Complete at least 3 of the following activities. Respond to the postings of at least 3 classmates - be sure to reference readings and discussions in your postings and responses.
1. Write a question someone should be able to answer after hearing this lesson.
2. Explain the most important ideas from this lesson in a way that a person who never heard of 21st century skills or 21st century learning could understand.
3. Find a quote that we should remember as we teach to 21st century learners.
4. Tell which part of the lesson you found confusing and why.
5. If you were going to learn more about this topic, what would you choose to investigate and why?
6. Write a headline for a newspaper article about today's lesson.
How does planning a lesson using this template help/hinder helping students use 21st century skills?
This is a test post.
ReplyDelete1. Considering advances in new technology, what would be a 21st century alternative to presenting a "traditional" poster on a topic like alternative energy? -Rob Slider
ReplyDelete6. "Time to adapt: the recent evolution of technology compels 21st century educators to tweet, blog, and post" -Rob Slider
ReplyDelete5. I would like to investigate peer-reviewed research highlighting the benefits of using project-based learning on students' long term retention of course content and specialized skill sets like critical thinking & data analysis -Rob Slider
ReplyDeleteRob - There are several good research articles on the GV library database - Education Research Complete. Also, the Buck Institute has several research articles in their "research" tab. Thanks for the posts. Could you let me know what you did to post so I can inform the rest of the Fellows? Thank you.
ReplyDeleteJacque
Rob: To answer question 1: You could have a student do a wikipedia page on the alternative energy sources with a requirement of at least 10 references. Another idea is to have a student construct a Facebook page on a certain type of alternative energy. I don't know if these are the other alternatives that you are thinking of but they are ideas.
ReplyDelete1. Considering what we learned about 21st learning, what is the object of project based learning in a classroom setting? What is the importance of project based learning and how could it be incorporated into your field?
ReplyDeleteReferences: Route 21, The Buck Institute, Pearson website.
3. There are many quotes but here are two that I found on this website:
ReplyDeletehttp://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2008/04/ten-21st-century-education-quotes-i.html
I realize that credibility for these two quotes is questionable but I thought that the author echos philosophies suggested by the Buck Institute as well as other websites.
Here are the quotes:
The largest number of podcasts in education are about Podcasts in education.-Marco Torres.
Also: We need to prepare students for THEIR future not OUR past-Ian Jukes, educator and Futurist.
5. If I were to investigate this topic more I would concentrate on finding out more information on the positive results of using Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter in the classroom. I would also want to make sure to research whether or not the increase in use of these types of technology, helps or hurts the vocabulary and writing capabilities of students. That is one of the biggest concerns I have with the increased use of technology.
ReplyDeleteElyssa -
ReplyDeleteI found a couple of interesting things in the library databases:
1. Social Networking in E-Learning Environments
Robert Gibson (not a study, but an interesting article.
2. Just found one study that had to do with writing (but using Web 2.0 tools - not Facebook or Twitter). It was interesting though - Collaborative Writing with Web 2.0 Technologies:
Education Students’ Perceptions - Cornelia Brodahl, Said Hadjerrouit, and Nils Kristian Hansen - University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway.
Seem that this topic needs research. Would be good to start with some action research in your classroom :-)
Jacque
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete1. 21st Century learning and teaching is more than promoting/mastering technological literacy. What are some other elements or skills necessary to enhance educational, thus future success of students? (Route 21, Buck Institute)
ReplyDelete5. I would like to learn more about hands-on (project based), small group activities. I believe students learn more by doing as they encounter difficulties, make errors, and then have to trouble-shoot where and why they went wrong (using critical thinking and application/practice). In addition, activities can be stimulating and fun while promoting social skills and teamwork.
ReplyDelete5. Elyssa said: If I were to investigate this topic more I would concentrate on finding out more information on the positive results of using Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter in the classroom. I would also want to make sure to research whether or not the increase in use of these types of technology, helps or hurts the vocabulary and writing capabilities of students. That is one of the biggest concerns I have with the increased use of technology.
ReplyDeleteElyssa, I have the same concern and would add that person-to-person social skills may suffer.
Anyway, I found this on edutopia regarding writing skills:
"In your opinion, is text messaging the enemy, or no big deal?" As more and more students immerse themselves in Textspeak over their cell phones and computers, educators worry that their writing skills are suffering. After all, the short-message format routinely sacrifices grammar, syntax, and punctuation for the sake of slang and brevity. There is concern that students who frequently express themselves in abbreviations and smiley faces may lose the capacity for more nuanced, grammatically correct writing. But other educators see little evidence that the language of texting is having a negative impact on students' schoolwork. In fact, some are even glad that students are communicating so frequently through writing and are creating their own language, albeit one with a nontraditional vocabulary.
3. Quotes
ReplyDelete'If we always do what we've always done, we will get what we've always got.' Adam Urbanski
'I imagine a school system that recognizes learning is natural, that a love of learning is normal, and that real learning is passionate learning. A school curriculum that values questions above answers…creativity above fact regurgitation…individuality above conformity.. and excellence above standardized performance….. And we must reject all notions of 'reform' that serve up more of the same: more testing, more 'standards', more uniformity, more conformity, more bureaucracy. Tom Peters Author 'Re-imagine' www.tompeters.com
The responses beginning with "T said" are Tammy.
ReplyDeleteRob said: 6. "Time to adapt: the recent evolution of technology compels 21st century educators to tweet, blog, and post" -Rob Slider
ReplyDeleteI guess it is time for me to adapt as I do not tweet, blog, post, or use Facebook. I am now realizing how far behind I am in some necessary teaching tools/skills. Heck, many Grand Valley professors do not even use blackboard because they do not want to take the time to learn how to use it, and I thought they were behind the eight-ball. “Time to adapt!” However, I still have concerns about using Facebook, not only for the privacy of students and myself, but in light of the Fellows Forum presentation which increases concern about inappropriateness or misconstrued conversations and lessons being used against teachers threatening their jobs and reputations. It seems we may often be walking a fine line…
Tammy -
ReplyDeleteI also like what was said about 21st century skills under the 21st Century Fluency Project site (the Committed Sardine). They are short descriptions and easy to remember. I especially like the 6 D's under Solutions and 5 A's under Information.
Jacque
Tammy- in response to your question number 1. I think that students in todays' world need to understand the importance of being adaptable as well as interdisciplinary. The goal for teachers is to prepare students not just for their classes but for life and future jobs. Multiple times we have heard that employers are looking for students that can problem solve more than students that can spout out many facts. (Pearson)
ReplyDeleteIn order to provide students with these skills, they need to be taught how to do project based learning where they are given a problem and told to solve it as best as possible.
‘We now know enough about how people learn that no child need fail if we changed our minds first. We need new minds for a new millennium'.
ReplyDelete-Bruce Hammonds
Hi Anne,
ReplyDeleteI was struck by your comment about Heidi Hayes Jacobs and PLCs. I think she really does believe in them (even though in her TED talk she sounds to the contrary. Here's a quote I found about her thinking about this topic:
Adult Groupings: Here is a place where many schools are already moving on Jacob’s ideas. Progressive secondary school are realizing that department meetings are far less useful than a meeting of the cross-curriculum teachers who share a cohort of students. The shared-student team can talk about the strengths and needs of their children and divide up the work of providing intervention, encouragement, or stretch activities. Curriculum Departments are still important, but their work of curriculum design and alignment should get done in longer, less frequent meetings.
Jacque
Q1. Pertaining to GRPS how are the teachers able to implement 21st century programs due to the recent budget cuts? We want all the school districts to be on the same page with 21st century and if GRPS is not able to meet such needs for the students, then the students will not be as knowledgeable to different types of learning skills.
ReplyDeleteQ2. 21st century skills are based upon many components such as teaching new skills for obtaining and researching information, being able to determine what is good factual/reliable sources for research, learning to work/learn more independently, interactive learning with new technology and less use of textbooks and traditional learning. 21st century skills helps emphasize new creative ideas.
ReplyDeleteRob- I, myself need to adapt to the new technology not only for the classroom, but also for my own personal use so I don’t have to rely on other people for instruction. Good quote.
ReplyDeleteElyssa-The object of PBL in the classroom is to help the students make the connection with the textbook material and the actual activity their are doing. This will help them get a better understanding and be able to fix any errors that may have occurred during the experiment. PBL can be incorporated in my field by introducing new concepts to students and having them try to figure it out for themselves first then I would go over with them and emphasize the new concepts that was covered in the experiment.
ReplyDeleteTammy-Other elements needed to enhance education is emphasizing deep understanding instead of basic knowledge, being able to engage the students in real life data, being able to solve meaningful problems and prepare them for college, job and life lessons that they will encounter.
ReplyDeleteAna,
ReplyDeleteI share your concern about budget cuts in all school districts and I certainly want all students to be prepared for 21st century jobs. However, I feel that teachers make the most difference in the schooling of a child - technology is a wonderful tool, but I believe we can bring 21st century skills to learners, even if we do not have all of the tools we would want. One state that is doing a good job with that is West Virginia and their approach to project based learning - getting students involved to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, creative thinkers, etc. using little technology. Some of their units are available to view on the Buck Institute site. I'm looking forward to working with you on helping your GR students to truly be 21st century learners. Thank you.
Jacque
Ana,
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Jacque's approach to your concern. I had a similar though in regards to the implementation of 21st century learning in the classroom. Although the technology itself (hardware-laptops, IPads, etc) might not be present, the outlook to the purpose of that style of education can still be there. '21st century learning'does not have to be synonymous with 'electronic' (though it is a large part).
As Heidi Hayes Jacobs mentions in the TED talks lecture, it also has to do with looking at the way classroom schedules are structured(8am-3pm, etc) and if they make sense for students in this era.
Ana, I had a bit of concern with the idea of technology in high-need schools as well. How much access outside of the school (which is in itself limited) would these students have to blog, Facebook, access online data for research/projects, etc.? This in turn led me to ask as my first question in this assignment which was: 21st Century learning is much more than the use and mastery of technology; what are other elements/skills that will increase the future success of students?
ReplyDelete"It's perilous and foolhardy for the average citizen to remain ignorant about global warming, say, or ozone depletion, air pollution, toxic and radioactive wastes, acid rain, topsoil erosion, tropical deforestation, exponential population growth. Jobs and wages depend on science and technology." -Carl Sagan from "The Demon-Haunted World"
ReplyDeleteAlthough this was written in the late 20th century, I think it speaks to our imperative as science educators in the 21st century.
Anne- I liked your headline. I thought the cell phone system was an interesting way to get past budget issues associated with something like "clickers". It could also (partially) respond to Ana's comment about how we can try to implement technology in the classroom while facing new budget problems
ReplyDeleteTammy- Additional skills I would consider to be important in 21st century learning are ones our peers have already been bringing up. I would add to "the list" that we should also try to develop some metacognitive strategies by getting them to reflect on how they solve problems & assess issues. I think it's great to get them improving things like critical thinking, but getting them to learn more about how they operate can definitely add to their skill sets. That being said, it sounds like a tough challenge for us.
ReplyDeleteSteve- Totally with you and now when kids ( and adults) have access to any type of information they want to hear it's going to become critical to help them sort fact from garbage. Gary Olson (a personal hero of mine) has been trying to get scientists to adapt to the 21st century when it comes to communication of science with the public. His documentary "flock of dodos" provides a good example.
ReplyDelete1. How would you as a teacher of science, in particular chemistry, integrate the use of 21st century technology into everyday lesson plans, or would you only use it on special occasions?
ReplyDelete5. The one thing that interests me the most, out of all the topics we discussed, was the project-based learning where individuals from the community, particularly industry, are brought in and help demonstrate, and teach the class. I would really like to bring this feature into my classroom as a teacher, as I would hope that it would inspire more interest in subjects that students may not be thrilled with.
ReplyDelete6. "Pencil's down, IPAD's on, education leaps into the 21st century exploring how the new technology can enhance classroom learning."
ReplyDeleteAna and Tammy,
ReplyDeleteI believe that there are more students/potential teachers, especially ones that are career changers, that have the same "issues" (and that is not meant in any way to be a negative term, just a word that is a description). Many parents also are going to fit into that area, at least for the next 5, possibly 10 years, in the Facebook/Twitter/Blogger field. Older teachers and parents may not be willing, or have the time to learn these techniques. Another issue might be if you offer a Blog site for your students and their parents, you may not have parents who actively participate because they are not at ease with the available technology.
I think that if you do it slowly, you will start to like it :-)
Vlad, Tammy, Anne, Ana,
ReplyDeleteYou all raise very valid points about the availability of technology access...and not only in urban settings. This is also an issue in rural settings, where the technology may not be easily accessible, and if it is there, may be out of a price range for those living there. If this is the case, I think trying to adapt the technology needs for use in the classroom, and "normal" lessons be given for the home environment
Anne,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the quote you found about how difficult it is to try and separate the "plugged" and "unplugged" student. There is going to be a need to find a way to integrate the "plugged" student into today's education system, and find ways to make use it for the education's good.
Virginia,
ReplyDeleteJust today, I was on the website for Technology High School in California. This part of their website regarding PBL and how they incorporate people from business and industry really struck me:
http://techhightitans.org/how_we_PBL.html
Jacque
"It's the ability for students to feel that their work matters, that it doesn't get trapped in the classroom." - Adel Iskander, Georgetown professor
ReplyDeleteThis quote appeared in Sunday's GR Press in an article by Jenna Johnson from the Washington Post. The article is about professors having their students write Wikipedia entries about public policy. It offers interesting lessons in open-source writing and reaching broader audiences.
5. I would like to know more about STEAM education: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. I know how the plethora of technological applications available to students allows for virtually unlimited creativity, which is a wonderful characteristic to tap into. Especially since the arts are often the first things on the chopping blocks, incorporating them into a 21st STEM education would have multiple benefits, such as exposing students to otherwise unavailable arts, allowing students to express their understanding in multiple, creative ways, and giving teachers a better insight into how each of their students' minds work.
ReplyDelete6. "1st hour chemistry through 15th hour facebook; 21st century instruction teaches students how to learn outside the classroom and stay connected in class."
ReplyDeleteVirginia,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that bringing in individuals from the community and industry is a great way to help with a class or project. Seeing someone who uses what the students are learning would certainly spark their interest in the topic. It would also effectively show both the scope and limitations of their classroom education in the real world.
In college, we had professional pilots come in and help us with our remote controlled airplane designs. It was great to see how they combined their education with practical skills to create a real, flying plane.
Steve,
ReplyDeleteI found your quote very intriguing. While there are countless issues that the next generation needs to be aware of, I think too often we see the world as a problem to be fixed instead of an amazing environment that we can responsibly and sustainably be a part of. If we emphasize using things as they are meant to be used, we can better avoid having to fix things we know we are going to break. I think this is especially important to the future scientists and engineers of the world who will be dealing with these global concerns.
Tammy,
ReplyDeleteYour quote from Tom Peters was great! People love learning. It is natural. When we find something that interests us, we eat it up (I am loving learning about the nuclear power plants). Love of learning, creativity, and excellence are so wonderful but are so often missing from schools. If we could help students find their niche and really excel at something, what a huge difference that would make for them as individual learners! I think we need to reinforce the idea that every student can truly be great. Imagine if every student saw their potential to be excellent and great...
1. What are some ideas or strategies that teachers can use to get their students ready to be successful in the 21st century? Nate
ReplyDelete2. Some of the most important things to remember after listening to the class are; collaboration with other teachers and administration, be a continued learner yourself, and use different technology and different methods to reach the students.
ReplyDeleteNate-
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question. I would have my students do more project based learning events to help them be prepared for the workforce. As Bill Smith and other teachers have emphasized when employers are asked what they expect of their workers, they want to hear that they can problem solve and work together. This is not to discount having people work alone or be self-responsible. In our Inquiry Project we read that article which had many different aspects of hands-on learning that I feel would help students to be successful. As future teachers, we need to prepare them for the workforce as well as college courses.
5. Aside from studying the topic a little more to make it more clear in my head, I would research some lesson plans that use new technology in my subject area (math).
ReplyDeleteAnne, I loved your post about using cell phones in the classroom. I see the cost and access to tech devices (laptops, Ipads, etc) as a hurdle to many students in economically-challenged areas. Cell phones however, are becoming prolific across all income levels. Finding ways to use what is already showing up in the classrooom all by itself is wonderfully resourceful!
ReplyDeleteSteve--I love the idea of STEAM vs. STEM. To me, it seems like 21st century learning adds that "A" really well in there, maybe even secretly, to offset the specific budget cuts to the arts. The art comes out in the implementation of most of these theories, and the students benefit from both the content of STEM and the creativity of Art.
ReplyDeleteMost Important Ideas about 21st Century Learning
ReplyDeleteToday's students need to be prepared in a new way to meet the new challenges and opportunities that they face. There are four main aspects of teaching the skills and knowledge they require:
1) Core subjects must be taught in ways that relate to global awareness and civic literacy.
2) Students must be taught to utilize both the unprecedented volume of information available to them and the latest technologies.
3) Students must be taught learning and reasoning skills (the "4Cs: creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration)
4) Students must be taught skills necessary to succeed in life and work today (flexibility, social awareness, adaptability, responsibility)
21st century learning is more about skills and ways of thinking than about new technology, but both components are essential.
21st century learning and teaching involves more then content knowledge, it also involves critical thing skills. Technology has made it easy to access content quickly and efficiently. Students need to have the skills to use knowledge effectively.
ReplyDeleteQuestion we should be able to answer: What responsibilities does an educator have in providing a 21st century learning environment?
ReplyDelete4.As I look through the comments being brought up here, there seems to be a lot of localized emphasis on technology with respect to 21st century learning. Perhaps we should have delved more into the 'Core Strategies' talked about on Edutopia, such as Project-Based Learning, to switch the focus away from strict technological limitations.
ReplyDeleteHere's a quote that struck me as something we need to think about as we enter the teaching profession. "....do we expect students to live a digitally deluged lifestyle outside of school, then unplug when the bell rings? Or is it time to help them integrate their digital and non-digital lives into one healthy life based on a single identity, and talk about their technology in critical terms so that they become the kind of digital citizens the world needs?" From Jason Ohler, 21 Century Learning, Fluency 21 Blog
ReplyDeleteAnne, I enjoyed your quote from Jason Ohler. I think we absolutely must synthesize the classroom environment with the environment our students experience everyday. We are missing a huge teaching opportunity if we ignore the tools these students are already integrating into their daily lives.
Steve, I like your comment 1st hour through 15th hour. The technology is available to do almost whatever we want it to. As teachers it is our job to not only teach the subject, and teach them to be able to use different tools, but also try to teach them the desire to use the tool to gather or send quality information. ex. With our list of words we are teaching our student. If there is a word in a def that they do not understand, get them to go over the requirement to really understand something. Look up a few extra words.
ReplyDeleteSteve J, I would have to agree with you and 9d47b4cc-9766-11e0-9f7b-000f20980440, in respect to the goal of 21st cent. learning. You bring up some very good and thorough ideas, especially with 1)&2). There is an almost information overload, that is mediated by an understanding that content is always readily available to us and from so many sources. Although students are exposed to much more data than traditional case studies and the nice & neat book exercises of the 'past', this information is not received as overwhelming due to the increased understand of how to use technology to refine our needs.
ReplyDeleteThe global and civic understanding is almost unavoidable, when dealing with such a variety of sources and must be discussed and acknowledged so that we do not form local bubbles of information on which we solely rely.
Elyssa, just speaking from a personal stand point, I am the worlds worst speller of words / writer or anything, and moving to text messages has caused me to find other tools to check what I have typed so I don't spell there when I want their. Not that one exactly. I think if it is structured the right way that would be a very helpful tool. It has really improved my understanding of the English language. Seeing the way other people write, and reading the words rather than just hearing them.
ReplyDeleteElyssa, your test worked. There 6th response, I'm done. ha
ReplyDelete6."Ready, Set, Download: 21st century education going beyond the books"
ReplyDeleteVlad, in response to Steve, in response to question 2, in response to homework 1ish?. I am not sure why this popped into my head when I was reading what you typed, probably when I read "civic", ETHICS. I love all this new technology, but if the kids use it to promote a "Jersey Shore" like mentality then is it bettering them or society? How do we get students to sift through the mud and the muck to find the gold?
ReplyDelete3."Mixing beer with science is how I discovered that an irradiated cat has 18 half lives"- This was simply the comment a user left on ''Science pubs" article. (See:http://www.tgdaily.com/trendwatch-features/54024-science-bars-redefine-going-out-and-partying for more information on 'Science Pubs')
ReplyDeleteAlthough this is wholly inappropriate for our classrooms, it addresses the universal need and want of people to explore knowledge outside of the 'regular classroom'. If we do not provide the medium, where will our students go to find it!?!
In response to Rob's question "Considering advances in new technology, what would be a 21st century alternative to presenting a "traditional" poster on a topic like alternative energy?":
ReplyDeleteThe other night my 13 year-old daughter hopped one of our computers while I was chugging away on some homework. 30 mins. later she called me to come see what she was doing. I walked in the room and she showed me a nicely-produced PowerPoint complete with contextual background images that she had just whipped up. In about 30 mins. she had researched the history, native habitat, and pet-care issues for hedgehogs and assembled into a decent presentation! Forgive me if this sounds like parent bragging. I only share this to point out that our students will find and utilize the new mediums that are out there. If we ignore those mediums then we will have a much harder time engaging them in the classroom. They won't be asking "What can I use other than a poster?" They will be asking "Why do I have to use a poster?"
Nathan, well said, from a self-proclaimed non-wordsmith. More than the sifting through the mud and muck, how do we get them to peek their heads up above it and get out of their comfort range. Sifting implies they are already looking through a wide variety of sources, but often I find myself becoming personally confined to very few sources when I am seeking out information.
ReplyDeleteHow do we get them to see that there is a looking up/beyond as opposed to just picking apart the familiar sources?...
6. A good newspaper article for 21st century learning would be: 'Learning in the Era of 21st century'.
ReplyDeleteI would want to investigate how to get everybody involved in the 21st century learning technology most especially students that come from old fashioned parents that do not believe in recent technological advancement. We don't want to leave any child behind right?
ReplyDelete21st century learning is a very constructive methodology because it is interdisciplinary and integrative and what it does is to help trascend the older version of learning and teaching based on new approaches of the 21st century.
ReplyDeleteAnother important idea I had while going through the 'Life and Career Skills' section (Adaptability and Flexibility), was the idea of some of the UN (United Nations) program we organize for students. Programs Like: UN Model classroom Programs where students are given the opportunity to assume the roles of different nations within the UN. The purpose of this program is to challenge students to go out of their depths and learn about educational issues and public issues facing different nations including the United States.
ReplyDeleteGreat point Steve! 21ST Century has made it possible that our kids can go online and get any educational resources they might need for their school homework. The example of your daughter is excellent because most of the scientific meetings are now gradually using more of powerpoint presentations than the traditional method of using posters.
ReplyDeleteNate I like your point because as an instructor, you should always invest in yourself by keeping yourself updated on latest technologies both educationally and also in your field.It is always advantageous to be a versatile learner because that will help you find more ways to be an effective teacher.
ReplyDeleteRob, that is true because there are so many rigid educators and learners that are so imbeded in the old way of learning and that makes it difficult for them to be effective both as a learner and as an educator in this 21st century learning.
ReplyDeleteLearning and teaching in the 21st century entail more than knowledge, it also includes critical thinking skills. Technology has made it easy to access content quickly and efficiently. Students also need to possess critical thinking skills.
ReplyDeleteAna,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments pertaining to GRPS and the many challenges in providing students with a quality 21st century education in light of the recent budget cuts.
Famous Quote
ReplyDeleteOut of intense complexities, intense simplicities emerge. “Winston Churchill”
1….. What are 21st Learning Skills and how will these skills benefit students?
ReplyDelete3….. "If we teach today the way we were taught yesterday we aren't preparing students for today or tomorrow."
I really liked this quote but I could not find who said it.
6….. 21st Century Learners Lead an Uncharted Path to an Innovative Future
Listed below is a question that all Woodrow Wilson Fellows should be able to answer:
ReplyDeleteWhat is 21st century learning in terms of what you will be teaching in in your classroom?
Novel, although I am not a fan of Winston Churchill I will say I like the quote... I like how it relates to the 21st century learning by showing how complex the learning skills may seem to those using traditional teaching styles YET knowing that over time as these traditional teachers began to become accustomed to this new teaching approach how simplistic it truly can be... Then we began to wonder why we never did this in the first place! :-)
ReplyDeleteChristina Marie,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your quote and found it to be thought provoking.
"21st Century Learners Lead an Uncharted Path to an Innovative Future"
Vlad, you innovator you…. I love your response to number 3…. Completely inappropriate yet appropriate to the topic at hand! And so random and true… Kids need to find the relevance in what they are learning and how it applies to the real world. Or they will find even more inappropriate mediums in which they can connect regardless of how false their information may be. Kuddos to you! :-)
ReplyDeleteNovel, thank you but that was my newspaper heading (6) the quote is number 3! :-) Why does this thing say we are posting at 6ish when in fact it is going on 10pm... Ooooo this means the midnight time limit is extended! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to mention that I found my information and ideas about incorporating the arts into STEM education with STEAM through the Edutopia site with this article and the ones linked to within.
ReplyDeleteConnecting STEM and Arts (TEAMS) to Spur U.S. Innovation: Part 1 of 5 - Jim Brazell
Virginia, I like your newspaper heading… It really captures the essence of the technology component of 21st century learning skills. Great job! Can’t wait to read the article! ;-)
ReplyDeleteJust as an interesting side-note: I came across this article on a website I was led to for different reasons. It deals exactly with what we are addressing here, so this seems like it's a topic we cannot get away from.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/06/15/35mm-languagearts.h30.html?tkn=SUUFHr1JRg8mQ134b8jLw%2FtJrCAkXdjX46Xm&cmp=clp-edweek&intc=EW-MM11-EWH
5. If you were going to learn more about this topic, what would you choose to investigate and why?
ReplyDeleteI would choose to look at the social and psychological impacts 21st century learning and particularly the technological aspects has on everyone involved. By using more technology in the classroom it seems that, although very beneficial in terms of making information more readily available and potentially more interesting, this could cause other social and even psychological issues to occur or diminish. By creating an environment where we are able to communicate indirectly I see that there could be potential to create more direct-communication problems and even have certain disabilities go unrecognized. If we are communicating less in terms of face-to-face interactions then it seems that there could be fewer opportunities to recognize psychological problems that stand out in our social habits. Having a degree in psychology, this topic would be very interesting to me if it were a real concern (maybe it's just me thinking these things?).
3. Find a quote that we should remember as we teach to 21st century learners.
ReplyDelete"You must be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi
Hopefully this one wasn't already posted, I read most of the posts, but there are so many! So sorry, if I'm repeating ideas at all. I felt this was very relevant to what we've been talking about. If we're going to teach our future students 21st century learning skills in the best way, we need to be able to truly understand and believe in what we are teaching. The American education system cannot change to adapt to the times unless someone takes the initiative to change how/what they are teaching.
Also, maybe not quite as relevant, but another fun quotation I found...
A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car, but if he has a university education he may steal the whole railroad. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt
1. Write a question someone should be able to answer after hearing this lesson.
ReplyDeleteHow can the ideas behind 21st century learning be specifically intertwined into teaching? Particularly, how can technology (as well as creativity) be incorporated into teaching [insert specific discipline here]? I feel that this is significant and there's nothing wrong with reiterating this idea. I have a feeling that I am going to struggle with ensuring that are specific concepts that come through in my lessons. I've begun to think about the various and unique ways I could incorporate technology and creativity into mathematics lessons. It's difficult, in my opinion, therefore I feel that I am probably not the only one who is going to need to spend hours simply thinking up new ways to make math [or another topic] creative and fun for high school students. The media and internet open up so many possibilities.
In regard to the posts near the top by Ana, Jacque, and Vlad, I was also initially concerned with the low-income schools and the availability of supplies. It is difficult for me to not group together the concepts of "21st century learning", "technology", and "electronics". I think the points that were made after the questions were great. I feel like I'm going to have to continue to remind myself that the availability of materials does not completely affect teaching the concepts. I'm really glad that this question was answered and these things were pointed out, so that I can make a conscious effort to not make "21st century learning" synonymous with "electronics".
ReplyDeleteSteve J. -
ReplyDeleteI loved the quotation you chose! Not only do I love that it's from Carl Sagan, but also how relevant the idea still is today. This statement is absolutely true, in my opinion. I feel strongly that the American education should be providing enough background and skills to ensure that our citizens are not ignorant in terms of world issues. Not only does this address the fact that we are all becoming educators, but you're right, it also addresses our specializations. We will be science educators, and it is part of our job to try our best to get students interested in the sciences. Step one to creating a society of literate, productive citizens is to educate them on what is truly important. Our future really is dependent on science and technology in so many ways.
Steve F. -
ReplyDeleteI also really enjoy the distinction you made between STEM and STEAM. The arts are a really important part of education. Personally, I know that I love the arts and when I can bring something creative into a math or science class. Everything from paintings to creative writing and from music to film and video can be used in the science classroom. With the general availability of technological products I hope that the arts and sciences will come together more easily in the near future. I have taken so many creative courses throughout high school and college, and worked in creative settings, that I have already begun to consider the endless options for pulling these mediums into the mathematics classroom.
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