Integrating 4Cs into Instructional

Activities with Tablets

Drs. Candace Chou and Sarah Noonan

School of Education
University of St. Thomas, Minnesota
EDUCAUSE 2013

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 Associate
C. Candace Chou,
ProfessorPh.D.
in
Learning
Technology
Research interests:
pedagogy of
emerging
technologies,
mobile learning,
learner interaction
ccchou@
stthomas.edu
2
Sarah J. Noonan, Ed.D.
Associate Professor in
Leadership, Administration
and Policy
Research interests:
leadership, peer reviews of
teaching, professional
development and
supervision, and engaging
pedagogy (K-12 and higher
education).
Author of several
articles/books on leadership
and teaching, including How
Real Teachers Learn to
Engage All Learners (2013).
sjnoonan@stthomas.edu

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University
of St.
Thomas
Quick Facts:
Comprehensive
Liberal Arts
University
Founded in 1885
11,000 students
(graduates &
undergraduates)
Student-faculty
ratio: 15:1

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 College of Education, Leadership, &
Counseling
Accredited, reputable
programs
Personal attention &
practical skills
1,500+ students
Doctorates in Leadership,
Organization
Development

http://www.stthomas.edu/
celc
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 Workshop Goals
Become familiar with current research on mobile
learning

Reflect and update knowledge on the best

practices

Generate new ideas with 4Cs activities through

collaboration

Co-design mobile learning activities

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 Activity 1
Share your experiences in
utilizing tablets for learning or
faculty development
Discuss with a partner
Share the name of at least one
useful app and then briefly describe
how/why you use it for learning:
http://Todaysmeet.com/educause13

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 Some Assumptions
Technology changes the way teachers and students learn. Tablets
and applications provide a portable platform for learning and allow
greater access to learning resources and activities in F2F, blended,
and online classes.

Twenty-first century skills support the acquisition and application of

disciplinary content to real-world problems.

Twenty-first-century learning skills, such as the 4Cs, including

communication, collaboration, and critical and creative thinking,
support the development and capacity of autonomous and
collaborative life-long learners in a global society.

Integrating the 4Cs into instructional activities with tablets requires

good design skills and effective selection and use of technology
tools and applications to support learner-centered practice.

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The 4Cs: Critical Thinking, Communication,
Collaboration, & Creativity

(Partnership for 21st century learning, n.d., 1)

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 Based on more than 25 mobile
learning projects and research
results, Schulers (2009)
summarized five benefits of mobile
learning. Rate the degree to which
these uses of mobile learning occur
in your organization.

Respond at http://pollev.com/ipads

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 What other uses of
mobile learning exist in
your workplace?

Respond at http://pollev.com/ipads

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 Why Tablets

Increased collaboration, communication,

creativity, and critical thinking
(McConnell & McConnell, 2011)

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 Why Tablets

Better learning transfer (Gertner,

2011)
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 Why Tablets

Frequent and easier access to course

materials (Shepherd & Reeves, 2011)

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15
 Why Tablets

Reducing digital divide and better

communication between students and
teachers (Vagoner, Hoover, & Ernst, 2011)

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The 4Cs and 21st Century Learning

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 Padlet Wall

Visit http://goo.gl/ZnOjS2 for links to your groups

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How to Incorporate 4Cs

http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/4cs
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 TodaysMeet

http://Todaysmeet.com/educau
se13 20
 CoggleIt

https://coggle.it
/
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 MindMup

http://www.mindmup.com/

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 Edmodo

https://www.edmodo.com/ (group code:

vdu52u )
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Wikibrains

http://wikibrains.com/

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Educreations

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 VoiceThread

http://voicethread.com/share/4882363/
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Skitch

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Pic Collage

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Haiku Deck

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Recap

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Designing A 21st Century Sandwich

(adapted from Noonan, 2013)

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 SEVEN DESIGN STEPS

1. Select disciplinary concepts/themes.

2. Match concepts with a global issue.

3. Locate multimedia content.

4. Add content tiles to Symbaloo webmix.

5. Design active learning activities, using the 4Cs and

technology to upgrade (Jacobs, 2010) the curriculum.

6. Share and reflect on learning and generate ideas for social

action.

7. Evaluate content learning and the 4Cs.

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33
3. Locate multimedia content
4. Add content tiles to
Symbaloo webmix

http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/4c4natives
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5. Design active learning activities,
using the 4Cs and technology to
upgrade (Jacobs, 2010) the
curriculum.
American Indian Museum:
http://nmai.si.edu/home/

Locate and select Native American art images (use a

grab tool and cite source of images) to illustrate how
art expresses cultural beliefs and values. Identify the
dominant themes found in your collection of images
and use Pic Collage to share the images and themes in
a poster format. Upload your Pic Collage to Edmodo
and write an annotated description of your collage in
the designated space. An annotation provides a brief
summary of the content.

See more examples on pages 4-5 in the handout. 35

 The 4Cs
Communication, as a process, communicators send and receive messages
with accuracy and sensitivity to express ideas and gain understanding (Johnson
& Johnson, 2013). As a product, communication involves individual or group
expression of ideas, positions, proposals, or inventions, using various channels
of communication and multimedia formats.

Collaboration involves a commitment to work skillfully with others in groups.

Collaborators create effective groups by (1) establishing goals, (2) sharing ideas
and workload, (3) serving as facilitators and contributors, (4) sharing power and
decision making, and (5) engaging in productive conflict (see Johnson &
Johnson, 2013, pp. 24-26).

Critical thinking involves (1) hunting assumptions, (2) checking

assumptions, (3) seeing things from different viewpoints, and (4) taking
informed action (Brookfield, 2011, pp. 11
12). Critical thinking and reflection allow us to detect misconceptions and
underlying problems as well as see new opportunities in practice (Noonan,
2013, 177).

Creative thinking tools, strategies, and models allow us to go beyond

conventional thinking and arrive at creative (novel and useful) solutions
(Creative Problem Solving, n.d., 2). Practical tools, such as SCAMPER
(substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, and reverse;
Eberle, 1997) invite alternative approaches to problem solving and innovation.
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6. Share and reflect on learning and
generate ideas for social action.

7. Evaluate content learning and the

4Cs.

After completing your project(s), write a critical

reflection (250-500 words) in your journal regarding
how the preservation of culture represents a human
rights issue for indigenous people. Suggest at least
three ideas for social action in your community and
include your ideas in your journal space.

Complete a self-assessment checklist and describe

your contributions to the group project. Provide
examples of you contribution (text, images, editing,
etc.).
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A 21st Century Design

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EDUCAUSE Design Task
Explore the Native American history webmix and add at
least one new learning resource to the webmix, using
Wikibrains to locate interesting content. Add a new
resource tile to the Symbaloo mix. Next, design a small
group learning activity to explore the content, featuring the
4Cs and technology. Describe your idea in a few sentences
(follow pattern on pages 5-6 in the handout), emphasizing
active student learning. Share you idea in the designated
space in Edmodo.

Does your learning idea emphasize at least one or more of

the 4Cs, use technology for collaborative learning, and
attract students to learning? Meet with colleagues in a small
group to discuss your idea.

39
concepts/themes.
2. Match concepts with a global
Seven Design Steps: A
issue.
3. LocateQuick
multimedia content.
Review
4. Add content tiles to Symbaloo
webmix.
5. Design active learning activities,
using the
4Cs and technology.
6. Reflect on learning and generate
ideas for social action.
7. Evaluate content learning and the
4Cs.

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 References
Brookfield, S. (2011). Teaching for critical thinking: Tools and technique to help
students question their assumptions. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Creative Problem Solving (n.d.). Creative problem solving. Retrieved from http://
creativeproblemsolving.com
Gertner, R. T. (2011). The effects of multimedia technology on learning. MS, Abilene
Christian University. Retrieved from http://www.acu.edu/technology
/mobilelearning/documents/research/effects-of-technology-on-learning.pdf
Jacobs, H. (2010). Upgrading the curriculum. In H. Jacobs (Ed.), Curriculum 21:
Essential education for a changing world (pp. 1829). Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Johnson, D., & Johnson, F. (2013). Joining together: Group theory and group skills (11th
ed.).Boston, MA: Allyn &
Bacon.
McConnell, B., & McConnell, S. (2011, June 26-29). Mobile devices in a project- based
physics classroom:
Developing NETS-S in students. Paper presented at the International Society for
Technology in Education (ISTE) conference, Pennsylvania, PA.
Noonan, S. J. (2013). How real teachers learn to engage all learners. Latham, MD:
Rowman & Littlefield Press.
Shuler, C. (2009). Pockets of potential: Using mobile technologies to promote
children's learning. NY, New York:
The Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop.
Shepherd, I. J., & Reeves, B. (2011). iPad or iFad The reality of a paperless classroom.
Retrieved
from
http://www.acu.edu/technology/mobilelearning/documents/research/ipad-or-ifad.pdf
United Nations (n.d.). Global issues. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/
 Resources
Educause workshop resources: http://goo.gl/ZnOjS2
Symbaloo links to apps & websites:
http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/4cs
Symbaloo link on Native Americans:
http://www.symbaloo.com/mix/4c4natives
Edmodo: http://edmo.do/j/yx9z6d
Blooms Digital Taxonomy,
http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/file/view/Bloom%27s+quick
sheets.pdf
Pedagogy Wheel,
http://edudemic.com/2013/05/new-padagogy-wheel-helps-you
-integrate-technology-using-samr-model
/
Apps in Education, http://appsineducation.blogspot.com/
APPitic, http://appitic.com/
TeachingApps, http://www.teachingappz.co.uk/
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