The Partnership for 21st Century Skills at http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/ is a website whose mission is to “Serve as a catalyst to position 21st century skills at the center of US K-12 education by building collaborative partnerships among education, business, community and government leaders”. This group of people are taking a proactive approach to ensuring students graduating from United States schools have the skill set to be competitive in a global market. The site offers video clips from schools who are successfully implementing 21st century skills into the classroom. I am surprised to see all the corporate sponsors on the site who have taken P21’s comprehensive 3-day training on their framework. They also offer a link to professional development assistance.
I do wonder if this is the “next” bandwagon schools will jump onto. I have not been teaching long, but I have realized that school districts jump from one “great” idea to another without much follow through. I agree that our students need to learn skills like those shown in the graphic found at http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/index.php; however I do not know that this is going to be the best possible way to get there.
The idea is there, but I did not see where the funding was coming from. Maybe it is coming from all the corporate sponsors who have joined the site. There are currently eleven states who have committed to being part of the 21st century skills site and the only one near me is South Dakota. They have created a P21 Advisory Council, consisting of business leaders, legislators and state education leaders whose purpose, among others, is to develop plans for looking at holes in the content curriculum, deciding on professional development activities and redesigning assessments. I understand the need for business leaders and legislators, but I hope the education leaders are the ones most involved in what and how content and skills are taught in the classroom.
I do wonder if this is the “next” bandwagon schools will jump onto. I have not been teaching long, but I have realized that school districts jump from one “great” idea to another without much follow through. I agree that our students need to learn skills like those shown in the graphic found at http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/index.php; however I do not know that this is going to be the best possible way to get there.
The idea is there, but I did not see where the funding was coming from. Maybe it is coming from all the corporate sponsors who have joined the site. There are currently eleven states who have committed to being part of the 21st century skills site and the only one near me is South Dakota. They have created a P21 Advisory Council, consisting of business leaders, legislators and state education leaders whose purpose, among others, is to develop plans for looking at holes in the content curriculum, deciding on professional development activities and redesigning assessments. I understand the need for business leaders and legislators, but I hope the education leaders are the ones most involved in what and how content and skills are taught in the classroom.
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Hi Max,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that school districts jump on the newest “best practices” and do not continue to follow through on training or updated information. The message the administrators are sending, then, is that it is not important and there are not any expectations for you to do this in your classroom. Then the training becomes purely informational. Since this is what has happened in the past, year after year, how do they expect teachers to react to anything new?
The funding issue is a really great question. I thought, since the department of education was listed on the participants, that the government would be paying the tab. I wonder if President Obama’s recent educational push for a longer school day and a longer year is part of the Partnership for the 21st Century model.
I wonder, since I am a knowledgeable educator, why I have never heard of the Partnership. My state is not listed. However, an initiative this large should be discussed in educational circles. Don’t you think so|?
I, too, hope educators are involved in the planning and decision making in this plan. We need to have a say in something this important. We are the ones working with the students daily, the ones whom will be affected most by this, the ones whose support it needs to be carried through in the classroom.
As I said in a previous response, I think there is a bit of oversell going on at the 21st Century... site. That is not to say that the effort is not worthy, but I had the feeling I was being approached by a used car salesman.
ReplyDeleteOur kids certainly know that technology is forever changing and certainly becoming a part of everyday life. Even older folks are keenly aware that TVs no longer occupy a big part of the living room, but now hang on the wall. You can even watch TV on your cell phone. Accepting technology is not the problem, it is HOW DO WE PAY FOR IT.
Hi Max,
ReplyDeleteI recently posted this comment on our discussion board. In an effort to expand the dialogue, I would be interested in your response. Keep in mind that as a former engineer I am a gadgeteer and technogeek, but I still can't help thinking that we must also stress the basics.
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Jeff,
You make some interesting points. Technology can stretch our abilities or stifle them. Once upon a time, there was such a thing as a typewriter. When a term paper was due, some of us would painstakingly type looking at every word and sentence, less we get to the final paragraph and realize we skipped one. Then came "White Out" and it helped with the single word misspelling. Then came the word processor and spelling was not a problem. We could easily correct. Then came spell-check and our brains could relax. The computer was in control. Now-a-days I don’t spell like I use to. I simply do not worry as much. My biggest problem is “two vs. to vs. too”, “there vs. their”, “know vs. no”, or hear vs. here”, etc. Now, if the computer misses a word, I curse…”damn thing can’t get anything write”!....or is it right. Who knows, I’ve forgotten.
My point is this, once upon a time our kids could do long division and find the square root of a number without a battery operated little box. Yes, it is the result that is the important factor, not the division or square root, but I can’t help thinking that when something is gained, another is lost…..unless we are careful.
Max,
ReplyDeleteYour post sounds very similar to mine in regards to FUNDING! When I was looking through the website I kept thinking, "how/who is going to pay for our schools to have all of this technology?!"
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if our summer trips to Staples goes from buying extra pencil/paper to being expected to buy computers!
I thought the site was great, had great ideas, but wondered if it would pass quickly as other ideas have been known to do. From my experience, every few years an old concept is recycled (with a new name) and new books are printed! I've learned to just nod my head, listen to the "new" ideas, and then do MY best at my job (without the help of recycled ideas). I've found this approach to be must less stressful, rather than trying to jump on every "bandwagon".
John,
ReplyDeleteI do not know the answer to where the money comes from. I do know that some states and some schools are putting more of an emphasis on technology and their students will be better equipped to compete for jobs after high school. However, I also know from personal experience that technology in the classroom has no relevance if it is not used. When I first got to the school I am currently teaching at, there were teachers who used their SmartBoard as a dry-erase board. At the time (fresh out of college where every professor used SmartBoards for lecture) I was shocked that they would not even know how to use one. I quickly “borrowed” their SmartBoard, took it off the moveable cart, mounted it to the wall in my classroom and began to use it for its intended purpose; interactive “lecture” for my students. I was asked by my principal to give one-on-one tutoring lessons to the other teachers and now (five years later) just about every classroom in the high school has a SmartBoard and a ceiling mounted projector. Technology is great if it works and if it is used for its intended purpose.
Jenn,
ReplyDeleteI believe your sentiments are reflected by many educators. I fear the major problems will come when a school district finds a great program and attempts to stick to it. The teachers will grumble, pay lip service to it the first year, expect something else to come along the next year or two, and forget how or why they were trained in the first place. The next year the district will attempt to stay with the program and delve further into the inner workings, but there will be a lot of resistance from the staff, especially the older ones who have been through the revolving door a time or two. Regardless of how well the program could work, it will fail and will be replaced by something new.
I share many of the same concerns as you. Is this the next thing that schools just jump into? Are the leaders that are working on this ones that have experience in the classroom and therefore know all that goes on there? Where DOES the money come from? Is this something that all of our students, regardless of access to technology and support from home, can be successful with? I am in Virginia and the states near me that have committed to the site are West Virginia and North Carolina...right above and right below me. It makes me wonder how long it will be before my state jumps in. I know that our nation notices the need to perform better in the areas of technology and 21st century skills, but I also wonder if our leaders know where to start or not? Are they hoping that someone else (the board members of this site) will have the answers? And, if not, will it be abandoned as quickly as it is accepted?
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