Engaging the 21st Century Learner

With the nature of our changing world, the educational system is in a state of reform, as students today require a different set of knowledge and skills than those in previous generations.  Our fast-paced, technology-driven society demands workers to think critically, problem solve and adapt to new situations. Therefore, schools are focusing on teaching students useful, universally applicable skills and skills deemed as critically important by professors and employers. Traditional methods that focused primarily low order thinking skills and memorization are now being replaced by cross-disciplinary skills and skills that will prepare students for success after graduation. These skills have been termed “21^st Century Skills”, which include critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity and innovation, cultural and ethical citizenship, digital competencies and character (Drake, Kolohon, & Reid, 2014).

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C21 Canada is a leader in the advocacy of integrating 21^st learning into classroom settings. It proposes that these skills will “prepare a student to be a productive and participatory citizen of the twenty-first century” (Drake, Kolohon, & Reid, 2014). To learn more about the organization and to find resources for implementing 21^st century learning, visit (www.c21canada.org).

Throughout my education, I have experienced firsthand the traditional style classroom and have had the opportunity to participate in an innovative, constructivist learning environment that reflects the 21^st century values. For example, growing up the curriculum reflected the mastery of core academic subjects with little emphasis on life skills. For the majority of my schooling, I experienced the banking model of education as I sat in a classroom as a passive learning taking in facts and information. As my time in school progressed and especially in University, my eyes opened to a whole new learning experience, where I became actively engaged in my learning environment and in turn I was motivated more than ever to learn. My teacher acted as a facilitator and would ask questions allowing for students to research, communicate and critique. My learning experience and others in my generation is unique as we were in school as technology, information and knowledge increased at astronomical rates. For example, I remember being in grade 7 when a smartboard was introduced into the classroom and now almost all classrooms are equipped with this technology. Therefore, education reform has happened right before my eyes and is continuing to unfold as I approach my prospective teaching placements.

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Most teachers teach how they have been taught and tend to reproduce their schooling experiences for their students. This can be seen as problematic, as this approach to teaching disregards the notion of the changing society and does not accommodate the needs of the students. However with the mix of experiences I have encountered, I think I will be able to break away from this pattern and shift towards a more progressive approach to education. As a future educator, I plan to embrace change and incorporate 21^st learning experiences into my classroom through my methods of instruction and the use of technology. I would now like to share something I have come across through my research of 21^st century learning that I would like to incorporate into my teaching in the future for the development of 21^st century skills.

            Project-based learning (PBL) is a method of teaching and learning that aligns with the goals of 21^st century learning. PBL starts with a driving question that students then research and explore in efforts of producing some kind of final project.  Starting with a driving question allows for students to nourish their curiosity and gives students purpose/motivation in their work. The research portion allows students to find, interpret and process knowledge, which is an essential skill in today’s society. Designing the final project cultivates critical thinking, problem solving and creativity. Lastly, presenting the project builds on students communication, interpersonal skills and often digital competencies. This can be seen as an alternative to paper-based and teacher-led classrooms and as you can see there are endless benefits to this approach. Genius hour is an extension of PBL, which provides students with one hour a day to explore their passions and work on something they are interested in with teacher guidance. I think this is a phenomenal idea for engaging 21^st century learners and I encourage you to watch this YouTube video to find out how it can be implemented into your classroom. Also for more information, please visit (http://www.geniushour.com/).

Therefore, Genius Hour and Project-based learning aligns with my teaching beliefs about constructivism and the importance of engaging students with their interests to create motivated learners.

References

Drake, S., Kolohon, W., & Reid, J. (2014) Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21^st Century Learner. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.

Kesler, C. (2015). Genius Hour: Where Passions Come Alive. Retrieved from http://www.geniushour.com

Brotto, G. (2015). Canadians for 21^st Century Learning and Innovation. Retrieved from http://c21canada.org.