I find Mishra’s statement about the change of technology very intriguing. I agree that understanding this new landscape that is continually changing, and having the skills to be able to interact and adapt with it are very important. Being able to instill those skills and not necessarily just exposing my students to the technology is something I am working on. I consider myself a new teacher (3 years of experience), and relate my continuous learning experience year after year to the path that this learning journey takes regarding 21st century teaching practices. When it comes to technology I’ve always felt confident enough trying to learn and use something new in the classroom. I feel that I have been at the adapting and appropriating technology stage, as Debra Rein from Apple mentions in the analysis of effective integration of technology, but I still feel that I struggle to effectively use technology at the innovating stage. I can say that this year I have thought much more deeply about 21st century skills than I have in the past. I know that communication, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration are essential skills for my students in the future. No matter how much the landscape changes in the future, having these skills will help my students be better off. I like what was said in the ACOT document by Apple “To be productive global citizens, Americans need other skills that are less tangible, including greater sensitivity to cultural differences, openness to new and different ideas, and the ability to adapt to change.” The ability to adapt comes with the ability to communicate and collaborate with those cultures that are part of this global landscape, to be able to think critically and be creative. In one of his talks, Ma Yun, Chinese founder of Alibaba Group, mentioned something that stuck with me. He pointed out that even though technology would get to a point where it would outsmart us; the most important part of being human, creativity, would be what would make us stand out. This resonated with me because it’s true that the technological landscape will change, but as long as out students aquire those “less tangible” skills they will be able to adapt to the changing world. What I need to continue to do in my classroom in order for these skills to be practiced is to practice them myself, giving students the opportunity to communicate their ideas in the classroom and to the world, practicing ways to collaborate and think critically when working with others, and allowing for student creativity and exploration in what we do in the classroom.
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Amanda Olson
10/8/2017 08:09:44 pm
The idea that creativity is the most important part of being human, and that creativity is the characteristic of humanity that separates us from the technology that we created and that will inevitably outsmart us one day is powerful and truly inspiring. Educators need not to predict the world that is to come but rather be able to instill within our students the confidence, ability, persistence, and determination to display creativity amidst the ever-changing technology driven world they will be citizens of. Collaboration, critical-thinking, and communication are vehicles by which creativity can be achieved, expressed, and defined. I hope to deliver my students opportunities to fearlessly take part in creative experiences, in which they collaborate, communicate, think critically, and create their own ideas and solutions.
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Heather Feinberg
10/11/2017 02:24:03 pm
I couldn't agree more about practicing the skills ourselves! We need to model what we teach. I also agree with the fact that technology is changing and that we need to change our practices as the technology changes!
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Jose G. CerdaArchives
May 2018
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