Let's look at some goals and how these can be achieved with a 21st century learning environment.

Differentiated instruction
Teachers report that this learning environment allows them to create lessons and activities that engage ALL students regardless of their ability levels. Built-in assessment within the lessons allows teachers to adapt instruction on the fly, depending on students' understandings of concepts.

Teacher retention
Team building: Teachers tend to collaborate more in developing interactive whiteboard lessons resulting in more team building.
Saving time: Teachers can save time by collaborating with other teachers to create shared lessons and resources.
Discipline issues: Teachers report that this solution lowers the instances of discipline and off-task behavior, allowing them to accomplish more and stress less.

Teachers who have this environment in their classroom are happier. They find they save time, lesson building is more enjoyable and discipline issues are lowered. They don't want to leave their classroom to go to other districts and, if they do, demand to have it when they get there. Some teachers near retirement have commented that they may stay on a little longer as they have never had so much fun teaching.

Active student engagement
Student engagement...You know the adage: "To teach, you must first reach." This is one critical area that this solution will unquestionably meet. Engagement, in this environment, has nothing to do with watching or being entertained passively like with a television. The possibilities of student interaction in this environment are very flexible and varied. Students can participate verbally or at the interactive whiteboard, manipulating ideas and images, highlighting key concepts, measuring and calculating. Students can do the same from their seats with a wireless slate. But the most noted difference is in engagement with the handheld assessment devices. ALL students are participating at ALL times. Even when a question was not prepared in advance and an individual is working on a problem at the board, the teacher can quickly poll the whole class for understanding. Everyone participates, is engaged and is learning.

Outline (for Model Lesson)

A)Introductions (5 min)
B)Participate in model lesson (30 min)
C)Participate in model assessment (10 min)
D)Answer questions (remainder)

Supporting Research

Kaplan, R. and Norton, D. (1992)

Presenter Background

Jimmy Bostock
Deputy Director
GaDOE Educational Technology Training Center
Housed at the National Science Center's Fort Discovery
Presentation experience:
NCTM, T-Cubed, NSBA T+L, GaETC, ASCD, Global Education Summit, NSTA