3 Big Ideas

After watching the five videos of FutureWatch 1, it was clear to me what the big ideas were:

1. Use the technology tools that students are using already to engage them.
2. Students need to be taught how to think and learn, rather than focus on content.
3. Since what needs to be taught is different, the role of the teacher needs to be different.

Digital Natives are considered to be the people growing up during this technological revolution and are considered to be more intuitive with things like computers, iPods, Web 2.0, etc. So now we have Digital Learners, aka 21st Century Students. The idea is that these kids use these tech tools, they like to use them, so why not use them for teaching? I have seen first hand how much more engaging a PowerPoint can be than just me up at the whiteboard talking. But it is more than just entertainment value, there is also opportunities for interactivity with many of these tools. I remember hearing from someone (professor?) that since students use technology, they expect their teachers to be using them also. According to the article written by Gregory R. Roberts, Technology and Learning Expectations of the Net Generation, "a key component of the Net Generation's definition of technology is customization, or the ability to adapt technology to meet individual needs, rather than vice versa." Customization? Meeting individual needs? Sound like good teaching to me.


Teachers are faced with the task of preparing students for the 21st century workforce, which apparently means we need to prepare them for jobs that don't exist yet! So what needs to be focused on is a skill set that can be transferable to all things -- thinking and learning. A simple example of this idea is comparing and contrasting. This is a thinking strategy, whether it is looking at different representations in math or comparing writing styles of two authors. It is a thinking skill that can be transferred to other disciplines. So are we teaching our kids to think or are we teaching them to pass a test? Are we teaching them how to learn? This is the information age; the idea of going to a library to research a topic seems almost absurd! So, are we teaching students how to find the information that they need to learn about a topic or to solve a problem? That will be a skill that they will need for that job that doesn't exist yet!

To be able to teach students how to learn, how to acquire information, the role of the teacher must evolve. The Networked Student video describes Connectivism: "learning occurs as a part of a social network of many diverse connections and ties...made possible by various tools of technology." The teacher does not lecture, there is no text book. The student is guided through an information gathering process, with the teacher acting as a facilitator (though as you can see in the photo, more descriptive titles have been used). I remember learning in my Ed Psyche class during the credential program that when a student learns or discovers something on their own, it is stronger learning. The role of the teacher as lecturer is disappearing; the role of teacher as facilitator is increasing.

So here is the problem -- many schools do not have access to the technology. But many schools are starting to catch up. With the passing of Prop. S, the San Diego Unified School District has developed a plan to upgrade the technology in every school. Every classroom will be an 21st Century (i-21) Interactive Classroom. So here's the new problem -- the teachers in these classrooms are mostly digital immigrants. There is nothing intuitive to them about blogs, or wikis, or podcasts. You can give teachers all the tools there are, but if they don't know how to use them there is no point. So training will be the key for a successful transition to 21st Century Classrooms. Teachers need to learn to use the tools, learn to be a faciltator, and focus on teaching how to learn.
There should be lots of work for us Ed Tec graduates!