Overview
This dissertation - presented at The University of Indiana by Luana G. Nissan, Director of Community Engaged Learning at Park Tudor School - uses survey data collected from students from five service learning or public good classes - in two large independent schools. The study seeks to understand the practices teachers use to help students develop “21st century” skills, such as critical thinking and communication. Nissan examines the frequency of a variety of classroom practices – such as presenting group work or drawing conclusions based on numbers- to examine how 21st century skills are developed in service learning classes.
Executive Summary
To prepare students for success in college and in a rapidly evolving and interconnected world, an increasing number of independent schools are focusing on building key “21st century skills” and competencies. Schools are also interested in their public purpose as institutional citizens of their local communities with a responsibility to connect students to local and global communities. These connections provide students with an authentic context for applying their learning and contributing to their community. This study of five public-good oriented high school courses in two large independent schools explored whether the courses nurtured the development of 21st century skills in students.
Through online surveys taken by 112 students and their teachers, respondents answered questions about 48 classroom practices (that is, tasks or approaches) that were connected to one of eight skills. The eight skills studied were critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity and innovation, self-direction, making global connections, making local connections, and the use of technology as a tool for learning.
The main insight of the study is that students and teachers believed that these courses nurtured all eight skills, some to a greater degree than others. Among the key findings: Students reported that critical thinking, communication, self-direction, and making local connections were the skills best learned through their courses. Their teachers listed these same skills as those best learned by their students with the addition of collaboration. It is clear that teachers used numerous practices to develop 21st century skills and most students found the practices relevant.
Of the 48 classroom practices, students cited four that were the most frequently used (in order of frequency):
- “Using technology to keep track of your work on extended tasks or assignments” (technology as a tool for learning)
- “Trying to solve complex problems or answer questions that have no single correct solution or answer” (critical thinking)
- “Understanding the life experiences of people in cultures besides your own” (global connections)
- “Working in pairs or small groups to complete a task” (collaboration)
Students also identified the four practices that were least frequently used:
- Conveying your ideas using media but not a written paper (for example, posters, videos, blogs) (communication)
- Preparing and delivering an oral presentation to the class, teacher, or others (communication)
- Using technology to interact directly with experts or members of local/global communities (technology as a tool for learning)
- Using idea creation techniques such as brainstorming or concept mapping (creativity and innovation)
Downloadable Content
Full Dissertation
Do Public-Good Oriented Courses in Independent Schools Nurture the Development of 21st Cen?tury Skills in High School Students? (PDF, 7 MB)
Luana G. Nissan, Director, Community Engaged Learning, Park Tudor School, and Founder, Catalysts for Good