Thing 4

Where do I begin with this discussion? What is our job as educators?
We, as educators, need to prepare our students to thrive in the global economy. We need to bring what we learn and how we teach into the 21st century with 21st century skills such as thinking their way through abstract problems, problem solving, working in teams, distinguishing good information from bad, building up communication skills, and learning how to collaborate with others. We must focus on integrated curriculums, student centered classrooms with teachers acting as facilitators, various forms of assessments, address student diversity, research driven learning, and learn the basics while aligning curriculum to connect to student interest or the real world. Educators must change their way of teaching because the world is so different from what it was in the 20th century.

I was first introduced to Web 2.0 about a year ago when a team from our school was selected to become MI Champion participants. This was to promote the integration of technology in the school. We attended the MACUL conference where there were many sessions on Web 2.0. My understanding of Web 2.0 is that it has the ability for anyone to publish and collaborate with people around the world. This is where our students enter the picture. How amazing!

So what does this mean to me personally and how does it affect the way I teach. This will definitely affect how I teach. As educators, we need to learn more about Web 2.0, participate until we feel more comfortable, teach content, and teach students how to do things well. Learning is changing and education must change too. How do I feel about this? I think it is exciting, but I feel a little anxious too. It takes time to learn new things. I am doing my best to keep up with technology so my students will benefit from this great new way of learning. Do I have the time to teach the basics and incorporate this much needed technology? As educators, we must use the tools available to us to help our students learn.

I enjoyed the presentation “Web 2.0 Is The Future of Education” by Steve Hargadon.
He spoke about the 10 trends that will have an impact on education. We must prepare our students from being passive learners to active learners. We must do whatever we can to not only have students learn but also to remember what they learned by playing a more active part in their learning. Students must go from reading, receiving, and researching, to creating, contributing, and collaborating on the web. Of course, students must learn to manage content.

One of the sections I read mentioned that most Web 2.0 applications are free and online so this would help in the money crisis most schools are facing at this time. At my school, we are encouraged to use technology in our teaching. The students are quick to learn technology and can create some interesting projects. Once finished, they are shared with the rest of the class. How do teachers deal with filters on computers? This is definitely a stumbling block for educators trying to promote the vision of bringing the students into the 21st century. Everyone is concerned for the safety of our students.

This sure makes me wonder what teaching and learning will be like in the 22nd century!