them and things that do

not treat them as a part of a whole. Today's students need individualization, along with
differentiation and personalization.
Therefore, teachers may ask themselves, do these students need school and teachers? Students
do still need school, and they always will. They will also always need teachers, just in a
different way that most teachers needed and depended on their teachers back in the day.
Teachers still have a lot to offer their students, as do students have a lot to offer their teachers.
The main concern of students is that teachers and students think so differently. The main issue,
however, is that teachers are not delivering what students need how they need it.
According to students, they do think about school and what they want from it. For instance, a
survey shows that while students do not want to be lectured to, they do want to create using the
tools of their time. Students also want to be trusted and respected and have their opinions
valued. They want to follow their interests and passions and make decisions and share control.
Students want to collaborate and work with their peers on projects and group work; however,
they do not want to allow the slackers of their group to get a free ride. They want to connect
with these peers and have legitimate discussions and express their opinions. But mainly,
students want an education that is real and relevant.
While students of today do want to learn differently than previous generations, they want to
learn in ways that are important and meaningful for them. Today's students want to be able to
see themselves that the work they are putting in is paying off. Today's students are aware of the
ever-changing world. They realize that it is different than what it used to be. Teachers need to
focus on making sure students live in the future but understand and respect the past. This is
where partnering comes into play.
When teachers think of today's students, one of their main concerns is technology. Teachers,
especially digital immigrants, see the technologically advanced world today and worry about
how to utilize technology in education. Many teachers struggle with technology in the
classroom and wonder how to use it in the classroom in a way that will benefit and be
meaningful to the students. This is a legitimate concern. The way technology is used in the

classroom can be of benefit or can be a hindrance in the learning process. However, this
shouldn't discourage teachers... Many teachers that have concerns are doing everything they can
think of to learn how to use technology in the classroom. The best teachers can do to be
successful at using technology is not learning how to use the technology themselves. All
teachers need to do is to understand that technology can and should be used by students to
enhance their learning. In a partnering pedagogy, students and teachers have specific roles and
jobs pertaining to technology among other things. Using technology is the students' job, not the
teachers'. The teacher plays an important role in this by guiding the use of technology and
making sure that it is effective and beneficial to the students.
As discussed earlier, students want their education to be relevant and real. Not only do they
want this, they expect it. Students are so used to applying their after school knowledge
immediately and they want their in-school learning to be the same way. Students need to be
motivated to learn in school. Student motivation has changed over the years as well, and
discipline is no longer the most effective motivator. Teachers are advised to use students'
interests and passions for motivation. Passion is a natural driver that causes students to learn
and perform beyond expectations, and material learned through passion is retained. All students
have different passions, and while teachers should try to open students' minds to new ideas, they
should understand that most students have already found their passion-- they have found what
makes them tick. Teachers need to encourage students to find their passion (if they have yet to
find it) because students' passions can be the key to student learning. Teachers also need to try
to understand their students' passions on a deep level so they can help their students learn by
offering them individualized paths to success based on their passions. This is and should be
every teacher's goal.
Teachers need to understand that the familiar world they grew up in is completely different now
and most students do not know what it's like to live in a world with such slow change.
Curriculum needs to be taught to fit the ever-changing world that we live in today. Therefore,
teachers need to teach looking ahead into the future. Some teachers have a hard time figuring
out how to deal with this and how to relate to students today. Strategies that were once used no

longer have the same effect that they used to. Many teachers-- old and new-- have questions
about how to go about teaching today's students in a way that will be relevant, real, and
beneficial to them.
This book discusses partnering as a pedagogy that can answer these questions. It focuses on
partnering and all of the aspects of it. While this may be a different approach than some teachers
may be used to, it addresses the needs of today's students and how to fulfill them. Partnering in
full will be discussed later.

Additional Links:
Marc Prensky (author of "Teaching Digital Natives") - Video on Technology
Marc Prensky- Education as Rocket Science (A new metaphor)

CHAPTER 1 SUMMARY
Todays methods of teaching are quickly becoming outdated and ineffective as direct instruction
fails to capture the attention of tuned out students. While lectures, presentations, and long
winded explanations used to be the educational norm, todays students are no longer listening.
Todays students want to create, collaborate, and connect within an environment of mutual
respect. If we as educators hope to reach these 21 century students we are going to have to think
outside of the box, conceptualizing learning with an innovative approach. This means
redefining the roles of both teachers and students. It involves implementing curriculum that
requires higher order thinking and incorporates technology, creativity, and collaboration within
the classroom.
Accomplishing this requires teachers to appreciate their students for who they are versus
perceiving them as replicated versions of past generations. 21st century learners are unique as
they are developing intellectually faster than any previous generation. This is the result of early
and frequent exposure to advancing technologies such as the Internet and complex digital
gaming, allowing children to explore problem solving strategies applicable to real word issues.
This is especially useful as students face an uncertain future. They must be prepared to adapt
and critically solve a wide range of potential problems as they arise.
And so while seeing students differently is both necessary and possible, it entails being openminded and devoting the time to properly assess our students individual skills, needs, and
potential. In addition to seeing our students differently, it is essential to foster an environment of
mutual respect. This respect can be developed through one on one assessment and demonstrates
sincerity. Showing students that you value them as individuals with unique skills and needs
rather than one of many within your class or group.
Partnering is a large part of the process. Partnering can be defined as the 21st century way of
students and teachers working together to create and ensure student learning. There are specific

jobs both students and teachers have in the process. Students, for example, need to focus on
using new tools and resources, finding information, making meaning, and creating. Teachers, on
the other hand, need to focus on questioning, coaching and guiding, providing context, ensuring
rigor and meaning, and ensuring quality results.
Direct instruction is becoming ineffective in today's schools. Students complain that too many
teachers just talk and talk. Instead of direct instruction, today's students find discussions, group
work, sharing their ideas, and hearing the ideas of their peers most engaging. Students also
enjoy being able to use technology in education. However, the main things all of the students
want is to be respected and valued by their teachers and viewed as an individual.
Today's teachers need to understand that today's students have huge potential. Some teachers
feel that students today are less capable of learning than students in the past. However, this is
not true. Just because students of the 21st century may learn differently does not mean they are
less capable. In fact, today's students are going further than many students in the past. 21st
century students are compared to rockets, whereas past students were considered trains on
tracks. In order to help today's students reach their full potential, educators must help fuel
students' rockets and not treat them as if they're trains. Students have changed a lot over the past
years, but their capabilities have not diminished in any way. Along with helping the rockets
blast off, teachers' number one concern should be installing ethical behavior in their students.
Ethical behavior can be described as the ability to figure out the right thing to do and how to get
it done.
Partnering in education, as discussed earlier, means allowing students and teachers to focus on
the parts of the learning process they each can do best. Both students and teachers have
responsibilities in partnering. The students' primary responsibilities are: finding their passion
and following it, using available technology, researching and retrieving information, answering
questions and sharing their answers and opinions, practicing when motivated, and creating
multimedia and text presentations. Teachers are responsible for: creating the right questions and
asking them, guiding students, putting material in context, explaining one-on-one, creating

rigor, and ensuring quality. The partnering pedagogy is a completely different approach than
what one is used to. For instance, it is completely opposite of teaching by telling. In partnering,
the teacher should do no telling at all to the whole class. In a partnering pedagogy, teachers
shouldn't lecture. They should instead give students questions that need to be answered.
Students then use these questions and research, either alone or with their peers, to find answers.
They should also make hypothesis and create presentations. These presentations can be shared
with the class and looked over by the teacher and classmates to evaluate the accurateness,
context, rigor, and quality. Students learn the content because they find the information they
need to know by researching and answering the questions.

Partnering is not a new concept. There are many things that carry the same meaning as
partnering, such as: problem-based learning, case-based learning, student-centered learning,
project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, active learning, constructivism (coconstructing), and learning by doing. John Dewey is one of the foundation theorists for this
pedagogy even though it has probably been used for many and many of years before.
In a partnering pedagogy, students are researchers. Instead of teachers telling students the

information they need to know, they require them to do research and find it out for themselves.
Students are also technology users and experts in the partnering pedagogy. This is often a fun
role for students because technology is such a large part of their lives. Students usually use as
much technology as they possibly can. They are also thinkers and sense makers. While all
students (even in years past) think, it's not the preferred type of thinking that students are
encouraged and expected to do in a partnering pedagogy. In a partnering pedagogy, students are
expected to think more critically and logically because it's their role. They also take on the role
of a world changer and should know that the knowledge they learn in school can be used to
positively affect the world. Students are also self-teachers. 21st century students teach
themselves all of the time by conducting their own research such as searching a question on
google, reading books, or asking others. This doesn't mean that teachers aren't needed, but it
does emphasize that students learn a great deal on their own.
Partnering teachers take on the roles of facilitators, coaches, and guides. This is different than
the way many teachers were in the past. Teachers help students individually (as much as
possible) in a partnering pedagogy to help provide students with the individualized education
that they need. Teachers are also goal setters and questioners. They set learning goals for their
students and guide them how to reach the goals. They also act as questioners which reinforces
the students' role as researchers. In a partnering pedagogy, teachers also take on the role of
learning designers. They must design and plan a learning experience that is beneficial to each
student individually. Partnering teachers are context and rigor providers and quality assurers.
Teachers help students put the researched content into the correct context. They also provide
rigor and assure quality and have high expectations of student work.
Teachers and students aren't the only ones who have roles in partnering. Peers, principals, and
parents also have roles. Peers teach their peers a great deal (peer-to-peer learning) and can
sometimes guide each other in the correct directions. Principals become partners and should
support partnering teachers and accept the pedagogy. They need to be a partner to teachers and
work together to help implement partnering in classrooms and in the school. Parents have a vital
role in a partnering pedagogy as well. Parents play an important role in their child's education

and they need to support partnering in order for it to successfully work. It is their children's job,
however, to show parents how the partnering pedagogy is beneficial to them.
While partnering is new to some teachers, it shouldn't discourage them from trying it. It will
take some time to create a partnering classroom and engage in partnering methodologies, but
teachers and students can learn along the way together and have fun while doing it.

Additional Links:
Tips on Partnering - Marc Prensky (Author of Teaching Digital Natives)

CHAPTER 2 SUMMARY
Effective partnering requires collaborative efforts amongst students and teachers. As a teacher
there are a number of means to facilitate partnering including adapting the way in which you
view your students. Rather than viewing students as merely receivers of knowledge reliant on
you, the teacher, for information, challenge yourself to see them as capable individuals with
their own unique sets of skills. Another means is to transition from a sage on the stage, to a
guide on the side. Instead of relying on lectures, presentations, and lengthy explanations that
give students all of the information find innovative ways of teaching that encourage students to
find the answers and construct their own meaning with you as a guide. Create lessons that
embrace students unique skills and passions while incorporating technology, guiding questions,
and opportunities for authentic application.
Partnering pedagogy allows teachers and students to work together in the learning process.
Instead of teachers standing up and facilitating, the traditional teacher role, they challenge their
students to be equals in the learning process. In doing this, the teacher helps guide the students
and has them become more independent thinkers. This type of learning is hands-on and teaches
students to be creative in their decision-making process. It is important for teachers to talk with
their students instead of standing up in front of a class and tell them. Some examples of talking
with your students is discussing the lesson and questioning them about what they are learning.
This allows for the teacher and the students to work together as partners, which promotes a
more challenging and meaningful learning process. Part of a successful partnering classroom is
the setup. When setting up a classroom to facilitate partnering you should skip the preferred
parallel rows. The desk should not stay in the same position all the time but change to fit the
needs of the students and the activity or lesson they are working on. One suggested arrangement
is the "horseshoe" which has the desk next to each other going around three sides of the room.
This promotes a friendlier partnering environment. Some other ideas for desk arrangement
are: teacher desk in the middle of a circle made from students desks, student desks broken up
into pods or small groups, and a mixed set up that has a combination of two different

arrangements.
There is not just one certain way to teach in a partnering classroom but several different
variations of that can be used when teaching. As a teacher, you should use whichever variation
best suits the situation. One variation is basic partnering. Prensky suggests teachers start with
this variation, in which the teacher ask guided questions and allows the students to work on
their own or in groups. The teacher should ask one or more open-ended questions followed by
several detailed questions. This guides the students into thinking and actively learning. Another
level or variation is guided partnering which is very similar to basic partnering except for it is
more structured. This type of partnering is also called scaffolded partnering. Guided questions
are used as well activities to help students get their answers to the guided questions. The role of
the teacher's also scaffolded. Last is advanced partnering. This type of learning is normally
done over a longer amount of time and with more curricular standards being met. Students get
to face more complex problems.

Additional Links:
Classroom Desk Arrangement Ideas

CHAPTER 3 SUMMARY
An often-overlooked yet indispensable tool in teaching and partnering is passion. Almost
instinctively educators look at students and view them as a class, defining them within the
context of a group. However, they are unique individuals with varied skill sets and dynamic
passions of their own. These passions, if we take the time to uncover them, have the potential to
be a very powerful teaching resource. In devoting time to ask students about their individual
interest you demonstrate a sincere investment in getting to know them as an individual. This is
investment is exceptionally motivating to students as they want you to value both them and
their interest. In addition to being able to better understand and connect with students their
passions can be used to generate engagement and construct differentiated instruction. By linking
students interests with lesson content learning becomes authentic and stimulating. Students are
able to build on prior knowledge, apply learned skills, and form memorable connections with
content.

Passion-based learning utilizes the passions of each student and uses them to come up with the
best possible plan for the education of each student. The most effectual way to learn about
students and find their passions and thoughts is very simple- ask them. It is best for this to be
done individually so that the teachers attention can be focused and the student feels
comfortable opening up them. The information learned should be utilized on a daily basis,
leading to the creation of engaging lesson that will be able to reach each individual student in

some way. Realizing the true passions that the students have can open the eyes of the teacher to
see the interests and aspirations housed inside each student. This can often be a surprising and
eye opening for the teacher. Often, students are far more diverse than their teacher ever
imagined.
The interests of the students can be put to use inside a classroom and prove beneficial to the
teacher. Many times, students are technology gurus, knowing even more about this subject than
their teachers. This fact should be put to use. When issues arise, allow students to develop a
solution. Allow them to become the teacher and learn from them. This in itself is a partnership
inside the classroom. Another key factor in utilizing the passions of the students in the
classroom is iteration, meaning using a method, deciding if it was effective, and changing the
parts that seem ineffective. Doing this makes maintaining the students' interests a priority.
The teacher has many roles in the partnership with their students. They are a coach, always
trying to better their students. They are a guide, leading the students through the wilderness of
learning. They are an instructional expert, using their creativity and knowledge to educate their
class. This category houses sub-categories in a partnering classroom. A teacher is also a
designer, always creating new and interesting ideas. Teachers are questioners, asking students
questions that will lead them in the path of deeper understanding and the desire to learn more.
They are also the context setter, rigor provider, and quality insurer. They make sure students
understand the information they find and have it in the correct context. They must also have the
mindset that no student is "below standard". They must work hard to bring each student to an
appropriate level of understanding and evaluate and critique their work.
The students have many roles also. They are researchers, experimenting and searching for
knowledge. They are technology experts and should be encouraged to use multiple types of
technology in their learning. Students are thinkers, not just listening to information, but thinking
about it in depth and critically. They are world changers, using the information they learn to
change the world. They are also self-teachers. This is an important role that teachers must
prepare their students for as they will use it throughout their life.

Additional Links:
Passion-Based Learning -Ainissa Ramirez

CHAPTER 4 SUMMARY
A common debate among educators focuses on relevant versus real. While sometimes confused
or used interchangeably, the terms have very distinctive definitions. Relevant can best be
understood as relatable to something familiar. This can include popular novels, films,
newspapers, television, local culture or current trends. Whereas the term real is described as
extending past relatable creating opportunities for students to cultivate a personal connection
with what is being taught.

Students have expressed that they want the things they learn in the classroom to be relevant and
real. While relevance is and always will be important, today's students need their education to
be real. Real and relevancy have different meanings as discussed above, and they are both
important in student learning. However, relevant often does not go far enough while real goes
way further and means a lot more. Real provides a connection between the student and what is
being learned. When what students are learning is real, they can directly relate it with how they
are going to use it in the real world.
In order to make sure that education is real, a new perspective is needed. Teachers must dissect
their material and determine how to present it in a way that is not only relevant but real to their
students. Each subject can be made real as well as every lesson in each subject. In order to keep
learning real is to make sure the material is coming from the world of the students. For this one,
teachers need to look at it from the students' perspectives. This is even more successful when
teachers incorporate students' passion. In the partnering pedagogy, partnering can be considered
more real than traditional learning. Traditional classroom learning uses textbooks, workbooks,

etc. made strictly for schools. In partnering, however, new tools that are familiar to students are
emphasized when it comes to gathering and analyzing data or information. For instance, the
Internet is used to retrieve data, which is real to students because it is something they use in
everyday life.
Now poses an important question-- How do we specifically make each subject real? Whether
it's math, language arts, history, science, or even foreign language, the information and material
taught can be real.
History and social studies, for example, can be made real in many ways. One way to connect
the past to students' interests today is by trying to find something to relate the history to in their
lives. For instance, when discussing the American Revolution a teacher should ask him or
herself, What time of revolutions are students living through today? There is many ways history
content can be delivered in a real way, and there is also many ways make student history work
real. Whether it be by simulations, virtual field trips, watching webcams, or even tracing their
heritage and ancestry through websites and software, history work can be real for the students.
Math is a great subject that can be real to the students. Math is used in everyday life, and
teachers should use this to their advantage when teaching math and trying to make it real. The
best way to make math real is to make every problem about something that is actually going on.
Certain examples to use to make math problems real are a current election, a golf tournament,
and a bridge being built. Other things that make math real to students are using the federal
budget and income of actors to complete mathematical problems. Programming is another
important area for making mathematics real. Programming is using math to make a machine,
such as a computer or robot, do what you want it to do. Programming is very important, and it
relates to today's technological world. Students should use programming because machines will
continue to become more powerful in the future. Also, programming is a part of math where
students can see immediate results.
Science is one of the easiest subjects to make real for students since students are constantly

living among it. For instance, students can actually take part in experiments done by real
scientists. Today's students can also collect data that can be added to real databases used by
scientists. Teachers can make science real for students by asking them questions about what
specific things are made of, such as their cell phones. Students should be communicating with
real scientists also. This is a great way to make science content real to students. Students can
communicate with real scientists from around the world by using instant messaging, email,
skype, etc., and they can give students advice or suggestions about projects to do or real
science problems to solve.
English can be made real in many ways. Most of today's generation of students use text to
communicate with others. English teachers can allow their students to become 'translators,'
translating formal English to text talk back to formal English. One reason English is an easy
subject to make real to students is that it's easy to relate activities to student passion. Students
can give speeches, write, read, and share about what they're passionate about, as long as their
teacher allows them to, of course. With the Internet, students can write and publish their own
blogs that can be commented on and critiqued by their classmates. English teachers can actually
allow their students to write real articles pertaining to their passion that can be sent in
and published.

Foreign language is a content area that can be real for students because language is about real
communication that students use every day. Therefore, language should be one of the realest
subjects for students. Students use language to communicate with their friends every day,
whether it be by texting, instant messaging, etc. To make foreign language instruction real to

students, it has to be about real communication as opposed to pretend communication and

dialogues. Teachers should encourage students to play their favorite games in foreign language
versions. This is one way to relate foreign language to real life for students since most of
them play games, whether online games or video games. Students should also be encouraged to
communicate with other students that speak a foreign language through email, social media,
instant messaging, etc.
Another important thing that needs to be made real for students is the future. The future is not
something that schools and teachers focus on as much as they should. There are many potential
future issues that should be addressed in school for students to become involved with. In
partnering, students should be thinking about the future, not just short-term but also long-term,
and reflect on certain questions. Some long-term questions students should familiarize
themselves with and reflect on are: How will people communicate in the future?; How long will
it be before we run out of coal or oil and how and what will replace them?; What part(s) of the
Constitution may become outdated and need new interpretations?; and Will writing be replaced
by videos?. Questions about the short-term future should also be visited. Some questions about
the short-term future could be: What kinds of infrastructures should we be building in our
community? and How should we be using our resources?
There are many ways to make learning real for students. The book gives some suggestions such
as: have students make the connections, find groups of passions, connect students with peers,
and connect students with practitioners and models in the real world.
Some teachers may have trouble finding the connections to make things real for their students,
but it is essential to know that this job of making connections is not entirely the teachers.
Teachers can turn to the Internet and their students to find the connections. Students should be
required to use technological resources to find deep connections between whatever they are
learning and the real world. If a connection cannot be made by the teacher and students after
extensive research, the topic may need to be flagged.

Another way to make things real is to find groups of passion. Even though individualization and
differentiation is an important and shared goal among most educators, it is not always possible
due to time constraints. When teachers have many students in their class it is hard and almost
impossible to do something different for every single student. A strategy that will be beneficial
to students and help make teaching real for all of them is grouping students for certain work and
activities based on their passions and interests. In a single class full of different students,
teachers would be surprised at how many students share the same interests. An example of
grouping students based on interests or passions is a history lesson on civilization. One group
may be interested in the civilization's music and the meaning behind it, one may be interested in
what could be learned from the civilization's military organization, and one may be interested in
their business practices, etc. Students could be grouped by their interests to learn about and
discuss this civilization. While this seems to be an effective strategy, it is rarely done even
though students find it interesting to be grouped like this. This strategy can also be a motivator
for students to find their passions since they are grouped based on them. This grouping strategy
is based purely on passions and interests with no relation to intelligence.
When students are connected with their peers they learn from them. Connecting students with
their peers has been used more in the past than it is used now due to the isolation of grades. One
of the main reasons this is not done as much anymore is the testing system. Students are tested
strictly on what they know-- independently. This, however, is not how the world works outside
of school. Adults work collaboratively with their peers all the time and ask questions and learn
from them as well. When students enter their careers after school, they will have to work with
their peers. Therefore, it would be beneficial to students for teachers to encourage the
connection and collaboration of students and their peers.
Teachers should also connect students with real workers and people in the community. Having
people that are experts in their field talk with students is beneficial to students because they can
see the real-world connection. Students need to be communicating with such people-- in person,
online, through emails, through Skype, etc. Many experts are willing to donate time to help
students, and many of their information (including their emails) is available online. There is real

answers and information that experts are willing to give students if they contact them.

Additional Links:
Teaching 'Til We Get It Right

CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY
When it comes to 21st century learning and partnering, planning is no longer the mundane task it
used to be. Rather it has become an innovative process of transforming curriculum into a series
of open-ended questions that introduces topics and higher-order thinking. This requires students
to be resourceful in researching information and finding answers for themselves; as opposed to
being presented all of the information by the teacher. Another significant component of
partnering planning involves creating explicit connections to the underlying skills, or verbs,
being learned and practiced as students work to solve guiding questions and uncover lesson
content.
Questions have always been an integral part of curriculum, however, they often serve as
summative assessment tool used to verify that learning outcomes have been met. Partnering
expands on the potential to use questions in learning by incorporating them in a unique way.
One of the defining characteristics of partnering is the use of guided questions, at the beginning
of a lesson, to introduce and teach content. These guided questions provide a clear and focused
road map for what students need to know and understand about a given topic or subject.
Creating appropriate and effective guided questions entails thorough planning. Teachers
initially need to be able to identify the key ideas and overreaching topics for the content they
want to teach. Asking themselves, what do students need to know? They then use this
information to create open-ended questions, which require students to explore key content
knowledge and skills providing complex responses.
The second component creating explicit connections to the underlying skills, or verbs, is
equally essential to partnering planning. As it is imperative that students be reminded that they
are doing more than learning facts and required content. They are learning and applying vast
ranges of complex skills such as developing research techniques and conducting critical
analysis. This planning step consists of teachers determining what skills and practices they want
students to learn and use as they work to answer guiding questions. Focus on the verbs of these

skills, what are students "doing" researching, analyzing, critical thinking and so forth.

Additional Links:
Guiding Questions for Better Projects

CHAPTER 6 SUMMARY

While it is important to provide access to as many technologies as possible within the

classroom, using these technologies is the students responsibility. As a teacher your
responsibility entails providing equitable access, guidance, and overseeing proper use. Students
must be allowed the opportunity to explore and create on their own. As technology continues to
evolve it is essential that students develop the needed skills to investigate, trouble shoot, and
create using multitudes of technologies independently.
An important part of a partnering classroom is the incorporation of technology into lessons.
Even more important is the skills that are used when this incorporation occurs. The nouns, the
forms of technology, are not the most important aspect. Instead its the verbs, the skills the
students learn, that are the valuable asset. The verbs such as communicating and
understanding are unlikely to change over time for students. Most likely, these skills will always
be what we as teachers want our students to develop. The nouns are different though.
Technology is constantly changing. There was a time in the history of technology that a white
board and dry erase markers were new technology. Times change, and so does the technology
available to students. These new forms of technology, the tools, are what students need to learn
content and develop skills. The teacher should strive to make as many of these tools available to
the students and encourage their implementation. Technology supports the partnering pedagogy.

It enables students to research and teach themselves. Because of this, teachers should strive to
provide access to as many forms of technology as possible to the students in their classroom.
There is an abundance of technology that is available to students at this time. It is essential for
them to learn and use as many forms of these as possible. It may seem overwhelming to a
teacher that they must educate themselves well enough about these technologies to be able to
use them and to also educate their students about each. Luckily for the teacher, this doesnt have
to happen. Teachers are only the partner that encourage their students to learn. When it comes to
technology, students often know more than teachers. This is acceptable because using the
technology is the job of the student, not the teacher. Teachers do not have to be expects on each
form of technology to allow its use in the classroom. They simply must encourage students to
try new things and try to point them in the right direction when problems occur. Not only does
this make it more feasible for the teacher, students are excited to know more about something
than the teacher does. This is often an incentive for most students! In Prenskys opinion, the
teacher should not use the technology for the students. They should encourage its use and
incorporate it into lessons to make them engaging, but they should allow the students to be the
creators of activities and assignments. A teachers role is to show the technologies available,
watch for quality work being produced, encourage the use of different forms of technology, and
point out possible problems with technology.
Not all schools are able to provide laptops or iPads to each student. In these situations, teachers
can utilize the fact that most students have cell phones which are mini-computers in themselves.
These can be used to research information, make calculations, make blog posts and many other
things. Another important technology to incorporate into the classroom are games. The
internet provides a plethora of games that aid in the learning process. It is also enjoyable for the
students. Often times students do not realize they are learning concepts as they are playing the
games. When technology isnt available in the classroom in any form, teachers should still
discuss with the students how they could use it if it were available. Teachers can tell students to
pretend they had a certain technology and discuss with them what they would use it for.

CHAPTER 7 SUMMARY

The world of technology is constantly evolving thus the rate at which information and tools
become outdated is quickly increasing. This then begs the question, How do I get more
information when I need it? The answer is simple, research. Developing technologies have
literally put information at our fingertips whether it is through a smart phone, laptop, tablet, or
other electronic device. Using an available device connect to the internet and type your search
query into the search engine of your choice. This should provide a variety of sources and
updated content information to choose from.
There are many different tools available to help teachers and students in the partnering process.
These tools can be used to help create new and exciting ways for students to learn. Tools or
"nouns" are always changing and updating. Therefore, teachers and students will always have
new and exciting ways of partnering and learning together. A few examples of these tools are:
alternative reality games, 3D printers, animation tools, assessment grading tools, audiobooks,
avatar creation, brainstorming tools, cameras, cell phones, clickers, how-to-videos, and
interactive whiteboards.
Alternative reality games are games that are based on real life concepts. They require the player
to solve a problem, which can be achieved individually or collaboratively.
3D printers are machines that can create a complex 3D object from a design or model. They are
becoming more and more popular and many schools are able to afford them now. This would an
exciting way for students to learn because they would be able to hold an actual three
dimensional object of something they created.
Animation tools are used by students or teachers to create their own animations. Students could
use them to make a short video for a class assignment. This would be a fun and creative way for
students to build their presentation skills and a way for them to express their thoughts and
feelings.
Assessment grading tools makes grading easier for teachers and can help save them some time.

Scantrons use a scanner to automatically grade marked papers and now there are tools that will
grade essays and short paragraphs. Using these tools will allow for quicker feedback to
students.
Audiobooks are recordings of a book or text that is orally read. They can be in CD form or in
MP3 files. These can be used in the classroom to help students understand the authors point of
view. Students could work together or individually to make recordings of books for a class
assignment or to help aid sight impaired students.
Avatar creations are graphic depictions of a person. They are used in online games, virtual
worlds, and other computer programs. Both teachers and students could create avatars. Teachers
could create them to help aid in a lesson as a fun way to get their students attention.
Brainstorming tools are used by students and teachers to help organize ideas into helpful
groups. These tools could help students and teachers in many ways. These tools help you focus
and direct your ideas in a sensible manner. Students could use these tools when writing paper to
help aid in the writing process.
Cameras can be used in any subject. They are great tools for learning and for teaching. Teachers
can utilize cameras to aide in a lesson and students can use them in a presentation.

Cell phones are everywhere and pretty much everyone has one. They can be used in the
classroom in many ways such as: recording lectures, watching videos of a lecture, quick
research, to send reminders, and polling/surveying.

Clickers are audience response systems that allow students to give answers to a question that is
presented on a screen. They can be used as an assessment tool.

How-to-videos are step by step videos that show you how to do something. These could be
used by students to help reinforce what they are learning.
Interactive whiteboards are display screens that are connected to a computer. They allow you
show images and videos as well as write on them. They are a wonderful tool for them
classroom.

Additional Links:

Teaching Technologies

CHAPTER 8 SUMMARY
The world of technology has created innovative opportunities for learning and sharing never
before possible. Learning is no longer restricted to the four walls of a classroom, it is limited
only by our own creativity. Educational tools such as blogs, Twitter, Listserve, editorials, and
op-eds have set the stage for world dialogue. Students are now able to share their opinions and
knowledge with others around the world cultivating meaningful conversations and authentic
opportunities for learning. Teachers can foster these world conversation through various
learning activities. For example, after concluding a lesson on conservation ask students how
they can use what theyve learned to contribute to global conservation efforts. Have them share
this information on a global conservation blog and allow them to continue dialogue with other
contributors.

In today's technological world, students have access to many resources and programs that were
not available when their teachers were students. While teachers may not think so, today's
students do want to create. They are anxious to create, in fact, yet they do not get enough
chances to do so. Students do create, every day. Students create things such as videos,
multimedia presentations, blogs, and many more. However, while students are creating, most of
them are doing so on their own time outside of the classroom and not in school as a part of their
work.

In a

partnering

pedagogy, the

teacher should

give students

the chance to

create. The

teacher's role

is to also

encourage the

students to

create as

much as

possible.

While

students have

always

created things,

past students have not had the tools that today's students have access to for creation. There are
many things that are different for today's students than for students in the past. Take for example
communicating. Students have always communicated, but today's students communicate
virtually for the most part through things such as text, email, and social media. This same
scenario relates to creating also. For illustration, today's students have access to multimedia,
videos, game tools, and even comic creation tools. Past students' tools usually consisted of
poster boards, construction paper, and markers. Therefore, partnering teachers need to realize
and understand that the creation today's students are eager to do is different than past students.
One way for teachers to allow their students to be creative in their own way is to give an
assignment and give each student the opportunity to complete the same project in his or her own
way. Teachers don't have to be familiar with the tools that the students use to create. They need
to have an open mind, however, and give each student the chance to create at the highest level
in which they are able to. The partnering teacher also needs to be open to accepting the idea that
one activity will be created in different ways by different students.
Today, there are many ways of answering questions in any subject and presenting the answer
creatively. Partnering teachers should encourage students to do this in class. This concept is
beneficial to students because it helps prepare them for the future. While some students enjoy

this idea, some won't due to the fact that they want to do the bare minimum. In this case, the
partnering teacher should find the students that are eager to create and pair them with the ones
that aren't to help motivate the students.
One thing that has changed over the years is the audience that students create for. Past students
created solely for their teachers. Today's students, on the other hand, have the opportunity to
create and share to an audience of the whole world. A good thing about a world audience is the
vast about of feedback they give which is appealing to today's students. The feedback the world
audience gives is a good indicator for the student where they stand in the real-world, not just in
school. A real world audience is a motivator for students to do better work since the whole
world can view it.
Partnering teachers should encourage their students to participate in world conversations which
are going on all the time in blogs, online editorials, op-eds, and more. Students should be
encouraged to join these world conversations and contribute whatever their passions lead them
to. Examples of world conversations in a specific content area such as math is a world
conversation on metrics and standardization, on teaching math in different ways, and on crowd
solving difficult problems. A good partnering tip is to have students join world conversations on
certain things that are being studied in the class.
Many teachers underestimate 21st century students and their creation abilities. When students
do create and create something 'good', teachers are shocked and impressed at the student and the
creation. This shows that teachers' expectations of students are too low and need to be raised.
Partnering teachers should make it clear to their students that the creations they make must be
their best and go above and beyond what they think is possible. Partnering teachers also must
make sure that their students' creations are not admired and commended just because it uses
technology. The content should always be the focal point in student creation. Teachers need to
give students a challenge and expect much more out of them than students in years past.
While partnering teachers still should assign things, they need to allow students to do things

their own way. Students need to be given the option to create and complete their assignments in
a way that inspires them. Students produce their most creative and best work when they do what
they have chosen to do. This is why teachers need to make room for student choice. As long as
students address the initial assignment, what they are supposed to do, they should be able to
complete it in any way they chose. Partnering teachers need to tell students where they want
them to go and allow their students to figure out how to get there. No student is the same, so it
is not fair to make all students complete an assignment the same way. Students need to be
encouraged by their teacher to go in their own direction.

A question that has been, and probably always will be, a relevant one is what about the
slackers? There will always be slackers, no matter how interesting the assignment may seem.
Most teachers that take the time to converse with the slackers about their lack of interest find
out that it stems more from not wanting to do the specific assignment or activity, rather than not
wanting to do anything at all. Slackers can be motivated by teachers allowing them to follow
their own interests. Another suggestion is to put all of the class slackers into the same group for
a project and challenge them to create the best project in the class. In this case, some teachers
are presently surprised by the result. Quantity over quality is another thing to emphasize when
dealing with slackers. Less work that exhibits better quality appeals to some slackers. There is
always a reason for why students come across as slackers and most of the time it is that they'd
rather be doing something else-- something they're passionate about. The teacher should find
those passions and connect them to the work.
When students are trying to learn to express themselves and create with new tools, a beneficial

and inspiring thing to do is to bring in the pros-- the professionals that can help show students
the tricks of the trade. If teachers cannot bring professionals to the classroom for whatever
reason, there are things such as YouTube video tutorials and other sites to help
students. Another thing partnering teachers need to do is to get help from their students when it
comes to technology. After all, their students are the digital natives. Most students know more
about technology than their teachers. Therefore, when it comes to choosing specific technology
to introduce in the classroom, students should be the ones to help considering it pertains directly
to their learning experience.
Teachers normally question whether it's better to have students cooperating or competing as
they create. Most teachers focus on one or the other and very rarely is there a balance of the
two. Cooperation and competition should be balanced in order to maximize student creation.
However, with these terms being so different from each other, many teachers find that students
either like one or the other, not both. Teachers should plan around students' preferences of
cooperation or competition and suggest different types of tasks and tools for each to use. To
balance the two, the teacher should have teams cooperate internally but compete externally.
Students want to create, we've already established that. Students that are allowed to create in the
ways they want in school are more motivated to create than students that are strictly bound to
creating something in a specific by-the-book way. Partnering teachers need to allow students to
create in their own ways as much as physically possible. Teachers should have a very high
expectation of their students' creations, focusing on the content rather than just the use of
technology. All partnering students-- not just the ones with the best creations-- should be
encouraged to share their creations with a world audience to receive real world feedback.
Additional Links:
Listen to the Natives

CHAPTER 9 SUMMARY

Im bored two seemingly harmless words until you apply them to education. 21st century
teaching involves using inventive methods to prevent boredom in the classroom; as effective
learning means actively motivating and engaging students. These methods include open class
discussions, online research, incorporating student passions, emphasizing real versus relevant,
and informal assessment to gage effectiveness.
It is essential thats students be given an opportunity to share and participate in their own
learning. Students serve as the target audience for curriculum and instruction, therefore, it is
their understanding and opinions that are most needed. An open discussion can also lead to
collective solutions that meet the needs of the group. Rather than forcing the teacher to debate
the favorability of various options.
Online research is another valuable resource as it provides the teacher with applicable options to
addressing boredom. Options that include feedback from fellow educators on implementation
and modification. As information is constantly changing this is also the best method of
procuring up to date information on a given topic.

Passions, as discussed in chapter three, are a powerful tool for generating interest and
motivating students. Renewed effort to incorporate these passions into the curriculum
maximizes student participation.
It is essential for teachers and students to continuously work to improve their partnering
relationship in the classroom. This effort falls equally on both groups. For students, they must

leave the old ways of listening to a teacher and then restating this information to show
comprehension. Instead, they must push themselves to seek information for themselves. They
should view their teacher as a coach that is there to assist them, not give them every piece of
information they need about each subject. Teachers must strive to play out the role of coach and
not fall into the role of lecturer.
These improvements can be made through different mean. Improvements can be made through
practice. When the roles of the partners are in place, practicing them makes an automatic part of
the learning process. Students need to practice self-discipline and self-motivation. They should
also practice the verbs or skills the teacher has put before them. Another key aspect for the
students to practice is creating connections between their personal likes and interests and the
work that they are taking part in at school. For teacher, it is vital to practice simply letting go.
They have to adjust to not being at their podium and the center of attention. They have to adapt
to a noisier classroom as students work together and use technology that they may not be
experts at themselves. The realization has to be made that control of the classroom hasn't been
lost, it has simply changed. Teachers also have to focus on being a coach in the partnering
process. They are someone that develops the questions for the students to find answers to and
that guides and encourages them during the process.
Sharing is also a vital part of improving. Partnering teachers have an abundance of knowledge
to share with their fellow teachers. The most effective partnering teachers are always looking
for good ideas and are willing to be generous with their own knowledge and ideas. This can be
easily done through blogs, videos, and teacher websites. This sharing should feel like a normal
function of the teaching profession.

CHAPTER 10 SUMMARY
In a partnering pedagogy, assessment must also be addressed. One should ask themselves, what
is assessment? Assessment in education today refers to comparison-- whether the comparing of
multiple students' knowledge or the comparing of one student to their past knowledge. Most of
assessment is based on average scores among a group of people or area. This, however, is not
necessarily beneficial to the students. Students should be interested in whether they believe they
are improving, know they are learning, and think their skills are improving. They should not be
as worried about whether their class is improving or their score in relation to the rest of the
class.

When discussing assessment, most think of two types that are often talked about, formative and
summative. Formative assessment can be described as assessment that involves feedback to
help students improve. Formative assessments can be tests or papers that have been marked
with feedback. Summative assessment, on the other hand, is assessment that is scored without
feedback. Summative assessments are used for comparison and ranking, yet it's rarely beneficial
to the student. An example summative assessment is standardized tests.

Other assessments that are addressed are ipsative assessment, peer assessment, real-world
assessment, and self-assessment. Ipsative assessment consists of beating your personal best.
This is often used in sports. Instead of getting a certain grade such as an A or a B, the results
that matter are your own. Ipsative assessments are rarely used in school, however, the ones that
are used consist of "raising your grade" and "doing better on the next assignment."
Performance in schools is rarely broken down into individual skills, however, partnering
teachers should try to do more of this to let students know which skills they need to work on.
Peer assessment consists of having students assess another student's work. One benefit of peer
assessment is that it gives students a larger audience instead of just the teacher. Peer assessment
also allows students to compare their work to other students' work in the classroom. This type
of assessment is easily achieved when technology, especially the Internet. Online work allows
for easy peer review. Real-world assessment consists of feedback and other types of
assessments that have been extended beyond the classroom to allow students from other areas
(cities, states, and even countries) give feedback on students' online work. Students typically
enjoy this type of feedback and seek it out on their own outside of class. For instance, students
can create blogs that can be viewed and commented on by people all around the world. Realworld assessment would be beneficial to both teachers and students if used more in the
classroom. Knowing that they will receive feedback from a real audience-- potentially from
students states and countries away-- often motivates students to do their best work. Selfassessment is considered the most important type of assessment even though it is used the least
used. This type of assessment will be used often by students after they leave the school setting,
so it is very beneficial for students to have the opportunity to self-assess in the classroom. If
self-assessment is used in school, students will have a better idea how to assess themselves in

the future to improve.

Along with assessing students' work and knowledge, partnering students should be evaluated
with their tools. Since students rely on certain tools outside of the classroom so much, why not
evaluate them with their tools? In a partnering pedagogy, students are encouraged to use these
tools in the learning process so it's only relevant and fair that they are able to use these tools
during assessment. Allowing students to use tools such as computers or cell phones to take tests
will make education reevaluate the definition of "cheating" and change it to define the
acceptable use of these tools.
In a partnering pedagogy, as we addressed, the best ways to assess students are: giving students
necessary and beneficial feedback through formative assessments, encouraging them to
continue to do better by ipsative assessments, give them feedback from other students through
peer assessments, allow them to be evaluated from students all over the world through realworld assessment, help them understand their own progress and how to assess themselves
through self-assessment, let them use the tools that they use on a regular basis, and using
summative assessments such as standardized tests to satisfy the outside world.
Along with everything, there are some concerns about partnering assessment. The biggest fear
is that students will not do as good on standardized tests because of this new way of learning.
This concern shouldn't be a large one considering that most people who have the knowledge
pertaining to the situation say that students do better on exams because they are more engaged
in their learning in a partnering classroom. Another fear is that skills students are learning will
not count because they're not tested. This is a legitimate concern considering the skills do go
unmeasured. Assessments need to be updated and expanded to include more skill-based
learning that partnering students are exposed to. Certain organizations, such as Partnership for

21st Century Skills, are working on this.

In a partnering pedagogy, students are not the only ones that should be assessed. Students,
teachers, administrators, parents, schools, and the nation should all be assessed. Teachers should
regularly self-assess themselves when it comes to where they are at adapting their classroom
(and teaching) to one that aligns with the partnering pedagogy. Along with self-assessment,
teachers should let others know their self-assessment findings to see if it matches up with
others, such as administrators, parents, and especially partnering students.
Administrators should be assessed on their support of the partnering pedagogy. There are many
questions that could be asked to achieve assessment of administrators such as: do they believe
partnering is the way to go?; in what particular ways do they support partnering?; do they know
each of their teachers' views and stance on partnering?; and in what ways do they support
partnering students and their parents? Answers to such questions as these would be a good
indicator of an administrator's beliefs on and support of partnering.
Since parents play such a crucial role in their children's education, assessment of the parents of
partnering students is relevant. Many parents, like teachers, have a hard time adapting to today's
technologically advanced world and wonder why their children can't have the same exact
education and learning experience that they had. Parents need to be on board with partnering
just as much as the teacher and students do. The partnering teacher should help parents
understand that their children need a different education that relates directly to their future and
that's where partnering comes into play. One recommendation to teachers is to involve the
parents as much as possible. Another suggestion is to use as much technology as you can to
communicate with students' parents about partnering and how it's being implemented in the
classroom. Teachers should also encourage parents to read text on partnering and changes in
21st-century learning. Students should be encouraged to discuss positive classroom experiences
with their parents to show their enthusiasm.
Schools progress on partnering needs to be assessed also. The way schools and their progress

are assessed is the same all across the board and partnering schools will be assessed using the
same criteria. Thankfully, partnering schools often show progress even in the standard criteria.
This is because when partnering is done correctly, students will be more effective learners due
to their engagement in their learning and will exhibit better test scores than in the past. Also,
there's more quality work to share and be proud of. Teachers also share success and collaborate
together much more in a partnering school rather than a traditional school, and there are much
better relationships between teachers and students because they partner.
The last thing that needs to be assessed is the nation and the world's progress. While there is
much data suggesting that the United States is lagging behind other countries in education, the
best indicator is the answer to questions you can ask yourself, such as: Will the U.S. be better
off in the future (say 2050) with a population that is well experienced with 21st-century tool for
problem-solving and can figure out the right thing to do and how to do it in any situation?
While data shows that the U.S. is behind in education, there are many aspects that we continue
to be ahead in such as Internet innovations. While data such as this is relevant, why focus on
and measure learning within countries? Shouldn't we work together to improve learning and
education as a whole?
Additional Links:
Assessments in the Ideal Classroom

CONCLUSION SUMMARY
Education has evolved vastly over the years. From education occurring mostly through teaching
at home, apprenticeships, and for some, tutoring during the Renaissance to public schools and
the idea of education for all during the Enlightenment to the Industrial Revolution bringing
standardization and the 20th century adding standardization measurement and testing to now,
when the 21st century is bringing us partnership. With education being ever changing, it is
guaranteed that the future will bring something new.

Today, similar to how women's views and opinions were viewed back in the day, opinions of
people under the age of 25 are not given much weight or consideration. But like education, this
too is changing quickly. With young people being born into a digital world rather than
integrating into one, older people are now starting to realize that today's young people do have
things they can teach to the older generation. There are still concerns to be addressed, such as
what students need to learn for the future isn't what we are teaching now which should be
viewed as a worldwide issue rather than just a state or national issue. Taking these concerns into
view, it is likely that most agree a new curriculum should be implemented to address skills and
knowledge that is necessary for success in the 21st century. While we have addressed the
importance of students' passions, we need to understand that it is not enough for students to
recognize and act upon their passions. Their passions need to be used a motivator to achieve

success in 21st-century skills. There are five essential 21st-century skills addressed, which are:
(1) figuring out the right thing to do, (2) getting it done, (3) doing it with others, (4) doing it
creatively, and (5) constantly doing it better. There are also subskills that follow under these five
21st-century skills. Figuring out the right thing to do, for example, consists of behaving
ethically, thinking critically, setting goals, having good judgment, and making good decisions.
Getting it done consists of planning, solving problems, self-directing, self-assessing, and
iterating. Doing with others relates mainly to communication, but consists of taking leadership,
interacting with individuals and groups, machines such as programming, interacting with a
world audience, and interacting across cultures. Doing it correctly consists of adapting, thinking
creatively, tinkering and designing, playing, and finding your voice. Constantly doing it better
consists of reflecting, being proactive, taking risks, thinking long term, and continually
improving through learning. If these particular skills were incorporated in every subject starting
in kindergarten, focusing on having students continuously figure out the right thing to do, get it
done, do it with others, do it creatively, and then do it better, students would be so used to using
the process that they would have likely internalized them as an effective way to do things.
21st-century curricula is an issue that many people are working on and continuously thinking
about, so eventually, it will emerge. We are currently in the first stage of curricula change,
which is grafting new skills onto the curriculum that is currently used. These new skills focus
particularly on technology fluency and multimedia literacy. The only issue is that with so many
things are being taught already there's not enough time to get to all of it. Over the years, there
have been things that have been deleted from the curriculum-- such as Latin-- because there are
more important things for students to learn. Not that these such things are not important, but
rather something has come along that is more important and beneficial to students that need to
take the place of less important things due to time constraints. Partnering teachers need to focus
on moving forward and teach students the skills that will benefit them in today's (and the
future's) technological world. There's no sense in spending time teaching things that students
will rarely use in the future. The new curricula that's emerging will be more skill oriented rather
than method oriented, which supports the partnering pedagogy that focuses on teaching the
skills rather than the constantly changing methods.

One thought remains... What are partnering schools? Are they actually schools with
classrooms? What do they look like and how will we make them? A large question when
thinking about creating partnering schools is if school buildings and classrooms will even be
needed. While a lot of things are straying away from the classroom settings, there's still
extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, etc. that need meeting grounds. Some people
think that school buildings cannot vanish because they are places for students to socialize and
learn important social skills. This thought, however, is not exactly true. Most students do not
like to socialize at school and do better off socializing outside of school and through modern
technologies. An alternatives to classrooms is a conference room setting, but for now the
question of how to accommodate 21st century students in a partnering setting is still up in the
air.
To conclude, education is larger than K-12. Education is forever, and educators (and everyone
else for that matter) should recognize this and look beyond teaching students outdated material
and look ahead to a new partnering curriculum that puts emphasis on skills students will
actually need in their future.

Additional Links:
Partnership for 21st Century Learning - P21