The 21st Century Classroom - what should it look like

In America a research group called the 'partnership for 21st centry skills' key partner being the 'U.S Department of Education Appalachian Technology in Education Consortium.


They identify these skills below as the essential learning skills in the 21st centry

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  Information and communications skills Examples: Using communication, information processing, and research tools (such as word processing, e-mail, groupware, presentation software, and the Internet) to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, create, and communicate information). These skills include information and media literacy skills.


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  Thinking and problem-solving skills Examples: Using problem-solving tools (such as spreadsheets, decision support, and design tools) to manage complexity, solve problems, and think critically, creatively, and systematically.
  


• Interpersonal and self-directional skills Examples: Using personal development and productivity tools (such as e-learning, time managers, and collaboration tools) to enhance productivity and personal development. These skills include accountability and adaptability skillsUse 21st Century tools to develop learning skills
  


• Use digital technology and communication tools to access, manage, integrate and evaluate information; Construct new knowledge; Communicate with others effectively. Examples: Using 21st Century tools (such as word processing, e-mail, presentation software, the Internet, spreadsheets, decision support programs, design tools, e-learning, time management programs, and collaboration tools) combined with learning skills in core subjects equals 21st Century Skills (ICT Literacy)Teach and learn in a 21st century context.
  


• Learn academic content through real-world examples; Learning must expand beyond the four classroom wallsTeach and learn 21st century content(3 emerging content areas) Global awareness Financial, economic and business literacy, and Civic literacy.Use 21st Century Assessments that measure 21st Century Skills High quality standardized tests Classroom assessments for teaching and learning.

This may look like hard work but it is the way of the future and we need to equipt ourselves and our children of the future to be able to participate in the everchanging and emerging technological age.

Learning needs to start in the classroom where children can effectively learn from outside of the four walls of the physical classroom. By this I mean they need to be able to access the vast range of information provided by the world wide web, they need to share their ideas with the world and they need to seek the knowledge of expert others.

During all learning experiences that happen in the classroom there should be an element of research or further learning for the children.
Opportunities need to be created for children to do their own learning, not just acquire the knowledge teachers deliever.

Integrated programmes are becoming more popular in schools and teaching this way opens a perfect opportunity to integrate blogging into the learning experience.

Integrated programmes are based on the idea that specific skills are focused on and all core learning areas are faciliated around that focus. This means that there is normally a running theme through the programme.
In this situation blogging would allow teachers and students to record their learning process and feedback and feed forward can guide children through the unit.

When students find material that is significant or find a site that may help other students they can place links and feeds on the blog to allow others to use the material.

The internet is know longer about googling key words its about a connected community of people who share their knowledge with the rest of the world.