What Is An Academically Rigorous Curriculum in the 21st Century Ilene Kantrov Education Development Center, Inc.

2. What Is An Academically Rigorous Curriculum in the 21st Century?Ilene KantrovEducation Development Center, Inc.

3. Traditional Definition of Rigor What would you say is the typical definition of “rigor”—or a “rigorous curriculum”?

4. Traditional Definition of Rigor Number of Courses 4+ English and math courses 2 courses in laboratory sciences 2 courses in foreign language Perceived Difficulty of Courses 2+ Advanced Placement courses No remedial courses

5. What’s the Problem? “Students who are successful . . . often succeed in spite of the curriculum, not because of it. They may have a greater aptitude for abstraction [and] a greater tolerance for a curriculum that does not offer immediate understanding of the subject's utility.” Gary Hoachlander (1999)

6. What’s the Problem? Essential “21st century” knowledge and skills are not the focus of traditional academic courses: Professionalism/work ethic Oral and written communications Teamwork/collaboration Critical thinking/problem solving Are They Really Ready to Work? (2006)

7. What’s the Problem? “What competencies essential for adult success are not being taught because there is currently no college-entrance requirement or national test for them?” Tony Wagner (2006) The traditional conception of rigor “persists in education because rigor defined as more content coverage is easily measured and predicted.” Catherine Wallach et al. (2006)

8. Redefining Rigor Rethink what it means to master academic knowledge and skills. Expand the scope of essential knowledge and skills. Change the ways in which students learn necessary knowledge and skills.

9. Redefinition of Rigor:Mastery vs. Coverage Focus on: Essential knowledge and skills Depth vs. breadth

10. Redefinition of Rigor:Interdisciplinary Rigorous curriculum builds students’ capacity to call upon knowledge from different disciplines to solve real-world problems.

11. Redefinition of Rigor:21st Century Skills and Content Communication skills Thinking and problem-solving skills Creativity and innovation skills Collaboration skills Interpersonal and self-directional skills Information and communications technology (ICT) skills 21st century content (e.g., global awareness, financial literacy, civic literacy, health and wellness awareness) - Partnership for 21st Century Skills

12. Redefinition of Rigor:21st Century Pedagogy Students are supported in real-world investigations by teachers, other adults, and peers who: Pose questions Model thinking processes Teach necessary skills (in context) Identify relevant information, resources, and tools Offer alternative perspectives Provide critical feedback

13. Redefinition of Rigor New definition of rigor encompasses: Relevance: Students are engaged in exploring the real world Relationships: Students work closely with mentors who have high expectations and guide them, and peers who collaborate with them

14. Redefinition of Rigor:Implications for Career Academies Real-world contexts for learning Career focus Business/community partnerships Small learning communities Relationships with teachers, mentors, and peers Interdisciplinary

15. Redefinition of Rigor:Implications for Career Academies Focus on mastery of academic core Teach and assess 21st century skills Employ 21st century pedagogy

16. Example of the New Rigor

17. Ford PAS Curriculum Challenging academic content in mathematics, science, social studies, language arts Concepts from business, engineering, technology, and related career fields Integrated approach that encourages inquiry- and project-based learning 21st century skills

18. Ford PAS Partnerships Secondary schools, school districts, colleges and universities, community-based organizations, government agencies, scholarship organizations, and the business community Technical Assistance and Professional Development Provide support for program implementation Create a broader learning community

19. Ford PAS and the Redefinition of Rigor Promotes mastery of well-articulated learning goals Engages students in real-world projects Develops disciplinary knowledge, skills, and ways of thinking Connects ideas within and across disciplines Builds 21st century skills Provides opportunities to interact with people from business, higher education, and community organizations

20. “Our school saw Ford PAS as a way to take projects to the next level—as an alternative to Advanced Placement classes. . . . Real-world work and the Ford PAS curriculum get kids pointed toward college.” — Ford PAS Teacher Providence, RI

21. Ford PAS and the Redefinition of Rigor