Partnership for 21st Century Skills
Reaction to the
website: Wow! How have I never heard of this website?! There is an
overwhelming abundance of information on this site. Without a ton of
investigating, my first reaction is this is the kind of website you have to
know what you are looking for before you try to tackle the website. Who are the
authors of this site? What is their educational experience? What about their experience
with technology?
Information on the
site that surprised me or helped me develop a new understanding of issues
surrounding the 21st century skills: I absolutely love and agree
with the implementation of the essential skills for success in today’s world
(critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration). I
understand now how essential those skills really are. Students need to know
more than what is in their textbooks. Their individual characters need to be
stretched and grown as well.
I was surprised to find so many states committed to 21st
century standards. I was disappointed not to find my state as one of those
states.
Information or
opinions on the site that I disagree with along with an explanation why: This
is the most difficult question to address because there is so much on the site
I agree with. The website stated several content areas that were typically not
emphasized in schools. The content areas included global awareness, financial
and economic literacy, civic literacy, and health awareness. While the lack of
content in those areas may be true for other schools, it is not true at the
school I teach at. I would disagree and argue at my school those content areas
are emphasized.
Implications for my
students and for me as a contemporary educator: This is a website I will
bookmark. The links under resources for educators appear to be very user friendly
and would assist in my teaching as I try to educate my students on the latest
and greatest 21st century skills. This is a website I would consider
sharing with the parents of my students, emphasizing how important these skills
are.
Hi Stacy,
ReplyDeleteI too noticed the states that are listed on the web site. And out of all fifty possible, I didn't think the list was very long. My state is not on the list either. One thought that I had, wondering why ALL the states were not listed; Is this a truly a philanthropic organization or a commercial one? The fact that the list of partners includes so many technology-related corporations makes me wonder.
Excellent question, Tracy.
ReplyDeleteThere is so much information on the website that it makes be believe it is a commercial site because it looks like it would take a lot of time and effort to put together that kind of site. However, there are some extremely passionate people out there that may truly, out of the goodness of their hearts, want to share and spread information on the skills of the 21st century.
Stacy I shared your concern with the breadth of skills we are supposed to be teaching our students. I think this type of commitment will truly have to be school wide and not just within a few core content class rooms. I can teach my Environmental Science students to be globally aware but from a resource use or ecological impact viewpoint. The Contemporary Studies teacher will have a different spin on what constitutes global awareness as will the CADD teacher or even the chorale teacher showing students music from different genres and eras. While financial literacy seems to fit in a consumer math class I also address it in Human Growth and Development when students research and create a baby budget to see just how expensive the little darlings are and meanwhile in our Freshman Seminar class, students are taught how to handle credit cards and budgeting to reach a goal. Seemingly gone are the days when we could teach our specific content and only our content. It has become increasingly necessary for the educators themselves to expand their own set of 21st century skills if we are going to lead our students into that future.
ReplyDeleteStacy,
ReplyDeleteI agree, there was a lot that was good on the site. The only thing I did not like was how much it felt like an advertisement.
I was excited to read about the different kinds of literacies; one very close to my heart is environmental literacy. This summer I went to France with my family, and we drove a diesel car for the first time ever. We drove over 2400 miles and filled up 3 times. I kid you not. I do not understand why the technology for cars is not advancing faster in North America. In Bermuda the only diesel cars we have are taxis- and the price we pay at the pump would make you that don't have to import fuel by sea faint. That is the kind of literacy I want my students to be developing!
Lisa