I believe there are many faces to 21st century learning such as technology, success and teamwork. Technology is advanced enough where all ages can use it to develop knowledge, skills and gain information. Success seems to be a huge factor in the 21st century, where every child should be put in a situation where they will succeed. Finally, teamwork has become much more prominent. Instead of having winners, losers,and students competing against each other in and out of the classroom, students are encouraged to work together. All of these can be implemented in my classroom fairly and rather easily. Technology is important to show students that someone can still be physically active and use technology. An example would be using an activity tracker that would show the student how many steps they completed in a day, or how many calories they burned and how they progress. Success and teamwork would go hand in hand in my classroom. If I teach to my students to work together and when they do, they can gain success, they will learn valuable skills. There are many other examples and ideas that could describe 21st century learning but technology, success and teamwork stand out the most to me.
I think that 21st century learning is a focus on application rather than rote memorization. It has become more important to be able to apply what a student learns to the real world then to simply memorize facts and have no idea what they mean. I think it also means using technology. Twenty first century learning takes advantage of technology to help students learn. It also realizes that students have access to much ore information easily accessible than in previous generation so memorizing certain things may not be as key. This type of learning would definitely impact my class. As a history teacher the emphasis changes from memorizing dates and names to trying to understand how and why people did what they did in the context of there time. It also changes how i would teach. I now have the ability to use technology and create interactive ways for my students to learn using it.
I like the emphasis on application, rather than just rote memorization. One of the biggest developments in the last decade is data mining. You started to touch on that in your response. If you look for uses of data mining, you will see it everywhere.
I heard the phrase “preparing to teach the 21st century learners” back since the late 80’s while I was working as a teacher in MA. During that time I had the opportunity to get engaged in many workshops addressing the subject. These workshops stressed how the increasing number of: special education students; multicultural and multi-language student population; index of criminality; and a constantly changing world and technology demands, would be impacting the 21st century learners and the whole school system. At the present time, with the costantly advance of the technology, I have more resources to deal with all the changes I mentioned. But I have to point out that in order to accomplish the task of teaching during this century I must keep learning how to use the new tools, and they are changing constantly. It means that in order to be a good teacher we must be eternally learners!
Well put, we must be always learning. The tools will definitely change, many times over. The trick is can you identify ways in which technology can truly bring effective results.
Because the 21st century has started so recently, the goals and methods of 21st century learning are still very much under construction. I think, so far, the defining features could be the extended place of technology in the classroom and at home, by both instructors and students (such as having to find good sources of information on the internet), as well as the interference of parents and government organizations in the classroom. I think media is starting to play a much bigger role in the classroom because through services like Netflix, teachers can access documentaries like 'World War I in HD', instead of relying on a VHS or DVD the school has had for years. In biology, you could watch Planet Earth, which is modern and up-to-date, instead of something made in the 70s and may have inaccurate information. The biggest feature of the 21st classroom is standardized testing, because so much of how schools are ranked and funded is dependent on the test scores that sixteen-year-olds earn at eight in the morning. As a Spanish teacher, there is no section on the CAPT or SATs for foreign languages, and as an elective, it can be regarded as a useless elective. I think a lot of what I'll have to do to justify the importance of my class is to prove that Spanish can be useful when it comes to standardized test (ex. bilingual people often do better on vocab parts of the SATs because they'll understand the roots of English words). I might also have to incorporate the essay writing sections of the test into my class and have students use the same set up, but writing in Spanish instead of English.
I love the idea of using Netflix in your classroom. I know testing is a huge issue in public schools, and technology has certainly made it easier to test more efficiently, but not always the more effectively.
When I hear the term "21st century learning" I think of electronics, whether it be a smart board, computer, lap top, tablet, cell phone, projectors, or the internet, I think of teacher using electronic means to further the education of their students and make learning more fun, friendly and enjoyable for students. In a world of 4G and HD, students are heavily influenced by technology in their everyday life. Technology isn't going away and certainly isn't taking any steps backwards, whether teachers agree with the amount of technology available to students or not it is in their best interests to use it to their advantage in the classroom. As 21st century teachers it is our job to keep up with our students and the latest technology and use their interests to positively influence them in the classroom.
I believe that 21st century learning while it does mainly refer to incorporating technology into the classroom, it also has many other smaller aspects that may get overlooked. For example, diversity. The 21st century has been a time of extreme diversity, not just students coming from all types of background and speaking all types of languages but also diversity in the school systems. There are more classes offered in the 21st century than ever before. School no longer means "math, science, history, and english," if a student wants to learn German, Spanish, French, Law, Home Economics, Physical Fitness, Dance, Music, or Art, there are classes available for them to take. The 21st century means more choices and opportunities for our students, and a better and brighter future.
A lot of things come to mind when thinking of the phrase "21 century learning." I definitely think of using electronics for everything in the class room. This is using a lot of online work and smart boards. This is great because it gives a different kind of learning experience for every student. If one student is not successful in class than maybe they are going to be successful online. This is definitely gearing towards every student being successful and have ample opportunity in everything class. This is something that has not been done before. Also, there is finally enough data for teachers to understand all the different types of learning and the different approaches that can be used. These are a few of the things that come to mind when I think of the phrase "21 century learning."
You are the second person to mention data. This is a huge issue in business and education...and people pay alot of money to get data on everything imaginable.
When I hear the phrase, "21st century learning" I immediately think of two things: technology and standardized testing. First of all, technology is evolving so rapidly and we are also finding so many more uses for it, specifically in the classroom, that it would be impossible to not include some sort of technology in the classroom these days. Secondly, (and unfortunately) we are becoming obsessed with standardized test. This is causing teachers everywhere of every grade to "teach to the test" so instead of being able to concentrate on their subject matter they are distracted by the huge pressure of making sure their students pass all of these tests. In my opinion, the direction in which we are moving with the technology is a positive one. However the direction we are moving with the standardized tests is really negative and I hope to see some changes in the other direction at some point in my career.
Progress always comes with a price, standardized testing may be an example. Just because one can do something does not mean one should. I hate that teachers teach to tests, or feel they have to. Where does that put the student?
To me "21st century learning" refers to the use of technology as a teaching method. These technological resources consist of electronics such as computers, smart boards,and tablets as well as internet sites such as Moodle. These resources are used to introduce, explain, and practice ideas- which is essentially the same idea as teaching. I find uses of technology to be helpful in the classroom- for example, using a smart board makes a lesson more easily visible and accessible, also, using moodle can organize assignments and keep students up to date. I would implement some methods of "21st" century learning"into my teaching style but not completely. I still feel that it is necessary for students to interact with peers and teachers in order to learn. Therefore, some resources such as tablets would be limited in my classroom because I don't see them as a necessity.
A teaching method or a tool that will make the instructional strategy more effective? I love technology and I agree with you that technology should be used wisely and strategically in the classroom. I like your approach to technology.
When I hear "21st century learning" I automatically think of the use of technology and new teaching strategies. With all the available technology, we can help teach students of all different learning styles. We will be able to reach our auditory, visual, and hands-on learners. Technology will allow students to be more hands on with all subject matter from mathematics to physical education. With in physical education students can learn in detail about the health benefits and the importance of exercise on the body. Using technology students can find heart rates, blood pressure, cardiac output, and other important things. This is will be very effective in the physical education setting!!! 21st century learning is far from the traditional teaching strategies of children sitting in desks and the teacher in front lecturing. The students can follow along and be more active with in lessons rather than being spectators.
When talking about 21st century learning, I always think of the addition of more advanced technology. It is amazing to me all the new things that are available to teachers these days to help all kinds of students at all levels of learning. Even since high school, I have noticed a drastic change in my own classrooms. In my high school there was only 1 projector, and it was a big deal if our teacher was using it for the day, but now at college it seems every classroom has one automatically built into the ceiling. There are so many new aspects of teaching that come along with technology. Smart boards, iPads, powerpoint presentations, online websites like Google Docs are all components that seem to make up this "21st century teaching". I'm very excited to learn how to use this new technology and implement it into my classroom as creatively as possible. A visual learner myself, I think using new ways to teach will engage my students even more. Teaching a foreign language is going to be tricky to begin with, with the obvious resistance of simply having to learn an entire new language - but I can only hope that I'll be able to successfully incorporate new and interesting technology to grasp their attention.
The advancement in the last few years has been startling and it promises to stay that way for the next several years. If you plan on teaching a foreign language, consider purchasing a copy of Rosetta Stone. Not so much to use in the classroom, but to see how they have incorporated technology into the learning of a new language.
To me 21st century learning means continually incorporating new technology, and trying to move away from the failing "teaching to the test" method. Over the course of my own education technology has changed incredibly, and is doing so even more rapidly now. With the new technology, the profession of teaching and what is taught also must change. Teachers now must teach students who will eventually work in positions that have not been invented or created yet. That means that students must be prepared with a more holistic education that will benefit them in no matter what field they choose to go in to.
Several comments in the blog on 'teaching to the test'. I hope that changes, it tends to stiffle creativity, or makes it more challenging to keep students interested in the material. Great point on teaching for positions not yet created. How would accomplish that and remain loyal to the 'test'?!
I believe there are many faces to 21st century learning such as technology, success and teamwork. Technology is advanced enough where all ages can use it to develop knowledge, skills and gain information. Success seems to be a huge factor in the 21st century, where every child should be put in a situation where they will succeed. Finally, teamwork has become much more prominent. Instead of having winners, losers,and students competing against each other in and out of the classroom, students are encouraged to work together. All of these can be implemented in my classroom fairly and rather easily. Technology is important to show students that someone can still be physically active and use technology. An example would be using an activity tracker that would show the student how many steps they completed in a day, or how many calories they burned and how they progress. Success and teamwork would go hand in hand in my classroom. If I teach to my students to work together and when they do, they can gain success, they will learn valuable skills. There are many other examples and ideas that could describe 21st century learning but technology, success and teamwork stand out the most to me.
ReplyDeleteDo you think success and teamwork are unique to 21st century teaching?
DeleteI think that 21st century learning is a focus on application rather than rote memorization. It has become more important to be able to apply what a student learns to the real world then to simply memorize facts and have no idea what they mean. I think it also means using technology. Twenty first century learning takes advantage of technology to help students learn. It also realizes that students have access to much ore information easily accessible than in previous generation so memorizing certain things may not be as key. This type of learning would definitely impact my class. As a history teacher the emphasis changes from memorizing dates and names to trying to understand how and why people did what they did in the context of there time. It also changes how i would teach. I now have the ability to use technology and create interactive ways for my students to learn using it.
ReplyDeleteI like the emphasis on application, rather than just rote memorization. One of the biggest developments in the last decade is data mining. You started to touch on that in your response. If you look for uses of data mining, you will see it everywhere.
DeleteI heard the phrase “preparing to teach the 21st century learners” back since the late 80’s while I was working as a teacher in MA. During that time I had the opportunity to get engaged in many workshops addressing the subject. These workshops stressed how the increasing number of: special education students; multicultural and multi-language student population; index of criminality; and a constantly changing world and technology demands, would be impacting the 21st century learners and the whole school system. At the present time, with the costantly advance of the technology, I have more resources to deal with all the changes I mentioned. But I have to point out that in order to accomplish the task of teaching during this century I must keep learning how to use the new tools, and they are changing constantly. It means that in order to be a good teacher we must be eternally learners!
ReplyDeleteWell put, we must be always learning. The tools will definitely change, many times over. The trick is can you identify ways in which technology can truly bring effective results.
DeleteBecause the 21st century has started so recently, the goals and methods of 21st century learning are still very much under construction. I think, so far, the defining features could be the extended place of technology in the classroom and at home, by both instructors and students (such as having to find good sources of information on the internet), as well as the interference of parents and government organizations in the classroom. I think media is starting to play a much bigger role in the classroom because through services like Netflix, teachers can access documentaries like 'World War I in HD', instead of relying on a VHS or DVD the school has had for years. In biology, you could watch Planet Earth, which is modern and up-to-date, instead of something made in the 70s and may have inaccurate information.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest feature of the 21st classroom is standardized testing, because so much of how schools are ranked and funded is dependent on the test scores that sixteen-year-olds earn at eight in the morning.
As a Spanish teacher, there is no section on the CAPT or SATs for foreign languages, and as an elective, it can be regarded as a useless elective. I think a lot of what I'll have to do to justify the importance of my class is to prove that Spanish can be useful when it comes to standardized test (ex. bilingual people often do better on vocab parts of the SATs because they'll understand the roots of English words).
I might also have to incorporate the essay writing sections of the test into my class and have students use the same set up, but writing in Spanish instead of English.
I love the idea of using Netflix in your classroom. I know testing is a huge issue in public schools, and technology has certainly made it easier to test more efficiently, but not always the more effectively.
DeleteWhen I hear the term "21st century learning" I think of electronics, whether it be a smart board, computer, lap top, tablet, cell phone, projectors, or the internet, I think of teacher using electronic means to further the education of their students and make learning more fun, friendly and enjoyable for students. In a world of 4G and HD, students are heavily influenced by technology in their everyday life. Technology isn't going away and certainly isn't taking any steps backwards, whether teachers agree with the amount of technology available to students or not it is in their best interests to use it to their advantage in the classroom. As 21st century teachers it is our job to keep up with our students and the latest technology and use their interests to positively influence them in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI believe that 21st century learning while it does mainly refer to incorporating technology into the classroom, it also has many other smaller aspects that may get overlooked. For example, diversity. The 21st century has been a time of extreme diversity, not just students coming from all types of background and speaking all types of languages but also diversity in the school systems. There are more classes offered in the 21st century than ever before. School no longer means "math, science, history, and english," if a student wants to learn German, Spanish, French, Law, Home Economics, Physical Fitness, Dance, Music, or Art, there are classes available for them to take. The 21st century means more choices and opportunities for our students, and a better and brighter future.
Very well put, technology has truly opened up opportunities for teachers to engage their students more effectively. Good comments.
DeleteA lot of things come to mind when thinking of the phrase "21 century learning." I definitely think of using electronics for everything in the class room. This is using a lot of online work and smart boards. This is great because it gives a different kind of learning experience for every student. If one student is not successful in class than maybe they are going to be successful online. This is definitely gearing towards every student being successful and have ample opportunity in everything class. This is something that has not been done before. Also, there is finally enough data for teachers to understand all the different types of learning and the different approaches that can be used. These are a few of the things that come to mind when I think of the phrase "21 century learning."
ReplyDeleteYou are the second person to mention data. This is a huge issue in business and education...and people pay alot of money to get data on everything imaginable.
DeleteWhen I hear the phrase, "21st century learning" I immediately think of two things: technology and standardized testing. First of all, technology is evolving so rapidly and we are also finding so many more uses for it, specifically in the classroom, that it would be impossible to not include some sort of technology in the classroom these days. Secondly, (and unfortunately) we are becoming obsessed with standardized test. This is causing teachers everywhere of every grade to "teach to the test" so instead of being able to concentrate on their subject matter they are distracted by the huge pressure of making sure their students pass all of these tests. In my opinion, the direction in which we are moving with the technology is a positive one. However the direction we are moving with the standardized tests is really negative and I hope to see some changes in the other direction at some point in my career.
ReplyDeleteProgress always comes with a price, standardized testing may be an example. Just because one can do something does not mean one should. I hate that teachers teach to tests, or feel they have to. Where does that put the student?
DeleteTo me "21st century learning" refers to the use of technology as a teaching method. These technological resources consist of electronics such as computers, smart boards,and tablets as well as internet sites such as Moodle. These resources are used to introduce, explain, and practice ideas- which is essentially the same idea as teaching. I find uses of technology to be helpful in the classroom- for example, using a smart board makes a lesson more easily visible and accessible, also, using moodle can organize assignments and keep students up to date. I would implement some methods of "21st" century learning"into my teaching style but not completely. I still feel that it is necessary for students to interact with peers and teachers in order to learn. Therefore, some resources such as tablets would be limited in my classroom because I don't see them as a necessity.
ReplyDeleteA teaching method or a tool that will make the instructional strategy more effective? I love technology and I agree with you that technology should be used wisely and strategically in the classroom. I like your approach to technology.
DeleteWhen I hear "21st century learning" I automatically think of the use of technology and new teaching strategies. With all the available technology, we can help teach students of all different learning styles. We will be able to reach our auditory, visual, and hands-on learners. Technology will allow students to be more hands on with all subject matter from mathematics to physical education. With in physical education students can learn in detail about the health benefits and the importance of exercise on the body. Using technology students can find heart rates, blood pressure, cardiac output, and other important things. This is will be very effective in the physical education setting!!! 21st century learning is far from the traditional teaching strategies of children sitting in desks and the teacher in front lecturing. The students can follow along and be more active with in lessons rather than being spectators.
ReplyDeleteAre you sure that technology has introduced new teaching strategies? Can you accomplish the same thing in your classroom with technology?
DeleteWhen talking about 21st century learning, I always think of the addition of more advanced technology. It is amazing to me all the new things that are available to teachers these days to help all kinds of students at all levels of learning. Even since high school, I have noticed a drastic change in my own classrooms. In my high school there was only 1 projector, and it was a big deal if our teacher was using it for the day, but now at college it seems every classroom has one automatically built into the ceiling. There are so many new aspects of teaching that come along with technology. Smart boards, iPads, powerpoint presentations, online websites like Google Docs are all components that seem to make up this "21st century teaching". I'm very excited to learn how to use this new technology and implement it into my classroom as creatively as possible. A visual learner myself, I think using new ways to teach will engage my students even more. Teaching a foreign language is going to be tricky to begin with, with the obvious resistance of simply having to learn an entire new language - but I can only hope that I'll be able to successfully incorporate new and interesting technology to grasp their attention.
ReplyDeleteThe advancement in the last few years has been startling and it promises to stay that way for the next several years. If you plan on teaching a foreign language, consider purchasing a copy of Rosetta Stone. Not so much to use in the classroom, but to see how they have incorporated technology into the learning of a new language.
DeleteTo me 21st century learning means continually incorporating new technology, and trying to move away from the failing "teaching to the test" method. Over the course of my own education technology has changed incredibly, and is doing so even more rapidly now. With the new technology, the profession of teaching and what is taught also must change. Teachers now must teach students who will eventually work in positions that have not been invented or created yet. That means that students must be prepared with a more holistic education that will benefit them in no matter what field they choose to go in to.
ReplyDeleteSeveral comments in the blog on 'teaching to the test'. I hope that changes, it tends to stiffle creativity, or makes it more challenging to keep students interested in the material. Great point on teaching for positions not yet created. How would accomplish that and remain loyal to the 'test'?!
Delete