This presentation introduces the ITL LEAP21 professional development program that is the focus on this symposium.
ITL LEAP21 is intended to help teachers bridge the gap between policy goals for 21st century learning and classroom practice. The program is based in a method of analysis of learning activities (usually the assignments given by teachers) and the work that students submit in response. The ITL Research project, described in a 2011 publication by L. Shear, L. Gallagher, and D. Patel (ITL Research 2011 Findings: Evolving Educational Ecosystems, Microsoft), used this method to develop specific definitions and rubrics that teachers can use as a lens to look at the 21st century learning opportunities afforded by their instruction. ITL LEAP21 features a 3-day workshop to learn these approaches and apply them to instructional improvement, followed by in-school support and facilitation to further teacher adoption of these practices at school.
Subsequent papers in this symposium describe a mainly qualitative program of multi-national research on ITL LEAP21, with data from interviews, observations, and questionnaires.