November 2007 — News
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21st Century Learning: 'We're Not Even Close'
3. Use technology comprehensively to create robust education support systems. To be effective in schools and classrooms, teachers and administrators need training, tools and proficiency in 21st century skills themselves. Used comprehensively, technology transforms standards and assessments, curriculum and instruction, professional development, learning environments, and administration.
So what do these mean? In the first case, the paper calls on educators to teach technology and build technological fluency in students not just through direct instruction in a specific hardware or software, but through the integration of technology in other areas of learning.
"... Technology must empower students to accomplish their own "knowledge work"--work that involves using, processing and creating information and knowledge, which is increasingly prevalent in workplaces and communities. Technology also must enable students to acquire all of the 21st century skills they need to participate fully in the global economy and to manage their own destinies."
In the second case, the use of technology to support teaching and learning, the organizations posit that technology can be an aid in nine key areas of education:
- Building conceptual understanding of core content;
- Addressing misconceptions;
- Fostering inquiry and investigation;
- Applying knowledge and skills to interdisciplinary challenges;
- Creating and transforming knowledge for meaningful purposes;
- Collaborating with others;
- Apprenticing with experts;
- Engaging and motivating students; and
- Differentiating instruction to meet individual needs.
"Technology also can be an extraordinary support for teachers, who can use it to become more effective in their classrooms," according to the paper. "Standards and standards-based lessons and multimedia resources available online can provide teachers with exemplary models, research-based strategies and useful materials. Technology-based classroom assessments can give them an instant read on student performance. Technology can enable teachers to keep all students working productively--and give them time to work with students individually or in small groups."
Finally, in the area of the use of technology to create robust support for education, the groups declared, "In a 21st century education system, technology must be used comprehensively and purposefully to create robust education support systems for standards and assessments, curriculum and instruction, professional development and professional learning communities, and administration."
To this end, educators and staff members must themselves master 21st century skills to be effective in their roles.
"Such technologies as videoconferencing, online learning, networking, and instant messaging can support professional development and professional learning communities. Using technologies like these, educators can learn and collaborate with peers, mentors, experts, and community members routinely. They can build ongoing professional relationships, develop capacity in teaching 21st century skills, benefit from just in time communications, and reduce the time and expense of travel."
