21st Century Education

The 21st Century Student - Shifting the Paradigm in our teaching and engaging Minds

When we think about a 21st Century classroom we think that it is all about computers and laptops but this is wrong. A classroom with 1:1 computers does not suddenly become a classroom for Future Learners. As an educationalist decided more thought needed to go into this.

The process of providing the knowledge students need however trying to make a shift in our Pedagogy that engages and encourages students to inquire more into their learning. To quote Guy Claxton we want students to 'Build Learning Power' and not be spoon feed knowledge that is limited by the teachers expertise and limited resources.

Anyone who has attended one of Guy Claxton' presentations ought to buy his book 'What's the Point of School'. This book is powerful and timely examination of why our schools are built to fail, and how to redesign them to meet the needs of the modern world.' The challenge of redesigning schools is a big ask but the book gives lots of very practical advice about how to create enthusiastic learners and more effective teaching.

At the centre is the belief that all students can develop their learning power? The book above is one I took much interest in as it gives staff, students and the community a language for discussing and explaining our thinking and learning. It also links very nicely to the NZ Curriculum's Key Competencies.

The thinking around '21st century classrooms can be difficult for many to understand. ' Sarah Backhouse Smith has used a website called 'scoop-it' to look further into this thinking and what others are saying and doing in the field of education. This link is below:

http://www.scoop.it/t/shifting-the-paradigm-engaging-minds

Lastly the concept of what is knowledge is a very interesting discussion point in education

There has been a shift in the meaning of what is knowledge, specially with the ever growing and highly complex Internet. A fascinating book by David Weinburger looks further into this notion and explains that knowledge now lives in the messy web that has grown around it, the way life lives not in our neurons, bones, blood and marrow but in their connection (Too Big to Know, pg. 119)

Rosemary Hipkins in her presentation at ICOT 2013 called 'Ideas about thinking that challenge traditional education practices', said that there is new ways of thinking about knowledge and this has the potential to change educational practise.

It makes for very interesting discussion. Love your thoughts on this?