Author(s)

John WilbornFollow

Date

3-2013

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Chair

Russell Yocum

Primary Subject Area

Education, General; Education, Technology; Education, Teacher Training; Education, Curriculum and Instruction

Keywords

21st Century Learning, Common Core State Standards, Learning Styles, Student Engagement, Teacher Self-Efficacy

Disciplines

Curriculum and Instruction | Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Methods | Teacher Education and Professional Development

Abstract

The purpose of this case study was to understand teachers' self-efficacy in instructing 21st century learning skills in a high school core curriculum. This study examined the impact of three highly qualified teachers' attitudes toward instructing the Common Core State Standards 4C's (critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity) within a 21st century skills framework. Four research questions guided this study. What attitudes do teachers exhibit regarding instruction of 21st century learning skills? To what extent do teachers seek to engage students in creativity and innovation? To what degree do teachers implement neomillennial learning styles? How will the participants measure their own self-efficacy in teaching 21st century learning skills within the core curriculum? This qualitative collective, instrumental case study examined three core curricular teachers in Georgia. The social cognitive theory, the situated learning theory and constructivism provided the theoretical frameworks as well as symbolic interactionism. Data were collected through survey, four classroom observations and a stimulated recall interview. The study's findings revealed major themes regarding teachers' attitudes towards 21st century skills instruction, learning accountability, learning culture, and student learning styles. The findings revealed minor themes with reference to critical thinking, real-world learning, brain-compatible learning and deep understanding of the curriculum content.

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