It really puts the importance of technology at the forefront, and brings about a harsh reality that our world is changing at such a rapid rate, we can barely even keep up with it.
The video mentions we are preparing students for jobs that don't even exist. I think back to my time in elementary school, when we used ancient computers and microsoft did not even exist. I think about all of the computer technology, information technology, and computer programming jobs that my friends are involved in, and how when we were born, those jobs certainly did not exist. It makes me wonder what the new jobs are that will be created within the next ten years. Certainly we can predict that they will involve technology, but what will they be?
It's scary to think that the students in my classroom need to be prepared for these types of jobs. How in the world will I ever prepare them for that?
It leads me to the importance of critical thinking, of being able to create and function in a world full of new technology, to be able to analyze and problem solve, etc. As teachers, it is our responsibility to stay on top of the latest technology, and to incorporate it into our classrooms as much as possible. This is how our students are functioning today. This is how they are learning. What a disadvantage to them if we don't teach them how to communicate and collaborate with people around the world.
The video mentions that China will soon be the number one English speaking country. Why not teach our children how to collaborate with students in China, how to combine their knowledge and change the world? The students sitting in our classrooms right now are our future leaders. They will be the ones responsible for international relations, for running our country, for working in these new jobs. We need to make sure they are prepared with the skills necessary to do so.
The above image was taken from 21st Century Support Systems. A website dedicated to describing essential elements that need to be taken into consideration in order to prepare our students for the 21st century. The idea is that teachers need to create assessments and curriculum that align with the needs of a 21st century learner. Technology is key, interdisciplinary studies are essential for deep understanding, etc. I think that this is a good representation of the need to modify our curriculum and teaching, in an effort to better prepare our students for the world that they will face in the future.
WOW! I am so jealous of your blog here... you have done a great job here. I had another class this summer that talked about 2.0 and I felt like I had never even been on the web. However, the informational videos given to us were great tools for use and allowed me to feel a little bit more comfortable.
ReplyDeleteKimberly,
ReplyDeleteI think your idea of preparing students today to collaborate with students around the world will be a big help to them in whatever types of jobs they end up in. You are also right on target when you pointed out that "They [our students]will be the ones responsible for international relations, for running our country, for working in these new jobs. We need to make sure they are prepared with the skills necessary to do so."
Dr. Burgos