Table 4 Examples of teacher lesson plans as assessed with the 21CLD learning activity rubric

Knowledge construction

1–5

Students were asked to draw conclusions at the end of a lab activity as to how surface area and weight affect frictional force.

Students were asked to investigate different theories on dark matter and use that knowledge to create advertisements, publications and a talk show in an attempt to sway the public to their side of the debate.

Real-world problem Solving

1–4

Students were asked to write an interesting and engaging story that explains calculus through everyday experiences.

Students were divided into groups to refurnish/upgrade the teacher’s house on a budget while balancing needs and wants.

Skilled communication

1–4

After going on a tour of a gross anatomy lab, students were asked to write a reflection on what they learned on the from the tour and how it applies to their physiology and medical terminology class.

Senior students were required to create a portfolio that included volunteer forms, journal entries, artifacts, and a competed paper with references on their internship experience.

Collaboration

1–5

In a lesson where students were working to solve and interpret exponential growth and decay problems the students were expected to work together in table groups.

Students were expected to work in pairs to create a shared presentation and poster on drug awareness. Both students must be prepared to answer questions.

Use of ICT

1–5

Students are asked to create a facebook/twitter page, story book, instruction manual, rap, skit, or recipe to explain aerobic and anaerobic respiration.

Students were asked to create a video on You Tube that demonstrates their use of grammar and vocabulary learned in the second semester of Spanish.

Self-regulation

1–4

Students were asked to graphically represent research on a country and use plotted points to draw the country’s name and flag. Due dates for this project stretched out over two weeks.

Students were asked to create or redesign an invention that help a person with a disability overcome a specific obstacle of their interest. This six-week project had students, plan, create and improve multiple prototypes of their innovation.