Partnership for 21st Century Skills Website: http://www.p21.org/
Everyone would agree with the idea that implementing more technology in classrooms is a good idea. To prepare students for the 21st century workplace the effective use technology in the classroom is a must. Using technology with very little direction will only lead to more of the same. This is why I believe the Partnership for 21st Century Skills is an effective website to give teachers direction in implementing technology in the classroom. What I especially like is how they are working with states to align their curriculum with the state's curriculum. The give teachers specific ideas of how to go about effectively implementing 21st century technology in their classrooms. If you are interested in seeing how the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and states are working together go to this link: http://www.p21.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=505&Itemid=189
After looking through their ideas for implementing technology into teachers everyday curriculum and aligning the use of technology with state standards I am left with this feeling of a drastic move away from traditional communications. I think the Partnership for 21st Century Skills goes too far in their scope of implementing technology in the classroom. Teachers must find ways to combine "traditional" forms of communication with more modern forms of communication. Educators cannot just cut and run from the traditional styles of communicating and educating, but they must find an effective blend of both.
I do agree with you in that the Partnership for 21st Century Skills does go too far in how technology should be implemented into the classroom. I am an advocate for using the most up-to-date technologies in my classroom, if available, but this is done at a slow pace. This helps both my student and myself. I can not expect my students to understand how to use technology without first learning about it myself. With our busy schedules, sometimes this seems nearly impossible to do. With that in mind, I think it is important to stick with the "traditional" ways of communicating while adding in some of the modern forms of communicating slowly. I do feel that this will benefit every party involved.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you on the movement to technology. I think it is harder for students too in that not all teachers are going to make that jump. I have many teachers in my school that just cringe with the thought of having to use technology.
ReplyDeleteI think that the gradual shift is good but until more teachers get on board to better help the students we have to do the "traditional" with some technology and hope that along the line they get exposed to more and more.
Response to Deutsch's Blog
ReplyDeleteIn my blog, I made a comment that - to some degree - supports your point of view. My comment is about the overly reliance on technology.
"Here is an example that some of you may have experienced, a student needs to call their parents, so they come to you and ask for their parents phone number. I ask the student, "why don't you know your parents number", and they reply, " It's in my cell phone and I don't have my phone with me". This is not an isolated event.
Hopefully, we will not need a machine to remind us of who we are. ( a bit of hyperbole)