DO PUBLIC-GOOD ORIENTED COURSES IN INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS NURTURE THE DEVELOPMENT OF 21ST CENTURY SKILLS IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS? Luana G. Nissan SubmitteD to the faculty of the University Graduate School in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, InDiana University May 2016 ii AccepteD by the Graduate Faculty, InDiana University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts. Master’s Thesis Committee ____________________________________ Dwight F. Burlingame, Ph.D., Chair ____________________________________ Julie A. Hatcher, Ph.D. ____________________________________ Amada Torres, M.S. iii ©2016 Luana G. Nissan iv AcknowleDgements This stuDy was significantly improved by the knowleDge of my thesis committee. I am profounDly honoreD anD grateful to Dr. Dwight F. Burlingame, my thesis chair, advisor anD mentor, for his encouragement, guiDance for this thesis anD past research, anD personal example of scholarly anD philanthropic contributions for the public gooD. Sincere thanks go to Dr. Julie A. Hatcher for generously sharing her deep knowledge, thought-provoking questions, anD insightful suggestions. I greatly appreciate Ms. Amada Torres of the National Association of InDepenDent Schools for her boDy of research on inDepenDent schools anD for her reviews anD substantial feeDback on my research. I am also Deeply thankful to the program Directors anD participating teachers who made this stuDy possible. Their generosity of time anD creative incorporation of public good lessons into their courses are inspiring. EDucators like them fuel my commitment to stuDying anD assisting schools that strive towarD a public purpose. My gratituDe anD motivation for serving as a “public teacher” in philanthropy are my Daughters anD my husbanD. I am thankful for their support anD ever inspireD by the girls’ interest in social justice anD my husbanD’s example of gooD teaching aimeD at opening stuDents’ minDs anD hearts to make a more interconnecteD, equitable world. Like many others, my life has been changeD by the interDisciplinary approach of Philanthropic StuDies thanks to creators Robert L. Payton, Dwight F. Burlingame anD the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Over these past two Decades at InDiana University, I have learneD so much about the noblest part of the human conDition anD the inextricable link between philanthropic engagement anD human flourishing. v Luana G. Nissan Do Public-GooD OrienteD Courses In InDepenDent Schools Nurture The Development Of 21st Century Skills In High School StuDents? EDucation is among the inDustries shifting toDay to answer evolving global neeDs anD opportunities. Influential organizations anD thought leaders are calling for reimagining of teaching anD learning. To prepare stuDents for college anD professions, an increasing number of K-12 inDepenDent schools are beginning to focus on Deep learning experiences anD builDing key “21st century skills” anD competencies. These schools are also interesteD in their public purpose both as institutional citizens of their local communities anD to connect their stuDents to local anD global communities. These connections provide stuDents with an authentic context for application of learning anD for community contribution. There is also now an opportunity to coorDinate curricular goals with Developmental goals relateD to stuDents’ social-emotional growth anD social responsibility. This stuDy useD online surveys taken by stuDents anD their teachers to explore whether high school courses with public gooD themes anD experiences in inDepenDent schools nurture the Development of 21st century skills in stuDents. The eight skills stuDieD were: Critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity anD innovation, self-direction, global connections, local connections, anD the use of technology. The skills were measureD through frequency ratings of forty-eight classroom practices. FinDings show that both stuDents anD teachers believe these courses Do nurture each vi skill – some with greater emphasis. StuDents reporteD critical thinking, communication, self-Direction anD making local connections as the skills most learneD in their courses, while teachers reporteD that stuDents most learneD these same skills with the adDition of collaboration. Teachers use a number of practices in the classroom to Develop 21st century skills anD most stuDents founD the practices relevant to their course. Keywords: 21st century skills, K-12 eDucation, inDepenDent schools, public gooD, public purpose, service learning Dwight F. Burlingame, Ph.D., Chair vii Table of Contents Background IntroDuction: Why anD How EDucation in K-12 Schools Is Being ReDefineD for the 21st Century .............................................................................................. 1 Purpose of the StuDy .......................................................................................... 10 Research Questions .............................................................................................. 12 Definition of Terms ............................................................................................... 13 Literature Review A Focus on Public GooD anD Public Purpose in InDepenDent Schools .................. 17 BackgrounD on Service Learning anD Civic-MinDeDness in Schools ..................... 29 Research Methodology IntroDuction ......................................................................................................... 40 Research Design ................................................................................................... 42 Research MethoD ................................................................................................. 45 Site Selection Criteria ........................................................................................... 47 Survey Tool Reliability .......................................................................................... 48 ConsiDerations anD Limitations ............................................................................ 49 Study Findings BackgrounD .......................................................................................................... 51 Two Schools With Similar Purpose ...................................................................... 52 Key FinDings .......................................................................................................... 56 Critical Thinking Skills in Public Good Courses ..................................................... 62 viii Collaboration Skills in Public Good Courses ......................................................... 63 Communication Skills in Public Good Courses ..................................................... 63 Creativity AnD Innovation Skills in Public Good Courses ...................................... 64 Self-Direction Skills in Public Good Courses ......................................................... 64 Global Connections in Public GooD Courses ......................................................... 65 Local Connections in Public Good Courses ........................................................... 65 Use of Technology As A Tool For Learning in Public Good Courses ..................... 66 Assessing StuDent Learning of 21st Century Skills ................................................ 67 Teacher Surveys ................................................................................................... 67 Discussion of Findings .......................................................................................... 69 Further Research And Conclusion RecommenDations For Further Research ............................................................. 71 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 73 Appendices AppenDix A: Essential Capacities For The 21st Century ....................................... 76 AppenDix B: BackgrounD Interview with School ADministrator .......................... 78 AppenDix C: Framework for 21st Century Learning (P21) ..................................... 80 AppenDix D: Survey for Teachers: “Measuring 21st Century Skill Development in Service Learning anD Public GooD Courses in InDepenDent High Schools” ....................................................................................................... 82 ix AppenDix E: Survey for StuDents: “Measuring 21st Century Skill Development in Service Learning anD Public GooD Courses in InDepenDent High Schools” ....................................................................................................... 94 Appendix F: Recruitment Email for School Participation in StuDy ..................... 105 AppenDix G: StuDy Information Sheet: Measuring 21st Century Skill Development in Service Learning anD Public GooD Courses in InDepenDent High Schools ....................................................................................................... 106 AppenDix H: Emails for School ADministrator anD Participating Teachers ........ 110 AppenDix I: Instructions for ADministering anD Completing the “21st Century Skills” Surveys ....................................................................................... 112 AppenDix J: Letter to Inform Parents / GuarDians of StuDent Survey Participation ....................................................................................................... 114 AppenDix K: InDiana University InformeD Consent