Whether you are consulting the best thinking of the
- U.S. Department of Education
- International Society for Technology in Education
- American Association of School Librarians
- The Partnership for 21st Century Skills
- The updated ‘Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives’
- …or almost any other educational technology minded Journal, Association, website or blog,
you will hear a clear message that our current model of institutional instruction is not nearly student centered enough. Furthermore, as the The Partnership for 21st Century Skills states in their mission statement: “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 workplaces.”
Therefore, we must endeavor ourselves, when possible and appropriate, to introduce these themes into our classrooms. Common threads across all of the associations and reports listed above are:
- Inquiry Process
- Collaborative Learning
- Ethical Use of Information
- Creation of New Knowledge
- Opportunities to Express Creativity
- Divergent Thinking Opportunities
- Addressing Areas of Passion for Students
Over the next few days I hope to post my thoughts on these themes, ideas for what it may look like in a classroom, and tips for assessing learning in these situations.
I’ll state up front that I am NOT an expert in any one of these areas, though I have more experience in some than others. I encourage you to post your thoughts, corrections, additions, arguments, etc. I’ll learn from all of it!
