21st Century Thinkers
21st Century Thinkers
There is much discussion today in the educational world of the skills students will need to compete in the 21st century. Clearly, the skills needed today are different from what was needed 20 years ago. An organization called The Partnership for 21st-Century Skills asked registered voters on a nationwide poll; what skills will students need to navigate in the 21st century world, skills you didn’t need when you were emerging from adolescence? Two important findings were:
- Two out of every three voters say that they believe students need to learn more than just reading, writing, math, and science; high on the list are computer and technology skills, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and teamwork and collaboration.
- Almost three out of every four voters rank “computer and technology skills” at least a 9 in importance on a scale of 0 to 10.
To further think about the impact of technology, consider the way many of us currently manage our personal lives. We communicate via cell phones and emails, we manage budgets and pay bills online, we organize family photos and movies on our computers, and we plan vacations via the Internet. Imagine how this technology will continue to influence our lives and more importantly, the lives of our students.
In order to adequately prepare students for future careers, we must look at how we integrate technology into the teaching and learning process. Students come into school with the ability to use numerous technology tools. However, what is crucial is the how and why technology is used and not necessarily the amount or type of technology. For example, in the recent 5th grade unit on weather, students learned about different cloud types, air pressure, barometers, wind chill, weather fronts, and more. Students chose or wrote their own weather scenario with a partner and had to produce a PowerPoint presentation and, in turn, use it to film a weather report using a backlit projector. Students used Google and the Internet to research their scenarios and find both pictures and videos to import into their presentations. They also used Excel spreadsheets to show their weather data on line graphs. Once the weather reports were filmed, students had to use iMovie to create and edit their final movies. This exemplifies an authentic learning project in which students had to collaborate with one another and with various teachers, use problem-solving and decision-making skills, create original works, communicate information effectively, and analyze and synthesize information from a variety of sources and media. These competencies are similar to what a person in the business world employs when communicating a global presentation to peers.
At NHS, we continually strive to keep up with the ever-changing world and to infuse best practices in our teaching. As educators, we consider ourselves to be models of lifelong learning and we continue to learn with our students. We believe that in order to adequately prepare students to participate in a global economy, we must support current use of technology. We thank the community of North Hampton for continuing to vote in favor of technology and thus continuing to vote for the success of our students.
