The Partnership for 21st Century Skills http://p21.org/ organization brings business, learning, and political communities together to emphasize the importance and need for these skills to be promoted, taught, and supported by policy throughout our educational system.
In familiarizing myself with their website, I was immediately impressed with the focused and succinct mission and framework presented. The resources provided to the various communities for practical application of the vision were detailed yet allowed room for flexibility and creativity according to each state's or community's needs. In addition to the comprehensive framework and elements of success, I found a real life purpose and work force relevance that is sorely needed in today's content standards.
The published articles by Timothy Magner (Executive Director) gave me hope that policymakers in their action (or purposeful inaction) might see the light. But the logistics of putting the brakes on the runaway train we have been on might take longer than our students have and deserve. Teachers have been and continue to incorporate these skills into their current content. Organizations such as this are great to have as a collaborative catalyst (the member organizations are impressive) to support the individual efforts of those of us in the trenches.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
How I might use a blog in my high school social studies classroom...
and the purpose it would serve could end up broad and diverse. It would definitely be a place where students interact about the content and showcase their work. I would invite students as they graduate to check back in and interact with current students, giving them support and suggestions along with relating stories and experiences. This would tie our local community together while still being open to the global community as well.
A blog would be an especially good instructional tool in the classroom because it promotes literacy, learner based communities, and technology in the classroom, while providing interactive engagement, distance learning for those who need it, not to mention covering multi-learning types.
Teaching government, economics, and history, there are a plethora of ways using a blog could facilitate learning. Reaching out to other students around the world to compare and contrast historical and political events, economic systems, and personal and cultural experiences would enrich the lives of all and broaden perspectives beyond the individual.
A blog would be an especially good instructional tool in the classroom because it promotes literacy, learner based communities, and technology in the classroom, while providing interactive engagement, distance learning for those who need it, not to mention covering multi-learning types.
Teaching government, economics, and history, there are a plethora of ways using a blog could facilitate learning. Reaching out to other students around the world to compare and contrast historical and political events, economic systems, and personal and cultural experiences would enrich the lives of all and broaden perspectives beyond the individual.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Hanging in there...
So I've dipped my pinky toe in the blogging pool and am still not as comfortable as I'd like to be with the logistics and navigation, but have read some great blogs on various topics.
One that particularly piqued my interest had to do with digital textbooks. My textbooks are old and out of date and I don't use them much at all. Think of all the possibilities if they were available digitally. Time and money would be saved for sure, not to mention the convenience and practicality of updating. Students who normally forgot, lost, or damaged their paper texts would be saved from inventing excuses, back surgery and hip replacements. I've heard whispers that a few states are looking at using a portion of textbook funding to do this. I hope one of those states is California.
One that particularly piqued my interest had to do with digital textbooks. My textbooks are old and out of date and I don't use them much at all. Think of all the possibilities if they were available digitally. Time and money would be saved for sure, not to mention the convenience and practicality of updating. Students who normally forgot, lost, or damaged their paper texts would be saved from inventing excuses, back surgery and hip replacements. I've heard whispers that a few states are looking at using a portion of textbook funding to do this. I hope one of those states is California.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Jumping in with both feet!
Greetings to those of you who share my tech course and any others who have happened to stumble upon this...
This is my first blog and post so I welcome any advice that you may have. I feel that over the last fifteen years of teaching I have kept up with technology fairly well. Never on the cutting edge mind you, especially considering district budgets, but always current personally. Lately, however, the pace has increased dramatically and I find myself reaching out more and more for knowledge and support. I recently received a Smartboard in my classroom and look forward to exploring all the vast possibilities I've heard so much about.
So I am on this new adventure, hoping we can all help each other along.
This is my first blog and post so I welcome any advice that you may have. I feel that over the last fifteen years of teaching I have kept up with technology fairly well. Never on the cutting edge mind you, especially considering district budgets, but always current personally. Lately, however, the pace has increased dramatically and I find myself reaching out more and more for knowledge and support. I recently received a Smartboard in my classroom and look forward to exploring all the vast possibilities I've heard so much about.
So I am on this new adventure, hoping we can all help each other along.
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