The Partnership for 21st Century Skills Organinization

I am currently enrolled in a masters course entitled Understanding the Impact of Technology on Education, Work, and Society. This week's assignment was to review The Partnership for 21st Century Skills Organization website. Up until this course I did not realize this organization existed. The site itself has a vast amount of information and resources regarding the implementation of technology in our schools. The contributing members listed on the site are numerous, they range from Intel to Walt Disney. Even though there is a higher proportion of commercially based entities, the educational field is still represented.

The Partnerships goals move beyond the simple incorporation of technological elements in the classroom. They define specific skills that are critical for the success of the next generation. The skills speak to effective communication, creativity, and the ability to problem solve. The organization purports these skills can be developed via the use of the 3Rs and the 4Cs. The Partnership has developed a comprehensive bridge model to aid all parties involved in the process of implementing their plan. The model addressed everything from Curriculum and Instruction to Professional Development. I found the model to be quite impressive. It is detailed, but not overwhelming.

The site itself was fairly easy to navigate. I enjoyed the videos and was able to watch Ken Kay the president of The Partnership for 21st Century Skills speak on the organizations views regarding National Standards. As I was viewing the segment, I found myself thinking about how will I change my teaching to address these skills. The biggest change is to move away from paper pencil assignments and towards project based learning. Not to simply assign a research report but to make it only one component. I think having students produce a product gives them a sense of accomplishment. Service Learning is also away to incorporate many of the skills addressed by the organization. Working together to solve a community problem.

How Can I Use a Blog

I would like to consider how best to use a Blog in my classroom. Currently I teach 4th grade all subjects. In my classroom I use the Quality Learning approach as developed by David Langford. One of the many elements of this approach is student input and responsibility regarding their learning experience. A tool I use is called a Parking Lot. The Parking Lot is used for students to post what they feel is going well, questions, concerns, issues and ideas for improving the teaching and learning going on in the classroom. It is in the form of a poster and I feel a Blog would be a great replacement. As a class we would all have access and would be able to have discussions.

I would also like to use a Blog for the purpose of journaling. One of our morning routines is to write in a journal. The students have the option to write to a supplied prompt or to free write for a set period of time. Many students do not enjoy the physical act of writing, however, put them on a lap top and their keyboarding skills are phenomenal. A Blog might encourage my reluctant writers to contribute.

The Reluctant Techie

Yes, it is true I am not a natural. Even though I use technology everyday in my personal life, I am not as comfortable as I would like to be regarding the use of techology in my classroom. I regularly use the web and my promethean board but I have yet to venture further. This blog is my first step into the deep end.