The profile of the 21st century learner
So I did try it on Monday!
See how my students were busy! The little guy running was actually helping his classmates with the use of the ShowMe app. He did such a brilliant job!
For this first try with the I pads in the classroom, I choose to use them to show their learning. My students worked on a story “Le Roi Chaton”. Reading and writing activities were put together on a booklet. My students used it to show their learning. I let them choose what they wanted to talk about. This first experience gave me an idea of how, why and what the technology could be used for in the classroom or made me think of those questions. Do I want to use technology to further their learning or do I want to use it as a tool?
In both cases, my teaching has changed as this equation has changed:
The teacher + the students=learning
It has became: the teacher + new technology + the students=learning
I really found myself doing old things in new ways as Marc Prensky explained in Shaping tech for the classroom.
It is a big opening to the real world. I have to let it go! I can’t be a control freak teacher and I don’t want to be that!
As I’m teaching 21st century learners, I want them to be creative, collaborative, communicator, critical thinker, problem solver, independent researcher, responsible digital citizen and able to drive their own learning.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72hZKQH4FhQ[/embed]
The one time ShowMe doesn’t make it all but when my students used it, they were creative, collaborative, communicator, critical thinker, problem solver, etc…
As I watched Mimi Ito, I realized that I should accept that the use of technology is not only recreational. And funnily enough, I have always adopt in my teaching methods a lot of games as playing is a big part of learning. It particularly makes sense for my early year students. But it also works well for the oldest students in the lower school. Actually I couldn’t imagine teaching in the lower school without including games!!
Teaching has changed with the integration of new tools and so learning too. Living and learning with new media project pointed out in its conclusion: “Participation in the digital age means more than being able to access “serious” online information and culture, networked publics provide a context for youth to develop social norms in negotiation with their peers and youth are developing new forms of media literacy that are keyed to new media and youth-centered social and cultural worlds.” As I have quoted in previous posts, while using new media, children are “hanging out, messing around and geeking out”. In some way, I can compare those activities doing outside school to what my students are doing in the classroom when I use some tools and strategies like thinking visible routines, inquiry process and growth mindset. And it is what I want for them as I explained early the profile of the 21st century learner.
And what I like with new technology is that the teacher is also a learner! Since I have started Coetail and while writing my blog, I need to be creative, communicator, critical thinker, problem-solver, collaborative, independent researcher, responsible digital citizen and able to drive my own learning.
See how my students were busy! The little guy running was actually helping his classmates with the use of the ShowMe app. He did such a brilliant job!
For this first try with the I pads in the classroom, I choose to use them to show their learning. My students worked on a story “Le Roi Chaton”. Reading and writing activities were put together on a booklet. My students used it to show their learning. I let them choose what they wanted to talk about. This first experience gave me an idea of how, why and what the technology could be used for in the classroom or made me think of those questions. Do I want to use technology to further their learning or do I want to use it as a tool?
In both cases, my teaching has changed as this equation has changed:
The teacher + the students=learning
It has became: the teacher + new technology + the students=learning
I really found myself doing old things in new ways as Marc Prensky explained in Shaping tech for the classroom.
But what did it teach me?
It is a big opening to the real world. I have to let it go! I can’t be a control freak teacher and I don’t want to be that!
As I’m teaching 21st century learners, I want them to be creative, collaborative, communicator, critical thinker, problem solver, independent researcher, responsible digital citizen and able to drive their own learning.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72hZKQH4FhQ[/embed]
The one time ShowMe doesn’t make it all but when my students used it, they were creative, collaborative, communicator, critical thinker, problem solver, etc…
How can I help my students being 21st century learners?
As I watched Mimi Ito, I realized that I should accept that the use of technology is not only recreational. And funnily enough, I have always adopt in my teaching methods a lot of games as playing is a big part of learning. It particularly makes sense for my early year students. But it also works well for the oldest students in the lower school. Actually I couldn’t imagine teaching in the lower school without including games!!
Teaching has changed with the integration of new tools and so learning too. Living and learning with new media project pointed out in its conclusion: “Participation in the digital age means more than being able to access “serious” online information and culture, networked publics provide a context for youth to develop social norms in negotiation with their peers and youth are developing new forms of media literacy that are keyed to new media and youth-centered social and cultural worlds.” As I have quoted in previous posts, while using new media, children are “hanging out, messing around and geeking out”. In some way, I can compare those activities doing outside school to what my students are doing in the classroom when I use some tools and strategies like thinking visible routines, inquiry process and growth mindset. And it is what I want for them as I explained early the profile of the 21st century learner.
And what I like with new technology is that the teacher is also a learner! Since I have started Coetail and while writing my blog, I need to be creative, communicator, critical thinker, problem-solver, collaborative, independent researcher, responsible digital citizen and able to drive my own learning.
Thanks for sharing that video about the 21st C learner. It is certain that students nowadays will need to graduate with a different set of skills that we did. My eldest daughter is applying for universities now and she has to put together a portefolio of her artwork as part of her presentation. Her portefolio will be sent in digital form. She could make a slideshow, a video etc. To do well, she needs to make it media rich and visually meaningful. We're thinking that we really out to buy a 3D printer so her artwork can be progress--like what the universities are trying to teach students to be. If it wasn't for Coetail, I wouldn't have any clue about any of this.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing and I look forward to reading how you work to develop 21st Century inquirers...
Thanks Vivian!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait either for Monday for trying new things!
I love how excited you are about your kids learning! That little one in the pic is awesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking a risk and sharing your experience. It's awesome to see and read about!
Thanks Rebekah for your support!
ReplyDeleteAs it's (was ) Monday in the part of my world, I tried new things and really took risk this afternoon with my Grade 3. Above all, the kids enjoyed and were engaged.
Magali