digital learners and the 21st century teachers
TRANSCRIPT
THE 21ST-CENTURY DIGITAL LEARNER• ONE OF THE STRANGEST THINGS IN THIS AGE OF YOUNG PEOPLE'S
EMPOWERMENT IS HOW LITTLE INPUT OUR STUDENTS HAVE INTO THEIR
OWN EDUCATION AND ITS FUTURE. KIDS WHO OUT OF SCHOOL CONTROL
LARGE SUMS OF MONEY AND HAVE HUGE CHOICES ON HOW THEY SPEND IT
HAVE ALMOST NO CHOICES AT ALL ABOUT HOW THEY ARE EDUCATED --
THEY ARE, FOR THE MOST PART, JUST HERDED INTO CLASSROOMS AND
TOLD WHAT TO DO AND WHEN TO DO IT. UNLIKE IN THE CORPORATE
WORLD, WHERE BUSINESSES SPEND TENS OF MILLIONS RESEARCHING
WHAT THEIR CONSUMERS REALLY WANT, WHEN IT COMES TO HOW WE
STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZE OUR KIDS' EDUCATION, WE GENERALLY DON'T
MAKE THE SLIGHTEST ATTEMPT TO LISTEN TO, OR EVEN CARE, WHAT
STUDENTS THINK ABOUT HOW THEY ARE TAUGHT.
THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND UNTENABLE. IT'S ALSO DANGEROUS. WE TREAT OUR
STUDENTS THE WAY WE TREATED WOMEN BEFORE SUFFRAGE -- THEIR OPINIONS
HAVE NO WEIGHT. BUT JUST AS WE NOW INSIST THAT WOMEN HAVE AN EQUAL
VOICE IN POLITICS, WORK, AND OTHER DOMAINS, WE WILL, I PREDICT, BEGIN
ACCEPTING AND INSISTING THAT STUDENTS HAVE AN EQUAL VOICE IN
THEIR OWN EDUCATION. OR ELSE OUR STUDENTS WILL DROP OUT (AS THEY ARE DOING), SHOOT AT US (DITTO), SUE US,
RIOT, OR WORSE.
ARE YOU A 21ST
CENTURY TEACHER?
THE
ADAPTOR
THE VISIONARY
THE RISK
TAKER
THE COLLABORATOR
THE
LEARNER
THE COMMUNICATOR
THE
LEADER
THE
MODEL
21ST CENTURY TEACHER BE LIKE..
THE 21ST CENTURY TEACHER IS AN ADAPTOR. HARNESSED AS
WE ARE TO AN ASSESSMENT FOCUSED EDUCATION MODEL
THE 21ST CENTURY EDUCATOR MUST BE ABLE TO ADAPT THE
CURRICULUM AND THE REQUIREMENTS TO TEACH TO THE
CURRICULUM IN IMAGINATIVE WAYS.
THEY MUST SEE THE POTENTIAL IN THE EMERGING
TOOLS AND WEB TECHNOLOGIES, GRASP THESE AND
MANIPULATE THEM TO SERVE THEIR NEEDS. THE
VISIONARY TEACHER CAN LOOK AT OTHERSIDEAS AND
ENVISAGE HOW THEY WOULD SEE THESE IN THEIR CLASS.
TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS COLLABORATION BETWEEN TEACHERS & STUDENTS.
CREATING DIGITAL RESOURCES, PRESENTATIONS, AND PROJECTS
TOGETHER WITH OTHER EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS WILL MAKE
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES RESEMBLE THE REAL WORLD. COLLABORATION
SHOULD GO BEYOND SHARING DOCUMENTS VIA E-MAIL OR CREATING
POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS. MANY GREAT IDEAS NEVER GO BEYOND A
CONVERSATION OR PAPER COPY, WHICH IS A GREAT LOSS! COLLABORATION
GLOBALLY CAN CHANGE OUR ENTIRE EXPERIENCE!
A 21ST CENTURY EDUCATOR MUST TAKE RISKS AND SOME
TIMES SURRENDER YOURSELF TO THE STUDENTS
KNOWLEDGE. USE THE STRENGTHS OF THE DIGITAL NATIVES
TO UNDERSTAND AND NAVIGATE NEW PRODUCTS, HAVE THE
STUDENTS TEACH EACH OTHER.
WE EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO BE LIFE LONG LEARNERS. HOW ANY
SCHOOLS HAVE THE PHRASE “LIFE LONG LEARNERS” IN THEIR MISSION
STATEMENTS AND OBJECTIVES. WE TOO MUST CONTINUE TO ABSORB
NEW POSSIBILITIES AND EXPERIENCES. WE MUST ENDEAVOR TO STAY
CURRENT. THE 21ST CENTURY TEACHER OR EDUCATOR MUST LEARN AND
ADAPT.
THE 21ST CENTURY TEACHERS ARE FLUENT IN TOOLS AND
TECHNOLOGIES THAT ENABLE COMMUNICATION. IT ALLOWS
STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEIR INSIGHTS AND
SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS IN A TOPIC OR ANY ISSUES THAT
CONCERN THEM.
THE DIGITAL TEACHER MUST MODEL THE BEHAVIORS THAT
ARE EXPECTED FROM THEIR STUDENTS. THE EDUCATOR ARE
OFTEN THE MOST CONSISTENT PART OF OUR STUDENT LIFE.
TEACHERS WILL SEE THE STUDENTS MORE OFTEN THAN
THEIR PARENTS.
LEADERSHIP, LIKE A CLEAR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IS
CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESS OR FAILURE OF ANY PROJECTS.