What are your initial reactions to what you saw in the videos? I first saw these videos when working on my six year in technology and I still get chills when I see them. I work in a school that is slowly starting to embrace the "bring your own device mentality." Slowly but surely we are moving in the right direction.
What do we think it means to prepare students for the 21st century? What skills do students need to survive and thrive in this new era? Preparing students for the 21st century means providing them with learning opportunities that include real world problem solving that is relevant and integrates technology. If students are to be successful in the future they will need to be able to adjust to rapid changes in technology and our environment. They will need to use the problem solving skills to work in professions that have not been invented yet.
What implications does this have for our current way of doing things? Teachers need to embrace the changes in technology and implement the use of technology in their classrooms to prepare students for the future. Teachers need to change with the times and provide opportunities for their students to perform higher level objectives based on Bloom's taxonomy that involve technology.
What challenges must we overcome as we move forward? What supports will we need as we move forward? What kind of training will we need to move forward? Challenges that I witness on a daily basis is the lack of broadban at my school. Students working online are often kicked off the internet due to this issue. Teachers are also so concerned about the new evaluation tools and teaching the standards they often do not make time for technology produced assignments that are created by students. Time is our greatest enemy, the lack of money in the system, and the fact that our student population is qualified as Title 1. Teachers need to be trained on how to integrate this technology so that it enhances their lessons rather than take away from class time.
Is it possible for a teacher to be an excellent teacher if he/she does not use technology? It is not possible for a teacher to be qualified as excellent, if they are not preparing students for the 21st century. Technology must be the crucial element of their curriculum to make our students the best they can be and prepare them for jobs in the future.
