This week I am responding to the article "21st Century Learning: 'We're Not Even Close,'" by Dave Nagel. His article was reporting the findings of the State Education Technology Directors Association (SETDA), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and the Partnership for the 21st Century Skills as the SETDA Leadership Summit and Education Forum in Washington D.C.
In the paper, "Maximizing the Impact: the Pivotal Role of Technology in the 21st Century Education System", they tell us that we are not effectively preparing our students for the 21st Century. The industrial and business world knew they had to transform themselves within technology to make be competitive in the world market. They provided staff training to ensure they were ready for the technology changes that constantly occurring. Education, on the other hand, is lacking in preparing our students for their futures in the workspace and post-secondary education. Furthering this point, our students are lacking in technology skills because we are lacking.
The Forum pointed out the problem, then gave suggestions to remedy the gap and bring our classrooms up the needed level. The three suggestions start with, "Use technology comprehensively to develop proficiency in 21st Century skills." They feel the students are learning their core skills, but the workforce needs more than the core skills.
Next, "Use technology comprehensively to support innovative teaching and learning." Give students more opportunities, not just to get them on the computers, but to really use these resources effectively. Our students deserve us pushing them to seek higher analysis in technology.
Lastly, "Use technology comprehensively to create robust education support systems." This is saying train your teachers and administrators to use new technology in their professional fields. This article goes on to layout how schools and administrators can move into the 21st Century. They further give advice to local, state and national educational authorities to rethink their policies.
One point I wanted to visit within the article is the line dealing with suggestion #1, ". . . post secondary institutions and workplaces, which increasingly value people to can use their knowledge to communicate, collaborate, analyze, create, innovate and solve problems." I had to ask myself if I was expecting all that of my students. Are we looking at what the workforce is requiring and then giving them a chance to demonstrate those skills? New technologies are the gateway to the 21st Century student. If we lag, our students suffer. We must be the first to use these skills, not wait for the next educator to pick it up.
-Emily
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Emily,
First, I must say that I really like the set up and design of your blog. It is simple, specific, and easy to navigate.
If I had a dollar for each time I heard about 21st Century Education. I understand the importance of technolgy and business. However, my school district's demographics include a great deal of rural farm land and occuaptions. I wonder what will happen to those type of occupations if the push is for children to have expecations that they are to be fluent with technology and changing business world. They do not have the exposure in my school to be successful in those types of environments. Are we leaving these kids behind? We also have about 12 teachers in my building that have 28+ years experience...in the classroom however not with technology. We as educators need to be fluent with the technology we are asking our students to be fluen with. We need to 1 get the funding to purchase equipment that will prepare our students for such job opportunities, 2 get the training for our teachers, and 3 find the room in our curriuculum to integrate the technology in an effective manner. How will this be possible...well we have till the 21st century to figure it out :) I hope that I can be an influence and share the importance of technology in our rural area and the possibilities it could create for our students.
Jen
Post a Comment