The document discusses how public schools have historically reflected the needs of the societies that created them, focusing on a common language, basic literacy, conformity, and workforce preparation. However, economic and technological changes including the information explosion, increased globalization, and digital innovations have disrupted this model. Standards and testing were implemented to ensure universal proficiency but robots, AI, and algorithms are now disrupting routine jobs. Schools must prepare students with skills like critical thinking, problem solving, meaningful communication, and digital literacy to thrive in this new, rapidly changing environment defined by shorter disruptions between technological innovations. Assessments must support student growth and coherence across the educational system.

1. What Will You Focus
On Today?
Sacred Heart University
November 15th 2018
http://www.slideshare.net/jpcostasr
costa@edadvance.org
Jonathan P. Costa

2. Public schools have
always…
© Corwin Press - 2011
…reflected the
culture they serve and
the particular needs
of the society that
created them.

3. What was the need
of this era?
© Corwin Press - 2011
• Common language
• Basic literacy
• Enculturation
• Rank and sort
• Production
Conformity

4. ‘80s and ‘90s..
• Economic changes
• Emerging global
network
• Information
explosion
• Comparisons

5. Enter the era
of standards,
testing, and
universal
proficiency.

6. NCLB’s most lasting
contribution…
… is probably the
realization and accepted
expectation that any
student without
appropriate skills will
indeed be left behind and
that is not acceptable.

7. Then
began
the
acceleration
of digital
innovations.

8. Yes, It’s Happened Before Our Eyes

9. It is Indeed Inevitable
There will be resistance, but
the disruptive forces that
we have unleashed are
genies that cannot be placed
back in their bottles.

10. New Economy
Motivated by the desire
to increase profits,
performance and
productivity, digital
workers offer improved
decision making, the
elimination of errors,
and the reduction of
labor costs.

11. Displacement…
…is not just
about factories
anymore.

12. Vaunted human
intuition is in reality
pattern recognition.
These intellectual tasks
will be performed more
effectively by
algorithms than they
could ever be by live
workers.

13. Homo Deus
For most of human history,
we learned and then we
worked.
In the foreseeable future,
we will need to continuously
learn or we will be out of
work.

14. Thinking for the Information Age
An ability to think critically
(creatively, analytically, and
with purpose) is the most
important life skill for your
student’s future.

15. Robots, Artificial Intelligence, and Algorithms
Laying waste to the routine-work workforce.

16. Big Picture: This Is Not Just About Tech
Multiple systems,
multiple changes,
with less and less
time for cultural
adjustment and
recalibration.

17. Time Span Between Disruptions
(not to scale)
1. Agricultural 1
2. Agricultural 2
3. Industrial
4. Digital
5. Mobile
6. Algorithmic/Art. Int.
10,000 BC 1700 1860 1960 2008 2014
Six Culturally
Transformational
Changes

18. A Culminating Impact…
From the 2018 NEASP 10 Year Report (National Association of Elementary Principals)

19. Explicitly Connect Foundational Systems
Mission
Leadership
Focus
Goals
MeasuresPractices

20. Preparing students to
be empowered today…
© Corwin Press - 2011
…entails a different
set of skills than it did
when schools were
first organized.

21. High Leverage Focus on Student Learning
Critical & Creative
Problem Solving
“Making sure the Main Thing remains the Main Thing”
Analyze &
Construct
Arguments Based
on Evidence
Meaningful &
Purposeful
Communication
Digital Literacy
& Information
Fluency

23. Coherence Is Supported
by Assessment
Value
Reliability

24. language of feedback for growth – not inspection.
We do not have the right assessment
vocabulary for this challenge….we need a