As I have read about the expectations of 21st Century Learners I found that since I have been out of the education world much has changed, but much has also stayed the same. When I last taught full time (9 years ago) most of my students did not have a cell phone, or even regular access to email. Now students, much like my own children, are true digital natives that have been immersed in technology all of their lives. It was fascinating to consider how this has changed the way they think and process information. Understanding these changes makes me more fully understand why education must adapt. I was especially struck by the quote in the Aug, 2010 ACD Education Update that said, "Students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach"... "They think and process information fundamentally differently" This is a profound statement on the nature of education itself and has major implications. This same topic is addressed in one of my selected readings (Why School by Will Richardson) and I am continuing to wrestle with the fundamental questions of what is the goal of education and how do we achieve it. I look forward to continuing to learn more and continue to grow.
On the other hand it seems to me that the students I work with (though I am not teaching full time I am still involved with middle and high school students) are much the same as they always were. Many of these "new literacies" are things that I have always believed are important in education (such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, etc). What seems to be different is how student acquire these skills now. Through my readings this week I have learned that there are a plethora of ways to encourage and grow these skills in the classroom that I would have never occurred to me. It has also become increasingly clear that the way education has been done traditionally is not meeting many of these students where they currently are. I am glad to continue to learn and discover new ways to encourage true 21st Century literacy in my students.
Sarah, your points about the enduring nature of what some are calling "new literacies" resonated with me. See more of my discussion on this in Angelina's blog.
ReplyDeleteThe argument for relevance that you were making . . . "meeting many of these students where they currently are," got me thinking a little about the logic we often hear about the use of technology and its potential to engage learners. I wonder if sometimes we sell out on technology and rely too much on technology to achieve aims that can really only be partially met with technology. For example, just because kids like to use technology doesn't mean that a lesson where they are able to use technology is necessarily going to engage them. Call of Duty is a tough competitor for a lesson where students are expected to make a digital presentation about the make-up of a cell--there is going to need to be something else that kindles the imagination and lights the fire of learning in addition to the technology--a passionate and creative teacher, for instance--a compelling learning context and real world audience etc.
Thoughts?
Thanks, I just read and commented on Angelina's blog too. We are on similar wave lengths. I agree, too that using technology just to check off that we have used technology is not helping develop 21st century learners. It has to appropriately used in the context of engaged learning and passionate teaching. Also, I would never tray to compete with Call of Duty in the life of a teenage boy (it doesn't matter what I do I will never win that one), but I would like to work on harnessing the skills and thought processes he is learning from it. Applying those skills to understanding biology is an amazing thought...that's how we do things like find a cure for cancer, develop new genetic technologies, and make new discoveries!
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