21st Century Learning Forums

A set of 21st Century Learning Forums will provide you with the opportunity to meet and collaborate with colleagues from around the state, access breakthrough content developed by your peers, and propel your technology expertise to the next level.

Digital Natives: Are They Really Different?
As native speakers of digital language, young people think and process information in an entirely different way from previous generations. Learn more about this generation and how they are really different. Students and teachers from around the state will highlight their experiences in an educational world that is often heavily populated with digital immigrants.

	Facilitator: Jane Perzyk Consultant MI-LIFE
	Presenter(s): Teacher Neva Li and Students Crockett Technical High School (Detroit, MI)

Creating Collaborative Learning Communities
A set of technology-based online collaborative learning communities appear more complicated than face-to-face environments, they are changing traditional curricula and learning environments. These changes help better service today’s 21st century learners, and their global needs and expectations. Learn how educators are using a variety of social networking tools (blogs, wikis, etc) to meet the diverse needs of their students.

	Facilitator: Bob Harris Consultant Michigan Education Association
	Presenter(s): Roxanne Cullen, PhD Associate Vice President Academic Affairs, Ferris State University (Big Rapids, MI)   The Role of Higher Education as a Pathway to Prosperity: Technology as a Catalyst for Educational Reform
	Bill Hart-Davidson, PhD & David Sheridan, PhD Writing in Digital Environments (WIDE) Research Center Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI)   INK Handout   INK Power Point
	Michael Harris, PhD Provost and Vice President Academic Affairs Kettering University (Flint, MI)   Challenges and Opportunities Facing Undergraduate Education in the 21st Century

21st Century Educators as Producers of Knowledge
Our job as educators is to help students and ourselves to become producers of knowl­edge. We also need to help each other understand the transformative potential of this digital environment in which we live, and embrace the tools in a global perspective.

Are We Ready?? Professional Development and Teacher Preparation
As the 21st century unfolds, it is increasingly clear that schools must become dramati­cally more successful with a wide range of diverse learners. Our students need to be prepared to participate in a knowledge-based society. The kind of pedagogy needed to help students think critically, create and solve complex problems, as well as to master ambitious subject matter content is much more demanding in today’s digital world. Learn how educators can adequately prepare for new and emerging digital learning environments.

	Facilitator: Sam LoPresto Project Director Michigan Association of School Administrators
	Presenter(s): Marie Zuk Consultant Convergent Technology Partners
	Jane Frank Consultant and Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE); Apple
	Flora Jenkins, PhD Director Office of Professional Preparation Services Michigan Department of Education   Are We Ready?? Professional Development and Teacher Preperation
	Ron Sniderman, PhD Executive Director Wayne County RESA (Wayne, MI)