In the digital, interconnected world of the 21st century, educators are working in an evolving education system that is striving to prepare learners for living and thriving in this Information Age. Outside the classroom, students are active participants in a digitally rich world; communicating, collaborating and creating. Increasingly they are demanding classroom environments that reflect this. If we are preparing our students to become active and informed citizens in an interconnected digital world then it is vital that we ensure the integration of the 21st century skills necessary for playing a participatory role in the Digital Age into the learning agendas of our schools. Digital technology is unlocking new ways of looking at knowledge and learning and this transformative potential needs to be harnessed to support new approaches to innovative learning centred that is focused on the development of 21st century skills. (DEAG, 2013) (Moyle, 2010) (Oblinger, 2005) (Jenkins, 2006) (Brown, 2005) (Kulthau, 2007)
The creation of the video ‘21st century: not just a product, it’s an attitude!’ was guided by this fundamental premise. The core elements of this premise that are woven throughout the video are:
· Our students live in a digitally rich world where they can communicate, create and collaborate as well as have access to information
· Schools are preparing students to active and informed citizens in this world so 21st century skills, including critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, creativity and innovation, that enable them to be successful lifelong learners in this environment are vital
· Technological have the potential to change the way we look at teaching and learning by opening new opportunities to communicate, create and collaborate
· Just using the tools of technology is not enough, it requires a fundamental shift in the way we view the very nature and purpose of how we teach and how students learn effectively
These core elements are examined using images, quotes, data and a narration with the explicit purpose of trying to persuade teachers that it is imperative that we harness the potential of 21st century tools and thinking.
If we are to fully unlock the potential of digital technologies then a fundamental shift in the way we look at teaching and learning is vital. Greg Whitby, in his video “21st century Pedagogy”, talks about teaching methods that were developed in the Industrial Era and are so deeply entrenched that they have become part of teachers DNA. Whitby, and others including Sir Ken Robinson, have called for a radical departure from traditional methods and a new way of looking at teaching and learning in the 21st century. Moyle (2010, p.60) typifies this view; “It is time to reconceptualise models of education, to move away from those of the 19th and 20th century and, in light of the technological capacity now available to schools, to take into account the demands of the 21st century.”
Traditional methods of teaching are based on the premise that the teacher is the holder and transmitter of knowledge and the students are the passive recipients, however this view is being challenged by many. In the Information Age anyone with the right skills can access information and what is considered knowledge is ever changing. As Siemens (2006) states
“Our conceptual view of knowledge as static, organised and defined by experts is in the process of being replaced by a more dynamic and multi-faceted view.” Knowledge is no longer viewed as being unmoving with definite boundaries, now it is seen as being fluid, ever evolving, constructed and interconnected. In our interconnected world, knowledge is easily accessed and shared and the teacher no longer holds the knowledge. After all, “learners can now research, communicate, transact, connect with others, measure impacts, analyse data and build intelligence, with just the click of a mouse. Skills that once took years or months to acquire can be learned in a fraction of that time.” (DEAG, 2013,p.10) This immediate access to information anytime, anywhere however does not necessarily equate to quality learning and this is where teachers are vital. However, educators need to challenge existing ways of viewing teaching and learning and move from being primarily focused on content delivery or what to learn, to teaching students how to learn. (DEAG, 2013) (Jenkins, 2008) (Moyle, 2010) (Robinson,2007) (Jukes, 2010)
Teaching and learning is the core business for education so it is paramount that educators are constantly looking for ways to enhance learning experiences through effective learning environments and pedagogical practices. “Learning should enhance the ability for the learner to own and construct knowledge so that it can be used in new and challenging contexts.” (Finger etal 2007, p113) Not only has the world transformed in the way we are able to access and use information, but we are now also able to communicate, create, collaborate and connect anytime, anywhere. Our pedagogical practices and learning environments need to reflect this and build 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, creativity and innovation to enable students to fully access the transformative potential of the digital world. (Dean, 2012) The reality of this for teacher is that rather than looking at whole class lessons which are teacher centred, the learning can become more focussed on personal, collaborative and longer term learning journeys. Knowledge can be accessed from many different sources so teachers, rather than dispensing knowledge, will need to focus on enabling students to locate, evaluate and use information.. Pedagogical practices that enable students to construct their own learning through meaningful, relevant and personalised learning experiences, where they can question, communicate, collaborate and create and where they can be challenged to think critically, reflectively and laterally to solve open ended investigations will become essential. In other words, practices that are based on the constructivist philosophies of being an active participant in constructing meaning from learning will guide lesson development. Investigative models of teaching, high order questioning and information and media literacies will be an essential part of the classroom. To enable teachers to keep up with both the changing pedagogical practices as well as the rapid advances in technology, teachers will need to arm themselves with new strategies, adaptive techniques and willingness to capitalise on the potentials that technology offers.
Our world has changed. The way that we communicate, connect, access information and use this information has been transformed with advancements in technology. Schools must change with and reflect the world that our students live in if we are to provide the optimum opportunities for them to become successful and active citizens of the 21st century. In developing my video I have attempted to reflect these understandings. I used an infomercial model to try and ‘sell’ 21st century thinking with a dose of irony. I defined 21st century as a product and examined the disadvantages of not using this product and the advantages that it will unlock if used wisely. Even though in my video I am trying to ‘sell’ a product to teachers I also try to highlight the fact that technology is just a tool, it is the pedagogical practices that can be enabled by this tool that make a difference. I hope you enjoy it!
References
21st century pedagogy [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l72UFXqa8ZU
Brown, John Seely (2006-09-01). New learning environments for the 21st century: exploring the edge. In Change. 38 (5), 18(7).
Dean, C. B. (2012). Classroom instruction that works: research-based strategies for increasing student achievement (2nd ed.). Alexandria, Va.: ASCD.
Digital Education Advisory Group (2012). Beyond the classroom : a new digital education for young Australians in the 21st century. [Canberra?] Digital Education Advisory Group
Finger, Glenn D (2007). Transforming learning with ICT : making IT happen. Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest, N.S.W
Jukes, Ian & Crockett, Lee & McCain, Ted D. E & 21st Century Fluency Project (2010). Understanding the digital generation : teaching and learning in the new digital landscape. 21st Century Fluency Project co-published with Corwin ; Thousand Oaks, Calif. ; London : Corwin, Kelowna, BC Canada
Kuhlthau, C., Maniotes, L., & Caspari, A. (2007). Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21 st Century. Westport: Libraries Unlimited. Retrieved August 18, 2011 from http://cissl.rutgers.edu/guided_inquiry/introduction.html
Macpherson, K. (2013). Digital Technology and Australian Teenagers: Consumption, Study and Careers. Retrieved from University of Canberra website: http://www.theeducationinstitute.edu.au/eduinstitute/sites/default/files/Digital%20Technology%20and%20Teenagers%20Report%20May%202013.pdf
Moyle, K. (2010). Building innovation: learning with technologies. Camberwell, Vic.: ACER Press.
Oblinger, D., & Oblinger, J. L. (2005). Educating the net generation. Boulder, CO: EDUCAUSE..
Siemens, George (2006). Knowing knowledge. George Siemens, [United States
Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! | Video on TED.com [Video file]. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html
Sharples, M., McAndrew, P., Weller, M., Ferguson, R., FitzGerald, E., Hirst, T., and Gaved, M. (2013). Innovating Pedagogy 2013: Open University Innovation Report 2. Milton Keynes: The Open University.
Unleashing the Future: Educators Speak Up about using Emerging Technologies in the Classroom
2010 Congressional Briefing—
Release of Speak Up 2009 National Data for Educators
May 2010
White, Gerry (June 2013) Forward thinking: three forward, two back : what are the next steps? Extended version of a presentation given to the Australian College of Educators National Conference, Melbourne.
