! " # % & ' ( ) * + + , - * . * / 0 ) * . 1 * + 2 . 3 1 * 4 , 5 6 ( " , 7 , 1 2 .

8 9 * 1 :
!"#"$%& ()*$+, -./$ 012$*34 56"&&/
72+%281 0*33"8*&*9
73"6%9%3"1 :*36

08
"#$$
%&'&(#$ )*+(,- ./0( 123(+45 67&$$0 83,#392 1+44&9+$+: .



LuL 647


;5652+-: <-=>9?.5475/5>1
ln prevlous research efforLs, l have found LhaL currlculum ls enhanced wlLh Lhe
lmplemenLaLlon and lnLegraLlon of Lhe 21
sL
CenLury Sklll ldeals and framework. l have conLlnued
my research Lo lnclude ldeas regardlng Lhe evoluLlon of ulglLal ?ouLh" and Lhe enhancemenL of
currlculum when lnLerLwlned wlLh dlglLal medla, crlLlcal medla llLeracy, and 21
sL
CenLury Skllls.
@>1+94*-1,9>
lmaglne a Lyplcal mlddle school maLh classroom. WhaL lmages come Lo mlnd? SLudenLs are
ln rows, Lhe Leacher ls aL Lhe fronL lecLurlng for Lhe enLlre class. SLudenLs are noL worklng
LogeLher, Lhe Leacher ls wrlLlng on Lhe board. A chlld responds Lo homework revlew wlLh an
alLernaLe soluLlon and ls lmmedlaLely re[ecLed, clLed for havlng noL 'properly' aLLempLed Lhe
problem. When Lhe maLh lesson ends, sLudenLs puL away maLh maLerlals Lo begln a dlfferenL
sub[ecL. ln Lhls 'Lyplcal' maLh classroom seLup, sLudenLs do noL have Lhe opporLunlLy Lo Lhlnk
crlLlcally, communlcaLe effecLlvely, collaboraLe meanlngfully, creaLlvely solve problems, or make
connecLlons across sub[ecLs. ln Lhe age of ulglLal ?ouLh", Lhls cannoL posslbly lead Lo meanlngful
learnlng, someLhlng LhaL educaLlonal experLs belleve should be whaL learnlng ls. lor success Lo
occur, Lhe chlld musL creaLe hls or her own learnlng ln a meanlngful way. 1o be meanlngful, lL musL
be lnLerLwlned wlLh Lhe newesL Lechnologles and communlcaLlon pracLlce.
A96,1,9>
l belleve wholehearLedly, and can supporL wlLh research, LhaL lnLegraLlng 21sL cenLury skllls
lnLo Lhe currlculum (more speclflcally, maLh) wlll greaLly lmprove ulglLal ?ouLh" sLudenLs' formlng
of connecLlons, undersLandlng, and appllcaLlon of Lhe sub[ecL. ln addlLlon, lL wlll also lncrease Lhe
%&'&(#$ )*+(,- ./0( 123(+45 67&$$0 83,#392 1+44&9+$+: ;



LuL 647


undersLandlng of maLhemaLlcs across and lnLegraLed wlLh oLher sub[ecLs ln Lhe core currlculum.
8ecause Lhls ls addresslng Lhe core sLandards, Lhls lncreased efflcacy wlll ulLlmaLely lead Lo
lncreased success ln school Lasks and, Lherefore, sLandardlzed LesLs.
BC61 )5>1*+D 3=,..6( 3*EE9+1,>7 ;5652+-:
lL ls a wldely accepLed ldea LhaL maLhemaLlcs aL Lhe mlddle school level ls noL wldely
lnLegraLed. SLudenLs flnd dlfflculLy ln seelng Lhe real world appllcaLlon of LexLbook maLhemaLlcs. l
wlll use 21
sL
cenLury skllls as a framework Lo help lnLegraLe maLh lnLo oLher sub[ecLs Lo lncrease
efflcacy. 21
sL
cenLury skllls appllcaLlon and lnLegraLlon of maLhemaLlcs currlcula wlll help sLudenLs
creaLe more meanlng from lessons and connecLlons across sub[ecLs. Some scholars noLe LhaL maLh
as a slngular sub[ecL falls Lo engage Lhe rlghL slde of Lhe braln and LhaL havlng Lhe braln lnvolved
ln all acLlvlLles" Lackllng meanlngful challenges ls vlLal for survlval ln Lhe 21
sL
cenLury" (Casser,
2011). CLher researchers noLe LhaL Lechnology has so permeaLed young llves LhaL lL ls hard Lo
belleve LhaL less Lhan a decade ago Lhese Lechnologles barely exlsLed". (1he !ohn u. and CaLherlne
1. MacArLhur loundaLlon, 2008, p. 1)
CommunlcaLlon, CrlLlcal 1hlnklng, CreaLlvlLy, and CollaboraLlon are Lhe 4 C's ouLllned ln Lhe
21
sL
cenLury skllls lnlLlaLlve. 1hese words form Lhe framework of an lmproved lnLegraLed
currlculum LhaL wlll ulLlmaLely lmprove sLudenLs' learnlng. When Lhese 21
sL
cenLury skllls are ln
place and palred wlLh Lhe lnLegraLlon of sub[ecL areas, learnlng becomes more slgnlflcanL Lo
sLudenLs. 8ecause 21
sL
CenLury Skllls are embedded ln Lechnology LhroughouL Lhe 4 C's, Lhe new
generaLlon of ulglLal ?ouLh can noL only relaLe Lo currlculum, buL also bulld currlculum. As
lllusLraLed ln Lhe model, sLudenLs are Lhe cenLral focus when a classroom ls bullL on Lhe 4 C's and
lnLegraLed sub[ecLs, Lhls leads Lo lncreased knowledge consLrucLlon and meanlngful learnlng. (See
leclng lL All 1ogeLher for Lhe vlsual Model)
%&'&(#$ )*+(,- ./0( 123(+45 67&$$0 83,#392 1+44&9+$+: <



LuL 647


SLudenLs are noL [usL uslng Lechnology as a Lool ln Lhe classroom. 1echnology has changed
Lhe way Lhls generaLlon communlcaLes. LducaLors musL vlew Lhls dlglLal youLh as a premlse Lo
sLudy new spaces and resources for lnformaLlon, enLerLalnmenL, communlcaLlon, and
neLworklng". (LrsLad, 2012, p. 1) noL only do 21
sL
cenLury skllls enhance currlculum, buL
embraclng Lechnology and dlglLal resources opens up Lhe learnlng spaces for sLudenLs". (LrsLad,
2012, p. 39) An educaLlonal Scholar, Cla LrsLad also Lells us LhaL because Lechnology and medla
comprlse so much of dally acLlvlLles for young people, Lhey naLurally gravlLaLe Loward Lhese lLems
when worklng ln educaLlon. 1hls naLural Lendency can only be enhanced by 21
sL
cenLury skllls and
lncrease Lhe buy-ln of dlglLal youLh.
)9//*>,-21,9>
vlLally lmporLanL ln Loday's educaLlonal world ls Lhe ablllLy Lo communlcaLe. ulglLal medla
supplemenLs sLudenLs' learnlng whlle creaLlng new ways Lo communlcaLe, share, and learn.
SLudenLs wlll provlde oral presenLaLlons of Lhelr flndlngs or sLraLegles Lhey have dlscovered.
SLudenLs wlll also use dlglLal medla Lo communlcaLe flndlngs. uslng Lechnology boards llke blogs,
edmodo, and oLher slghLs, sLudenLs connecL wlLh maLerlal ln a non-oral way. 1hese presenLaLlons
may be formal or lnformal ln naLure. lnformal presenLaLlons may conslsL of [usLlfylng a dlscovery
wlLhln a group. 1hls could be a group chaL vla compuLer. lL can be more formal Lhrough Lhe use of
graphs, Lables, charLs, or dlagrams and may lncorporaLe Lechnology Lhrough Lhe use of
owerolnL, rezls, and Lxcel.
Clvlng sLudenLs a role and volce ln Lhelr learnlng allows a paradlgm shlfL from a Leacher-
dlrecLed lnsLrucLlonal emphasls Lo one where sLudenLs are more acLlvely lnvolved ln Lhe learnlng
process could lead Lo beLLer lnLegraLlon" of mulLlple sub[ecLs (WesL, vasquez-Mlreles, & Coker,
2006). When sLudenL learnlng ls self-deLermlned, Lhe sLudenL ls more lnLeresLed ln and focused
on Lhe sub[ecL. 1hls leads Lo lncreased sLudenLs' aLLenLlon and wlll lncrease self-efflcacy. (Lllls
%&'&(#$ )*+(,- ./0( 123(+45 67&$$0 83,#392 1+44&9+$+: =



LuL 647


Crmrod, 2012) WlLh Loday's dlglLal youLh, a volce and deLermlnaLlon ln learnlng can be more
accesslble. uslng Lhe dlglLal Lools LhaL sLudenLs already uLlllze dally lnslde currlculum and pro[ecL
work wlll make sLudenLs more lnLeresLed and apL Lo succeed.
ln Lhe same way LhaL sLudenL buy-ln ls lmporLanL, so ls Lhe passlng of Lhe ablllLy Lo be
crlLlcal of medla. CrlLlcal Medla LlLeracy ls a cruclal parL of Lhe 21
sL
cenLury skllls assoclaLed wlLh
meanlngful learnlng. CrlLlcal Medla LlLeracy ls Lhe ldea LhaL we as humans need Lo deconsLrucL
medla messages Lo undersLand Lhe conLexL and conLenL beLLer. 1essa !olls, Lhe resldenL of Lhe
CenLer for Medla LlLeracy, menLlons LhaL we make declslons based on Lhe medla pro[ecLed Lo us -
declslons abouL every aspecL of our llves. lf we do noL undersLand how Lo read Lhe messages send
Lo us and deconsLrucL Lhese messages, we wlll noL be able Lo make wlse cholces". (!olls, 2008)
noL only ln Lhe dally medla messages we recelve, buL Lhe global medla sends messages LhaL creaLe
and bolsLer sLereoLypes. LrnesL Morrell vlews medla llLeracy as cruclal ln closlng Lhe soclal [usLlce
gaps LhaL exlsL ln our socleLy. WlLh medla llLeracy comes hlgher knowledge and knowledge
aLLalnmenL - Lhls would enLall developlng relaLlonshlps wlLh pollcymakers." whlch Morrell offers
as a way Lo lessen Lhe achlevemenL gap, lncome gap, and educaLlonal gap beLween races and
genders globally. (Morrell) (8urk)
SLudenLs wlll have Lhe opporLunlLy Lo exhlblL personal learnlng Lo classmaLes ln a way LhaL
Lhe Leacher may noL have LhoughL abouL. 1hls bullds sLudenL lnLeresL, engagemenL, and self -
dlrecLlon. (Skllls, 2011) new medla allow for a degree of freedom and auLonomy for youLh LhaL ls
less apparenL ln a classroom seLLlng." (1he !ohn u. and CaLherlne 1. MacArLhur loundaLlon, 2008,
p. 2) lf a sLudenL bullds meanlngful undersLandlng from a classroom lesson, LhaL sLudenL ls more
llkely Lo remember lnformaLlon, relay lnformaLlon, and Lo Leach oLher sLudenLs. CreaLlng sLudenL
buy-ln ls a way Lo creaLe self responslblllLy and lncreases efflcacy of Leachlng and learnlng. (Skllls,
2011) (!ensen, 2000)
%&'&(#$ )*+(,- ./0( 123(+45 67&$$0 83,#392 1+44&9+$+: >



LuL 647


)+,1,-2. F:,>=,>7
SLudenLs wlll use reason, problem solvlng skllls, and varlous sLraLegles Lo solve real llfe
problems. . ?oung people acqulre varlous forms of Lechnlcal and medla llLeracy by explorlng
new lnLeresLs, Llnkerlng, and 'messlng around'." (1he !ohn u. and CaLherlne 1. MacArLhur
loundaLlon, 2008) 8y lmmerslng [sLudenLs'] bralns ln problems LhaL can be solved ln a myrlad of
ways, sLudenLs wlll be able Lo creaLe more connecLlons Lo pasL undersLandlng and currenL
appllcaLlons (!ensen, 2000)." roblem-based learnlng wlll allow sLudenLs Lo see fallure as parL of
Lhe problem-solvlng process. We as Leachers need Lo produce a cllmaLe where fallure ls vlewed
as an experlence from whlch Lo learn and noL one of whlch Lo be ashamed (!ensen, 2000)."
SLudenLs wlll be able Lo learn from mlsLakes, how Lo crlLlcally Lhlnk Lhrough problems Lo galn
lnslghL, and form loglcal, well LhoughL Lhrough concluslons. ln Lhls dlglLal youLh culLure, problem
solvlng ls noL llnear. 1here are so many dlglLal resources avallable Lo sLudenLs, educaLors musL
uLlllze Lhese resources Lo ald ln creaLlve and non-llnear problem solvlng. 1hls, ln Lurn, makes Lhe
learnlng process more undersLandable Lo sLudenLs so lmmersed ln Lechnology.
)+521,G,1D
1eachers wlll need Lo be creaLlve ln Lhelr classrooms. 1hey wlll need Lo plan acLlvlLles, or
lessons, LhaL lnclude varlous sub[ecL maLLer and real-llfe problems LhaL relaLe Lo Lhe sLudenLs. ln
confronLlng real-llfe problems, sLudenLs wlll experlence Lhe [oy and self-saLlsfacLlon of flndlng
vlable soluLlons Lo problems LhaL oLhers have noL yeL solved (!ensen, 2000)." SLudenLs wlll need Lo
be creaLlve ln Lhelr ways Lo solve Lhe problems, communlcaLe Lhelr flndlngs, and work wlLhln a
Leam. When sLudenLs can solve problems creaLlvely or flnd creaLlve ways Lo perform Lasks,
knowledge consLrucLlon bullds. 8y lnserLlng creaLlvlLy and dlscovery learnlng lnLo classrooms,
Leachers can expecL lncreased consLrucLlon of knowledge. CreaLlvlLy can only be bolsLered by Lhe
use of Lechnology. SLudenLs have Lhe opporLunlLy Lo express undersLandlng, learnlng, and
%&'&(#$ )*+(,- ./0( 123(+45 67&$$0 83,#392 1+44&9+$+: ?



LuL 647


expanslon ln dlglLal medla. lnsLead of creaLlng a owerolnL, sLudenLs may creaLe dlglLal ad
campalgns LhaL reverse adverLlslng alms and show Lhe crlLlcal medla llLeracy LhaL ls so lmporLanL
for sLudenLs Loday. 1hls envelops Lechnology, crlLlcal medla llLeracy, and auLonomy lnLo a mulLl-
dlsclpllne pro[ecL. (LrsLad, 2012) (LuL 647 ?ouLube vldeos)
)9..2H9+21,9>
Pavlng respecL for dlverslLy of oplnlons and worklng well on a Leam are compeLencles a
21
sL
cenLury learner wlll need Lo uphold. rovldlng sLudenLs Lhe Llme Lo collaboraLe wlLh Lhelr
classmaLes promoLes Lhese skllls. CollaboraLlon allows sLudenLs Lo caplLallze on each oLher's skllls
and Lo reflne Lhelr problem solvlng process. Comparlng Lhelr soluLlon process promoLes deeper
undersLandlng and emphaslzes Lhe skllls we wlsh Lo Leach (Casser, 2011)." 1eachers also need
Llme Lo collaboraLe wlLh Lhelr colleagues ln order Lo develop effecLlve Leachlng sLraLegles.
CollaboraLlon seems fuLlle when LaughL and noL pracLlced. 1he way sLudenLs collaboraLe has
changed ln Lhe generaLlon of dlglLal youLh. SLudenLs can be connecLed aL any Llme of day vla Lhe
vlrLual world. CollaboraLlon has a whole new meanlng when soclal llves are onllne - everyLhlng ls
collaboraLlon wlLh peers. Schools musL embrace Lhls lncreased vlrLual soclallzaLlon by lncreaslng
physlcal collaboraLlon ln Lhe classroom. ?oung people are more llkely Lo use peers raLher Lhan
famlly as soclal supporL neLworks and ln soclal declslon maklng". (Coleman, 2012) 8ecause
collaboraLlon ls parL of sLudenLs' everyday llfe and declslon-maklng, caplLallzlng on Lhls
phenomenon can only help enhance currlculum when properly lnLegraLed across sub[ecL-areas.
<66566/5>1
ln an educaLlon world of assessmenL, how can we assess Lhese 21
sL
cenLury skllls? SLudenLs
and Leachers wlll seL hlgh sLandards and goals. 1hey wlll monlLor Lhelr own undersLandlng and
learnlng Lhrough self-assessmenL and reflecLlng on work. Lxamples of how Lo organlze and
%&'&(#$ )*+(,- ./0( 123(+45 67&$$0 83,#392 1+44&9+$+: @



LuL 647


documenL Lhese LhoughLs or reflecLlons lnclude porLfollos and [ournals. 21
sL
cenLury skllls should
noL be assessed uslng mulLlple cholce Lype LesLs, Lhe rlchness of undersLandlng and connecLlon
bulldlng broughL abouL by Lhls lnlLlaLlve ls noL one LhaL can be LesLed ln Lhe LradlLlonal formaL.
1hese skllls for llfe musL be honed and molded uslng lnnovaLlve Lechnlques. 1eachers ofLen
perform Lhese Lypes of assessmenLs, alLhough Lhey go unnoLlced ln Lhe currenL cllmaLe of
sLandardlzed LesLlng. (Skllls, 2011) When sLandardlzed LesLlng ls devold of Lhe pervaslve dlglLal
medla presenL ln sLudenLs' llves, Lhese mulLlple-cholce LesLs become lmperLlnenL. 1eachers musL
supplemenL more and more Lo creaLe meanlngful learnlng, whlle sLlll adherlng Lo LesLlng schedules
and guldellnes. 1hls ls Lhe dlchoLomy beLween Lhe efflcacy of LesLlng and Lhe meanlngful learnlng
LhaL educaLors sLrlve for ln Lhe classroom.
)99+4,>21,9>









1he roposed lnLegraLed 21
sL
CenLury Model of Currlculum
SLudenL
Communl-
cauon
Crlucal
1hlnklng
Collabo-
rauon
CreauvlLy
%&'&(#$ )*+(,- ./0( 123(+45 67&$$0 83,#392 1+44&9+$+: A



LuL 647


<> !>:2>-54 )*++,-*.*/( ",7,12. 89*1: I65 BC
61
)5>1*+D 3=,..6
ulglLal youLh - Lhe sLudenLs of Lhe 21
sL
cenLury - use Lechnology ln rapldly changlng ways. lL
permeaLes everyday llfe for Lhese sLudenLs. lL sLands Lo reason, Lhen, LhaL Lechnology ls Lhe key Lo
creaLlng meanlngful learnlng for Lhls populaLlon. WlLhouL dlglLal medla and vlrLual enhancemenL,
sLudenLs do noL relaLe Lo Lhe currlculum. WlLhouL sLudenL buy-ln and auLonomy, sLudenLs do noL
creaLe meanlngful learnlng. 1herefore, as research shows, wlLhouL uLlllzlng 21
sL
cenLury skllls ln Lhe
classroom across lnLegraLed sub[ecL areas, sLudenLs cannoL bulld knowledge. lL ls crlLlcal Lo
embrace Lhe Lechnology of Loday and look forward Lo a forever changlng landscape of
Lechnologlcal breakLhroughs, new ways Lo communlcaLe, collaboraLe, and solve problems.
LducaLlon ln Lhe 21
sL
cenLury depends on lL.










%&'&(#$ )*+(,- ./0( 123(+45 67&$$0 83,#392 1+44&9+$+: /B



LuL 647


J9+=6 ),154
8oloLln !oseph, . (2011). !"#$"%&' )* !"%%+,"#"-. new ?ork: 8ouLledge.
8ruer, !. (1999, May). ln search of... braln-based educaLlon. /0+ 1&#$2 324425 , 648-637.
8urk, L. 6)7"#& 89 !%+$+,2# 6&7+2 :+$&%2,; /)'$+5<.
Coleman, !. (2012). lnLroducLlon: ulglLal Lechnologles ln Lhe llves of young people. =>*)%7 ?&@+&A )*
B7",2$+)5 C 8D (1), 1-8.
Weems, L. (roducer). B1: EFG H)"$"I& J+7&)' [MoLlon lcLure].
Lllls Crmrod, !. (2012). K"-25 :&2%5+5<. earson.
LrsLad, C. (2012). 1he learnlng llves of dlglLal youLh - beyond Lhe formal and lnformal. =>*)%7 ?&@+&A )*
B7",2$+)5 C 8D (1), 23-43.
Casser, k. W. (2011). llve ldeas for 21sL CenLury MaLh Classrooms. L-&%+,25 M&,)572%; B7",2$+)5 8NO8P ,
108-116.
!ensen, L. . (2000). Q%2+5 Q2'&7 :&2%5+5<. San ulego, CA: 1he 8raln SLore ubllshlng.
!olls, 1. (2008). 1eachlng Medla LlLeracy: Asklng CuesLlons. ?ouLube.
Morrell, L. LlLeracy uevelopmenL among urban ?ouLh. R)"%52# )* L7)#&',&5$ S L7"#$ :+$&%2,; C FE (1), 72-77.
Skllls, . f. (2011, March). T%2-&A)%U VW'$ !&5$"%; MU+##'. 8eLrleved uecember 1, 2011, from arLnershlp for
21sL CenLury Skllls: hLLp://p21.org/sLorage/documenLs/1.__p21_framework_2-pager.pdf
1he !ohn u. and CaLherlne 1. MacArLhur loundaLlon. (2008). :+@+5< 257 :&2%5+5< A+$0 X&A 6&7+29
M"--2%; )* T+57+5<' *%)- $0& 1+<+$2# H)"$0 /%)Y&,$. WhlLe aper.
WesL, S. S., vasquez-Mlreles, S., & Coker, C. (2006). MaLhemaLlcs and/or Sclence LducaLlon: SeparaLe or
lnLegraLe? R)"%52# )* 62$0&-2$+,2# M,+&5,&' S 62$0&-2$+,' B7",2$+)5 , 11-18.