A 21st Century Education: Documentary Film Series Profiling Education Innovators

Innovative educators will appreciate these twelve first-person films that make up a series exploring three related themes, each in its own way at the center of current debate about what works, and what's needed, to help students succeed during school and in life. I notice some familiar names of these movie makers including Alan November, Elliot Soloway and Stephen Heppell. You can visit the website here where you'll find the following films grouped by the themes below.

Side note: The images (taken from the website) aren't what I think of when I think of learning innovation. Seems to be a disconnect from the message in the films and the person assigned to graphically represent the themes.

Technology and 21st Century Learning

These films look specifically at the ways that the latest digital and mobile technologies can potentially transform the ways that young people communicate, collaborate, and learn.

Films

• An introduction

• Empowering Young Learners, Stephen Heppell

• The Myths and Opportunities of Technology in the Classroom, Alan November

• Educating the Mobile Generation, Elliot Soloway/Cathie Norris

• No Child Left Behind and Global Competitiveness, Yong Zhao

Student-Centered Learning

These films look specifically at ways in which school leaders and educators are testing and proving project-based models for a new, student-centered model of learning.

Films

• An introduction

• Essential Learning at Hip Hop High, David "T.C." Ellis

• Designing Schools for 21st Century Learning, Randall Fielding

• Online Learning for Disaffected Youth, Jean Johnson, Notschool.net

• Project-based Learning at High Tech High, Larry Rosenstock

Social Equity and Justice in Education

Dismissing suggestions that poor kids can't learn, these films demonstrate how much is possible when people come together to challenge the conventional wisdom about urban public education.

Films

• An introduction

• The Takeover of Locke High School in Watts, Steve Barr

• Leadership Models for Urban Middle Schools, James Dierke

• The Success of Achievement First, Doug McCurry

• Personalizing Public Education, George McKenna