21st Century Learning

So what is 21st Century Learning and what responsibilities do we share as educators if we are truly preparing our students for their future? Fortunately, the answer is not dichotomous. One is not for or against 21st Century Learning. It's not about taking sides and deciding what one 'believes'; it's about figuring out what we can do now to best support our students in their present that will lead to a brighter future.

I want untangle what it means to teach in and for the 21st Century. I hope what I learn is far more than everything-technology but includes efforts to build fundamental skills and enhance the character of our children. A friend once asked Madeline Albright what it was that we should teach our children so that they would be contributors to a better, global society. She responded quickly and said,
Three things: First, we need to teach our youth how to listen; second, we need to teach them how to gather information, and; third, we need them to be able to articulate the perspective of others.
I recognize, however, that to do so requires us to engage in the 21st Century- and that DOES require a level of technical proficiency that can only come from learning and using present day technologies. On a recent twitter, I came across a link to a Harvard general ed course that is open to the public entitled Introduction to Technology and Society. It's worth watching because it's worth thinking about.

Introduction to Technology and Society from Harvard Program in Gen Ed on Vimeo.



Introduction to Technology and Society from Harvard Program in Gen Ed on Vimeo.

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