Chapter 1 discussed the new world, new web and the new skills needed to make it in the world. It is true that we are wired in a world where we can communicate and collaborate all hours of the day. With many corporations becoming multinational having workers around the world has changed the way corporations are doing business. If we are going to keep up and continue to be productive in this society we must understand the changes in the web and how they reflect the changes in the world around us. As teachers we should provide these new tools to our students so that they are prepared for the challenges that they will face. Our students need to be intelligent employees as well as educated citizens. It is true that education needs to focus on the skills and abilities that students will need to help them remain competitive in a changing world. Competition in the workplace continues to intensify around the world. Businesses must diversify and spread jobs around the world in order to remain competitive. It may not be how much we educate our children but how we educated them. The new internet with its growing and expanding applications and open source software allows everyone to interact and add correct comment and create information on the internet and post it with the click of a button. The increasing amount of social networks has changed the way we interact with others.
I definitely agree that it will have a dramatic effect on businesses. Creating a different way of communication with immediate feedback on service or products, meeting online from a variety of places across the country. This seems to impress on the need to teach those 21st Century Skills we are always talking about. I think the biggest weakness we have here is the lack of training for our teachers it is hard to get everyone on board working to increase the use of 21st century skills in the classroom. NCREL;2003 has a good definition of theses skills:
Digital-Age Literacy- Basic, scientific, economic, and technological literacies
- Visual and informational literacies
- Multicultural literacy and global awareness
Inventive Thinking
- Adaptability and managing complexity
- Self direction
- Curiosity, creativity, and risk taking
- Higher-order thinking and sound reasoning
Effective Communication
- Teaming, collaboration, and interpersonal skills
- Personal, social, and civic responsibility
- Interactive communication
High Productivity
- Prioritizing, planning and managing for results
- Effective use of real-world tools
- Ability to produce relevant, high-quality products
The new Web 2.0 tools is going to effect schools and students learning and change the way we think. These tools promote creativity, collaboration and communication and will enhance those areas where these skills play and important part. This may be a slow process in some places but it will happen and is already starting. They create many new options for students, teachers and schools in the way information is used and interacted with. The better students are at using the tools of the Web 2.o the better prepared they will be to utilize them in the workforce.
1 comment:
I think a quote that I heard at the AASL convention in Reno sums it up well - We need to educate students for their future, not our past (Daniel Pink was quoting a school superintendent but I can't remember who). I agree that the professional development lag is killing us, but I also think that there has to be a desire of the staff to change their practice as well. We seem to have 3 groups in education -
those who understand the need to change and who will seek out and take advantage of training.
Those who will do it if we get them the training
Those who we still have to convince that there is even a need to change.
Interestingly, the last group is not made up entirely of experienced teachers but also includes some of our newest teachers who are coming out of very traditional training programs.
Ann
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