Are we equipping our students with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st Century? As life long learners and educators of today’s youth we must be aware of the skills necessary to survive and thrive in our high- tech, global society. Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a partnership of educators, businesses and community and government leaderships. The website offers many resources and tools that assist in the implementation of their mission. There are many opportunities to network with other educators and professional within our field of study.
Their holistic approach and program design of student outcomes and support systems is very informative and enlightening. We must prepare our students with the basic core subjects by using new innovative and creative hands on approach. The students must develop the skills to be self directed and engaged in a more global minded classroom. This 21st century model or approach helps us to integrate life skills and knowledge. This approach also encourages the use of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in the class.
I was surprised how easy they make it sound to integrate the skills into a daily classroom program. How are they able to fit so much into an already crowded schedule? I was also surprised how fast my mind started evaluating my techniques and classroom environment. What can I do to implement the changes needed? Will my school administration allow me the flexibility to implement some of the new ideas and techniques I was able to observe through the online video library? I was surprised about various feelings of excitement and fear that overcame me. Am I ready for the next step in education? I was also surprised how easy it was to access the online tools and resources to encourage me on this journey. The resources include professional development conferences, publications, educational articles and a video library. The videos were demonstrations of the 21st century approach in action K-12th grade.
The program encouraged me as a contemporary educator to continue my journey of lifelong learning and embrace change. My students learning gaps can be achieved if they are able to engage in collaborative, multi-media enriched learning environments. This approach will allow for many diverse types of assessments: standardized, formative, portfolio and technology based. The students need programs that will teach them to leap outside the box to discover new ways of doing, thinking and communicating with their fast paced, never sleeping, global world. Check out Partnership for 21st Century Skills and post your thoughts.
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Program Outcome Essay
14 years ago
6 comments:
I also found myself evaluating myself as a teacher and how I was going to implement all this change into my classroom. I find it challenging enough during the day to finish all that I plan on and then to add more to it or doing it it a different way seems daunting. I have the same anxieties that I feel all new teachers to technology feel as I read through this and the vast amount of information it shared.
I often sit back and think to myself, "How in the world am I going to do this?" Right now, I have time on my hands since my technology isn't arriving until 2011 but I am learning now and taking the steps I need so that I am less apprehensive as I see teachers in my district react when they recieved their technology this year.
Kristyln,
In many ways the technology does not add work to our day but makes our day easier. I cannot imagine not having my Smartboard, Senteo, class desktops for projects and resarch. We are also scheduled Computer lab for an hour each week to work on math skills.
Take time to observe the teachers who do use or have the new technology and ask lots of questions.
Connie,
The Partnership is a must have for all educators to explore. The Partnership for 21st Century skills is an advocate for developing learning skills with the collaboration of technology and our world community. It addresses many of the complex issues of learning in our student's new learning environment.
I would agree that there are many questions that the partnership raises, such as what can I do? how can I change my teaching practice to better serve my students? where are the resources going to come from? when do we start? and more. It appears daunting. But we are in a time in the history of teaching that requires us to be involved and participate in making our students educational experiences more impactful.
Dolores,
I believe it those questions that define us as Digital Natives or Digital Immigrants. I believe the real problems lies within the districts and schools that will not willing to expand their mind and practices to allow this new way of thinking. Our students are already thinking 21st century. Are we stifling their potential?
Connie,
I agree that the question is how do we take all of the tools that the 21st Century web site provides and start to be pro-active in the future of our students? Many school districts do not have the resources to implement the journey towards the reform of technology education. I also think that other districts are just prolonging the change and are still focusing on assessment tests.
I found myself getting excited also when exploring this website especially when I came across Route 21 and video 21. Video 21 was really good because one of the lessons that I watched is very similar to a lesson that I already teach making me realize that I am using technology in the classroom. Route 21 excited me because I found some creative ideas and links that I could use so I would not have to recreate the wheel.
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