Framing Your Educational Context for the 21st Century

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Part 2: Preparing Students and Teachers for the 21st Century Teachers today must go beyond the core academic subjects, working actively to integrate 21st century skills and themes across the curriculum to prepare students for an increasingly complex and unpredictable future (Kay, 2009). While a range of definitions exist, 21st century skills largely center on “strong communication and collaboration skills, expertise in technology, innovative and creative thinking skills, and an ability to solve problems” (Larson & Northern, 2011, p. 121). Effective teaching today must incorporate such skills regularly across the curriculum, thus shifting teaching from a traditional ‘sage on the stage’ to that of a ‘guide on the side’ with a more student-centered approach. Learning becomes less about acquiring knowledge and more about the application of knowledge in authentic situations (Larson & Northern, 2011). With this shift in teaching, students can become more engaged and involved in their learning as they are given opportunities to be challenged by work that has greater meaning and connection with their personal lives and future. Students “want and need engaging work that stimulates their curiosity, involves them in decision making, provides some autonomy and choice in learning, improves self-regulation, and allows opportunities for creative expression” (Kay, 2009, p. 42). I have been working actively to integrate 21st century skills and themes in both my classroom and school for the last several years. My own interest in technology set me out on a path of personal discovery developing expertise across a wide range of platforms and devices. When I began incorporating technology in my teaching, I quickly realized that student engagement in... ... middle of paper ... ...t century skills and themes into my teaching, I made a concerted effort, took risks, and, most importantly, sought help and professional development. I developed my personal learning network, I experimented with new technologies, and I worked to creatively and purposefully integrate 21st century skills into my teaching. References Angelle, P. S. (2007). Teachers as leaders: Collaborative leadership for learning communities. Middle School Journal, 38(3), 54-61. Kay, K. (2009). Middle schools preparing young people for 21st century life and work. Middle School Journal, 40(5), 41-45. Larson, L. C., & Northern, T. (2011). 21st century skills: Prepare students for the future. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47(3), 121-123. Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009). P21 framework definitions. Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf

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