Teaching 21st Century learners
SUCCESS in the 21st Century requires knowing how to learn.
Learning means hearkening to cornerstones of the past to help us navigate our future. It means students master content while producing, synthesizing and evaluating information from a variety of wide subjects.
They must develop strong critical thinking and interpersonal communication skills to be successful in an interconnected and complex world. Powerful learning of this nature demands well-prepared teachers.
But what does being a 21st Century teacher really mean?
Recent technological advances have affected many areas of our lives: the way we communicate, collaborate, learn and, of course, teach. Obviously, teaching in the 21st Century is an altogether different phenomenon. Learning could be happening everywhere, all the time, on any possible topic, supporting any possible learning style or any preference.
Educators have to l everage technology to create an engaging and personalized environment in order to meet the emerging educational needs of this generation. The opportunities afforded by technology should be used to re- imagine 21st century education, focusing on preparing students learners for life.
As students have access to any information possible, there certainly is no need to “spoon- feed” the knowledge or teach “one-size fits all” content. Students having different personalities, goals and needs; offering personalized instructions is not just possible but also desirable. When students are allowed to make their own choices, they own their learning, increase intrinsic motivation, and put in more effort – an ideal recipe for better learning outcomes.
Learn new technologies and connect. To offer students choices, having one’s own hands-on experience and expertise will be useful. Since technology keeps developing, learning a tool once and for all is not an option. The good news is that new technologies are new for the novice and experienced teachers alike. Connect with like-minded individuals because again, today’s tools allow us to connect anyone, anywhere and anytime.
Embracing a 21st Century learner model requires consideration in all aspects and elements: creating learners who take intellectual risks, fostering learning dispositions and nurturing school communities where everyone is a learner./