Recommended Reading on PBL and 21st Century Skills

This page will give some great resources for printed materials. There are several books here that provided some background on pbl and 21st century skills. Each book is linked to the author's web pages for additional resources. Several articles here have been linked and provide resources from using social media to pbl implementation. Also linked here is my Shelfari book list where you can browse books rated on Amazon and through other educational institutions.

My Shelfari Page

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Books

Listed here are several books I've read or am reading currently on innovative teaching and 21st century skills. 

21st Century Skills by Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel

Trilling and Fadel Discuss the need for 21st Century skills in a global economy that is changing faster and faster. Their argument is that the business and educational institutions are demanding critical thinkers, group problem solvers, and creativity from potential employees and students. 

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The Flat World and Education by Linda Darling-Hammond

Darling-Hammond explores the roots of the U.S. achievement gap by discussing an inequitable system that is archaic and out of touch with the modern global economy. A well written piece that gives legitimacy to those concerned with the achievement gap.

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A New Culture of Learning by Douglas Thomas and John Seely Brown

Thomas and Brown try to uncover the phenomena of learning that is exploding all over the internet. They argue that there is a new culture of learning that proves that play and inquiry lead to imagination, and eventually innovation. 

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Digital Citizenship in Schools by Mike Ribble

Ribble outlines the need for digital citizenship in schools. He argues that children of the digital age are going to interface with social media and the web, and schools need to be help direct students how to be responsible and safe with these tools. 

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Action Research: Improving Schools and Empowering Educators by Craig A. Mertler

Mertler gives an outline for conducting action research in your classroom. By making your classroom a lab, teachers can use the results of their research to take action and make lasting changes. 

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Brain Rules by John J. Medina

An exploration into how the brain works using the newest brain science research, Medina gives an explanation for twelve ways that the brain works. With the digital age changing how we interact with knowledge, Medina offers some insight to educators on how to work with students brain operations.   

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  Articles                                                                 Explanations 

• Change, Ling-Chian & Lee, Greg C. (2010). A Team-Teaching Model for Practicing ProjectBased Learning in High School: Collaboration Between Computer and Subject Teachers. Computers and Education, 55, 961-969.                                                                                                        
• Schwalm, Jason & Tylek, Karen Smuck. (2012). Systemwide Implementation of Project-Based Learning: The Philadelphia Approach. Afterschool Matters, 15, 1-8.
  
• Anderson, Steven. (2012).  How to Create Social Media Guidelines for Your School. Edutopia
• West, Daniel M. (2012). How Blogs, Social Media, and Video Games Improve Education. Brookings Institute Press. 
• Acceptable Use Policies in Web 2.0 & Mobile Era
  A Guide for School Districts. Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). 
• Curtis, Diane. (2013). Project-Based Learning: Real-World Issues Motivate Students. Edutopia. 

• Change and Lee's article gives a great explanation on the team-teaching model, and show how a network of teachers working together can have impact. Here is the citation, but unfortunatley no link.
• This pdf from Edutopia explores a group of teachers that approached pbl across each classroom and curriculum in Philadelphia.
• A great guide on Edutopia for creating and using social media responsibly in the classroom.
• West makes a powerful argument, using evidence, that blogs, social media, and video games are better for our students.
• A guide for districts, schools, and teachers for creating acceptable use policies within their classes. Very useful and guides you through the process.
• Another Edutopia article about the power of PBL and creating real-world motivation for students.