"If we teach today's students as we taught yesterday’s we rob them of tomorrow".
John Dewey
How will work and life look in 2040? If education continues to focus on knowledge alone, it will not be sufficient for the future. We must start preparing our learners for jobs that have not existed in this continuously changing world. We must help them be self-directed and long-life learners.
21st-Century learners love embracing change; they are more interested in learning the tools and skills to produce and create. It is more about where it is instead of what the information is. We can see this every day in informal learning. Children playing video games with peers develop strategies or ways to get faster to the next level and win. In my elementary school, I often heard the students complain that school was boring. We need to find a way to combine formal with informal learning if we want to engage them.
Young kids still need to learn how to read and write, but we can use technology meaningfully to make it fun. Instead of delivering content, we can help them learn how to learn.
My innovation plan is the implementation of ePortfolios for 5th graders in language arts class. The ePortfolios will help me create an authentic learning environment where research and access to information are the starting point. Linking the content with a real-world problem makes it possible to awaken their curiosity and provoke inquiry. They will learn grammar, writing, comprehension, and vocabulary skills in more active learning. It will be opportunities for discussions and collaboration with peers to create pieces of evidence with different media. There will be time for reflection and self-evaluation.
One of the biggest problems with innovations is resistance to change because it requires getting out of our comfort zone. I know this change will not be easier when I think about it. The challenges are not only the support of the organization but also a shift in the student's mindset.
References
21st. Educator (April 2, 2009 ).21st Century Education vs. 20th Century Education. Retrieve from https://youtu.be/HiD1UqLPrOg
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MacArthur Foundation (December 1, 2010). Rethinking Learning: The 21st Century Learner. Retrieve from https://youtu.be/c0xa98cy-Rw
Lichtman, G. ( March 21, 2013). What 60 Schools Can Tell Us About Teaching 21st Century Skills. TEDxDenverTeachers Retrieve from https://youtu.be/UZEZTyxSl3g
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