21st Century Skills

Gavin Grift is a best-selling author and is founder and CEO of Grift Education. His passion, commitment, humor, and highly engaging style have made him one of Australia’s most in-demand PLC presenters. His leadership in the education industry fueled the development of PLC networks across Australia and culminated in the establishment of the Centre for Professional Learning Communities, a cohort informed by the work and legacies of Richard and Rebecca DuFour.

Clare Major is the founder and CEO of Clinical Psychology Australia and the co-founder of the Centre of Learning Architects. With more than 20 years of experience working in public and independent school systems as a master educator, her work has informed educational policy and encourages teachers and leaders to be students of their own professional practice.

Brad Sever is an assistant principal at Carmel High School in Indiana. There, he has helped to create and sustain a successful instructional coaching program and grow the school’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

Kathryn Fishman-Weaver, PhD, is an educator, author, school leader, and international lecturer. She began her teaching career in a public K–8 school in Oakland, California, and currently serves as the executive director of Mizzou Academy.

Shawn W. McCusker has 25 years of experience as a teacher and leader and is currently the director of professional learning at Digital Promise, a nonprofit dedicated to closing the digital learning gap.

How can teachers make everyday student learning more engaging, meaningful, relevant, and interesting? How can we better prepare students for a lifetime of learning? Author and experienced educator Elliott Seif uses real-life examples to explore four key goals of a lifelong learning education, and introduces a practical instructional framework that fosters student success and helps prepare students to become independent lifelong learners.

Jason McKenna is an established author, seasoned educator, and pioneering strategist in STEM education. Jason’s commitment to innovative learning has created lasting impacts in education over his expansive twenty-year journey.

Troy Hicks, PhD, is a professor of English and education at Central Michigan University, where he collaborates with K–12 colleagues to explore how they implement newer literacies in their classrooms.

Kate Grunow, MA, is an instructional technology consultant and Schoology implementation lead for Macomb Intermediate School District in Metro Detroit. She has more than a decade of experience in education as a K–12 digital media specialist and English teacher.

Jennifer Parker, EdD, is an instructional technology and school data advisor for Macomb Intermediate School District and adjunct faculty member for Central Michigan University. Co-creator of the 21things4 Project, she’s a leader in connecting standards and educational technology.