"There is a profound gap between the knowledge and skills most students learn in school and the knowledge and skills they need in typical 21st Century communities and work places,"(Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2010). Teaching professionals need to embrace technology so that they can prepare their students for the workforce. After spending some time analyzing the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website I realize that I am taking the first steps to get my students where they need to be. I am teaching myself to use these technologies through the graduate program at Walden University. "Today's education system faces irrelevance unless we bridge the gap between how students live and how they learn,"(Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2010).
To continue, I was surprised that I hadn't ever looked at this site before! What a wealth of information there was, that I had been missing right at my fingertips. I knew what 21st Century Skills meant, but I didn't know all of the members of the partnership that were involved. It is wonderful to see all of the stake holders that were contributing to this partnership. Furthermore, I was pleasantly surprised at all of the articles there were on the site in the resources section. Any educator could definitely benefit from reading that material, as well as parents and community members too! All in all, I think it is a very useful site, and think it is very relevant and meaningful to educators, businesses, government, afterschool, and parent communities,(Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2010).
Finally, implications for my students start with utilizing technology in a safe and educational manner. They need to be aware of what is out there and when using the web search for reliable resources. They need to continue to read and research and educate themselves so that they can join the workforce and be competitive when they do so. Employers are looking for those candidates that are trained in the areas of technology, and they are the ones with the higher paying jobs that will last. As an educator I have to embrace 21st Century readiness, gather appropriate stakeholders, assess where I am today, and then create a plan of action to dive right in,(Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2010)!
References:
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills - Home. (n.d.). The Partnership for 21st Century Skills - Home. Retrieved March 24, 2010, from http://21stcenturyskills.org
Stacy, I think I feel like you do about the need for getting up to date so that we can teach our students using technology. "Diving in" as you say is what it feels like. i just signed up for the computer lab to start a classroom wiki and I was nervous! I almost didn't do it but I am committed to diving in. It has the potential to be very nerve wracking but I know it will be worth it. I just need to give the students a very clear idea of what I expect, teach them the basics and just do it.
ReplyDeleteJenn,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with you more! Last week when we were working with our wiki, I was so anxious to check the page to see what had been done! By the way, thanks so much for all of your hard work! Sometimes it is scary, but you know what it's ok to make a mistake if you grow from the experience! Thanks for responding:)
Stacy
ReplyDeleteI am in full agreeance with you about how we have taken the first step by enrolling in this program. We are so fortunate to be taking the steps we need to become better educators for our "21st Century Learners" that look to us for guidance every day. I still keep falling back on the need to feel safe when I am teaching these kids how to use technology. It is frightening to put it out there because I don't know of anyone at my school who can bail me out if I get in too deep. But, as you mentioned, it is okay if I make a mistake because it will teach me something new and help me to grow. Good luck with putting what we have learned to work in your classroom.
Stacy,
ReplyDeleteIt's so funny how we are all thinking alike. Without this program at Walden, I have actually wondered aloud to some of my colleagues if I would have even been considering using any of this technology in the classroom in the near future let alone at anytime. Cathi is right about the need to feel safe, and I am sure my fear of venturing out of my comfort zone has been a contributor to the fact that I had not considered these technologies before as a means to educating and engaging my students. There are a few teachers at the school who have classroom wikis, but I always used one excuse or another for really delving into the "how" of utiliziing them in my own class. It has been through this course I have seen the possibilites and the NEED to use them in my own classroom.
I believe showing our students the importance of using technology and how it is a necessity in todays economy and their success as adults is the first step, and this website will be one tool I use to demonstrate this.
Trina