21st Century Strands & Strategies
Chapter: Strands & Strategies: At-A-Glance
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Strands & Strategies: At-A-Glance
There are six strands or categories of learning, each having a set of skills to be mastered
for effective instruction and improved learning outcomes for students. The six strands
are: Learning Environment, Student-Centered Instruction, Curriculum Integration,
Military-Connected Child, and Shared Leadership.
Learning Environment
The Learning Environment strand includes physical spaces, support systems, and the
social-emotional climate, and actively seeks the involvement of all stakeholders within
the community, school, and classroom. The environment allows students to reason,
solve problems, collaborate with others, and apply technology effectively.
1.
Physical Environment: The Physical Environment facilitates teaching and learning
through providing equitable access to quality learning tools, technologies, and
resources allowing the support and collaboration needed to integrate 21st
Century skills into classroom practice.
2.
Social-Emotional Environment: When students are supported academically,
socially, and emotionally, the classroom environment is more conducive to
learning.
3.
Academic Environment: Students learn best in an environment that is
academically challenging and engaging.
4.
Support Systems and Resources: Leveraging a variety of support systems and
resources meets individual learning needs and empowers students to become
lifelong learners.
5.
Data-Driven Decision-Making: Data-Driven Decision-Making: Data-driven
decision making (DDDM) is "a system of teaching and management practices
that gets better information about students into the hands of classroom
teachers" (McLeod, 2005). Using student data to better address students' learning
needs through instructional decisions at the classroom, district, state, and
national levels has potential, when implemented well, to be useful for improving
teaching and learning.
6.
Differentiated Instruction: Differentiated Instruction: Differentiated Instruction is
student-centered approach that encompasses positive learning environment,
quality curriculum, on-going assessment and data, respectful/challenging tasks,
and flexible grouping.
