(By Kelly W. Hines, Keeping Kids First)
I am sitting here at my laptop, occasionally watching my Skype and Tweetdeck notifications in case I miss something from a family member or colleague, and I’m going to honestly tell you that learning in the 21st century is not about the technology. Blasphemy! my tech-savvy friends are saying. Six months ago I might have agreed, but today I’m more than willing to stand by my words.
We are hearing more and more talk recently about what learning and teaching will look like in the 21st century. What do we need to bring us into the future? What will our children need to know and be able to do? The first thing to comes to everyone’s mind is technology. We need computers. We need ipods. We need wireless connectivity. We need 1:1 initiatives. We need blogs, wikis and podcasts. While I completely agree with the fact that these are innovative tools for teaching and learning, I do not agree that these are the first things we need to initiate change in our classrooms.
Before anything else, the educational community (including state and national organizations, teacher preparation programs, and local systems) must recognize the need to change an overall approach to teaching and learning. The tools mentioned earlier, like netbooks, 1:1 initiatives, and web 2.0 tools, will not be effective vehicles for instruction without an evolution in mindset. Here is a list of four things that every teacher must recognize in order to effectively and positively impact students in a new generation of learning.
1. Teachers must be learners. As teachers, most of us have completed a specialised teacher preparation program. We have passed a test of proficiency in basic educational theory and child psychology. We have demonstrated mastery of our own content areas. Think about the teachers in your building. The years that these teachers have exited these initial requirements span decades. If you put them all in one room, you will probably find that their experiences in these areas were very different. Yet, they are all teaching children today. Teachers today must be perpetual learners who are invested in their professions. We must be up to date on current trends, research and tools. We must know what our students are doing and where they are coming from when they enter our classrooms. This learning cannot just include mandated workshops and occasional required readings. Teachers who want to be truly succesful must be voracious and self-motivated in their pursuit of evoloving understanding.
2. Learning and Teaching are not the same thing. How many times have we heard a colleague say, “I don’t know why these kids don’t get it. I’ve taught it a hundred times.” I equate teaching and learning to a basic physics principle. If an object does not move, no matter how much force has been applied, no work has been done. Therefore, if a student has not learned, not matter how much effort has been exerted, no teaching has been done. Teaching in the 21st century is going to be about working smarter and not harder. It is not about adding to our proverbial plates. We must look at learning as the product of a successful day. Learning will not look the same to all students or all teachers, but it must be the goal.
3. Technology is useless without good teaching. We have countless technological tools at our disposable today. These tools range in cost from free to thousands and thousands of dollars. When we put innovative tools in the hands of innovative teachers, amazing things can happen. If you put these tools in the hands of teachers who are not willing to innovate, money has been wasted. There are arguments against spending the money on interactive whiteboards for classrooms. At approximately $5000 each, you would think these boards would facilitate better teaching. It is not about the board. It is about proper training and mindset of a teacher who is already willing and eager to do amazing things. The lack of comprehensive and curriculum-related professional development for teachers is why schools have thousands of computers that are being used as game systems and word processors.
4. Be a 21st Century Teacher without the technology. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has published a framework for learning in the 21st century. The core outcomes for students include:
1. Core Subjects and 21st Century Themes
2. Learning and Innovation Skills
* Creativity and Innovation
* Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
* Communication and Collaboration
3. Information, Media and Technology Skills
* Information Literacy
* Media Literacy
* ICT Literacy
4. Life and Career Skills
Upon careful consideration, these are outcomes that can be achieved with little technology (excluding of course some components of the Information, Media and Technology Skills). If a teacher can find ways to prepare students with the capacity to be creative and innovative, those children will be well prepared to face the future. Teachers who customize the learning experiences of their students to involve critical thinking and problem solving are doing their students a greater favor than those who misuse technology as a means of facilitating learning. Those teachers who know how to foster communication and collaboration within their classrooms and school buildings are equipping their students with the abilities to apply these core skills to more areas in their own lives.
Now imagine a classroom where the teacher has embraced these principles. The teacher is a learner. The teacher teaches with learning in mind. 21st century skills are highlighted through facilitative leadership. These foundational components of a quality classroom experience will ensure that students value experiential and focused learning. Now if you take this teacher and introduce them to the wonders that technology offers for students, the possibilities are endless. But, it really is not about the technology.
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Hi Mrs. Hines. I am a student in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. I have taught for many years and do especially agree with your comment about the "lack of comprehensive and curriculum-related professional developement for teachers is why schools have thousands of computers that are being used as game systems and word processors". I have done that myself and feel that if I had attended more PD sessions I could become more of a learner and not just a teacher. My response to your blog is posted at URL: http://overstreetpamedm310.blogspot.com/
Thank you for your insightful blog.
Ms.Hines in reading your article It’s Not about the Techology, I couldn’t agree more. I am a student of Dr. John Strange class EDM 310 at the University of South Alabama.
In order for Teachers to be Teachers, they must be learners. I agree with your statement that Learning and Teaching are not the same thing and Technology is useless without good teaching. In order for a teacher to teach she must know what she is teaching, to be an effective teacher.
I will be posting a blog on your article at BoykinPamelaEDM310@blogspot.com. Thank you for allowing me to read this article.
As a part of of an assignment for Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 class at the University of South Alabama, I have read your post. My comments on your post can be found on my class blog at http://salcedobaranormikhailedm310.blogspot.com/
Thank you.
My name is Martha Yim. I have read your post as part of an assignment for Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class and my comments can be found on my class blog. As someone who has been a long supporter of technology in the classroom you are absolutely right in the fact that it takes a shift in mindset and innovative teachers to make technology work.
I have read her post as part of an assignment for Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class and that my comments can be found on my class blog. I enjoyed reading your thoughts on technology. I honestly never really thought about modifying the way we teach students rather than just giving them a bunch of computers. This method is like digging a garden but not planting any seeds, and then expecting flowers to grow. If this was done, the gardener would only harvest weeds. Changing the ways we teach while implementing technology is a much better way of going about changing the way we educate our students.
Hi I am Ashley Johnson. I have read your post as part of an assignment for Dr. Strange' s EDM 310 and my comments can be found on my class blog. Your opinions on technology are wonderful. Adjusting the way we teach the students and learning for ourselves, would be better than to give the students technology to misuse. The teacher has to learn and prepare to give the students the best knowledge that they can give. With or without technology.
I'd attempt to avoid the repetitive, but it seems futile! My name is Leah DiVincenzo, and I have read this post as an assignment for Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class Micro-Computing Systems in Education. I can not tell you what a relief your post is! I've saved this page as a reference to your “Be a 21st Century Teacher Without the Technology”. And you're correct that if educators add technology to this list, the possibilities are endless. I've posed some comments on My Class Blog if you are at all interested in reading.
I read this post as an assignment for Dr. Strange's class. I'm so glad we were assigned this particular post because it reassured me that even though I may not be completely technologically literate, I can still be a good teacher if I am open to learning how to be technologically literate. I think any teacher could benefit from reading this post because it reminds us that being a teacher is a practice, just like being a doctor or a lawyer. We have to learn how to keep up with the increasingly technological age but it there isn't a good foundation being an effective teacher, it means nothing. My class blog with comments on this and other videos and posts can be found here
I read this as an assignment for Dr. Strange's class. Your comments on being technologically literate made me feel a lot better about my future as a teacher. I am not the most technologically literate person in the world, so reading that you feel you just need to open mind about learning new things, really eases my mind. I loved reading your post and agree wholeheartedly. You can read more of my comments and posts on my class blog here. <a href=”www.whitmiremaeghanedm310.blogspot.com> My Class Blog
<a href=”whitmiremaeghanedm310.blogspot.com> My Class Blog I'm so sorry, here is my link to my class blog. It should work this time, if you are at all interested in reading my posts!
Okay one more time I'm so sorry I see what I did wrong! Please forgive me!
My class blog
If I did it wrong again I promise I won't post again. Thanks!
I have read this post as part of an assignment for Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. I believe that teachers have to understand what they are teaching before they try and teach students. I am not very technology literate but I am eager and willing to learn. I agree with you that teachers have to be learners. I want to know all there is to know about technology before I teach my future students. You can find out more about me and my class at Click here to go the class blog.
Hi, this is Stephen Akins from Dr. Strange's class. I am posting a comment on your page as an assignment for his class. This is a link to“My Class Blog”. I will be posting on my blog at a later time to discuss my findings.
I really think that students would benefit strongly if a teacher incorporates technology into teaching. I know that this post is saying that its not “all” about technology but I think it my be a very effective way to get children thinking. Maybe some student needs help from a teacher face to face, or maybe another student is a quick learner. I think the use of technology can accomplish both of those students needs. I did want to comment on one part under where the post said: “Technology is useless without good teaching.” I agree that there are so many teachers out there with the technology to use with their class and refuse to use it. I think that those teachers are probably not willing to learn about the type of technology themselves, but I think if the students can use technology with a teacher who allows them to explore on their own, these students will benefit in the long run.
My name is Alana Carpenter and I, too, was assigned to read this for Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. I enjoyed reading your ideas and suggestions. For more feedback on my response to your post you can check out my class blog at http://www.carpenteralanaedm310.blogspot.com
I agree with your belief in the way students should be taught today without modern technology. I understand the world around us is changing daily but I still think a child should use their own brain. These days teachers are letting children use calculators and they can not even add or subtract on their own.
I too am one of Dr. Strange's students. Here is a link to our EDM 310 Class Blog.
I agree with you that teachers should have the mindset of a learner. I have come across many teachers that think they could not possible be wrong, ever. The classroom environment is more relaxed and engaging when the students not only learn from the teacher, but the teacher learns from the students as well.
Also, for those teachers who are hesitant about the use of technology in their classroom, even assigning a poster to show what you've learned is more fun than writing a paper to most students. While technology is not extremely critical, making your class fun is if you want your students to learn and gain from it.
Mrs. Hines,
I am Cassandra, I have read you post as an assignment for Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. A comment responding to your post can be found on my blog at williamsrcassandra.edm310.blogspot.com .
Hi, My name is Christina Motes and as a lot of other people on here I have also read your post as an assignment for Dr Strange's EDM310 class.
I wholeheartedly agree with you that even if there is millions of dollars spent in schools for technology it is pointless if the teachers are not spending as much time learning about the technology as the students and incorporating that into their teaching method.
I will have further comments on my class blog if you care to read them. Click Here
Thank you for posting this and sharing your thoughts. I found this very interesting and helpful for preparing for my future teaching/learning experience.
Hello Ms. Hines,
Please feel free to stop by my blog and post your thoughts Gina's Blog
I am also a student of Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. I could not agree with you more. The mindset of the educators must change before progress can be made. You can give a teacher all of the technological tools available in the world, but until they are willing to think outside the box we've accomplished nothing! I am also an advocate for continued education, I believe that a teacher should NEVER stop learning. It is our hunger for knowledge that enables us to grow and nurture the minds of our students. We have students that are from all walks of life, different backgrounds, different learning styles etc. I do believe that technology can enhance a student's learning experience, but its success is determined by the quality of the teacher using the technology. If you have a teacher who's merely going through the motions…the enthusiasm of the entire class will eventually wane and the PC, Smartboard, etc will soon become a simple room fixture. I had some very innovative/creative teachers who did not use computers or any of these other gadgets that we now have available to us and I turned out great…I think
I have read your post for Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. I totally agree with what you are saying. My comments can be found at marshalljamesedm310.blogspot.com
Hello Ms. Hines! I am also a student from Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. I understand what you are saying in your blog, actually reading it put me at ease to know that I do not need all the latest technology to be a great teacher. My comment to your blog can be found at knowleserinedm310.blogspot.com
Hello Ms. Hines. My name is Sam Gates and I am also in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class.I really enjoyed your post. The part that caught my attention the most is where you stated that, “If an object does not move, no matter how much force has been applied, no work has been done.” This really got my attention. You can view my comment of you post at gatessamueledm310.blogspot.com.
Hi Ms. Hines. My name is Crystal Rutherford , I have read your post as an assignment for Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. I enjoyed reading your post. It has really opened my eyes on my views of education. You can view my comments at <ahref=”http://www.rutherfordcrystaledm310.blogspot.com/”>classblog
Hello Ms. Hines! I am a student from Dr. Strange's EDM310 class as well. I enjoyed your blog and felt a little encourage by it. I hear a lot of talk about technology making schools better and that only the best teachers use technology. I agree that technology can greatly help a teacher, but I also agree that technology is not what makes a teacher a great teacher. The link to my blog is kirbyallisonedm310.blogspot.com
Hello Ms. Hines, I have read your post as part of an assignment for Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 class. My name is Della Ervin I really enjoyed reading your thoughts. My comment can be found on my class blog. <aherf= “ervindellaEDM310. Blogspot.com”> EDM310 Class
Hi, my name is Melissa Jones and I am also one of Dr. Strange's EDM 310 students.I have read you post as part of my assignment and I find your point of view very interesting. We are living in a society where modern technology is stressed. There so much more to a good teacher than technology. Technology by itself is nothing unless it is used by the right hands. Teachers need to be enthusiastic about their career and be willing to continue to learn for improvement not just for credentials on paper. I have always found that my best teachers always had a passion in what they were doing. They took pride in their career and truly cared about the outcome of each and every students. A good teacher to me is willing to learn all that they can to help benefit their students.
I also find those core outcomes from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills framework for learning very interesting. I will check out that website on my spare time. Thank you for your post and you can read my comments at My Blog.
Hello Ms. Hines. My Name is Barry Gartman, and I too am post as a requirement for Dr. Stranges' EDM310 class. Your thoughts on this subject mirror mine. Teachers must be just that…teachers. No matter how advanced the technology is, in the hands of a “go through the motions” teacher, it is useless. I still remember my first teacher, grades one through four (I am 41 now). That's how to teach and have a lasting effect.
Feel free to visit my blog any time by Clicking here
My name is Kimberly Tharp and I was directed to your post as part of an assignment for Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. I will be posting my reponse to your post on my class blog http://tharpkimberlyedm310.blogspot.com
Thank you
I agree, technology is not the number one issue. Teachers today cannot be stagnant. Teachers must be perpetual learners to keep learning interesting and be effective coaches in the education of their students. The question is how do we motivate teachers to learn? There are so many teachers out there “riding out their tenures”. There needs to be new policies written to insure that we have good teachers in the classroom. I'm just a student and I don't have the answer to how this can be accomplished but hopefully someone will soon, if not they'll just have to wait on me to get there.
EDM310
Hi my name is Hillery, I read your post as a assignment for Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class at the University of South Alabama. I really enjoyed reading your post. You can read my other comments at:http://hintonhilleryedm310.blogspot.com/
Mrs. Hines,
My name is Alissa Logan. I am also in Dr. Strange's EDM 310 class. I took down some notes as I read your post and will be posting it to my blog at Alissa's blog. I hope you will visit my blog and be pleased with my post.
Hi, my name is Laura Ashley Butler. Once again, I am a student in Dr. Strange's EDM310 class. I have posted my comment to your blog as a blog post in my class blog. Feel free to check it out here .
Hi Mrs. Hines!
I was directed to your post through Dr. Strange's EDM 310 Summer 2010 class at the University of South Alabama. I also have a class blog in which I have comments up about this post. Feel free to visit and return comments are always welcome! http://charlessedm310.blogspot.com
Mrs. HInes,
I read your post as part of an assignment for Dr. Strange at the University of South Alabama (EDM 310). If you would like to view the comments I made for this assignment, you may visit my blog at Rebecca Classic's EDM 310 Blog
Thanks for the link to this article. It confirms a long standing belief of mine: Nothing compares to a happy, enthusiatic teacher at the front of a classroom.
Hi Mrs. Hines! I had to read this post as a requirement for my EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama.I will also be writing a response to it as an assignment on my blog. my EDM310 blog I very much enjoyed your post, the title definitely caught my attention. I agree that it’s not all about technology, and I think that people tend to forget that. These days it seems like all the majority of people care about it kepping up with technology and knowing how to do the newest thing. Also, as a future teacher I found the list of things to recognize on how to be effective and positive to be informative and helpul.
Ms. Hines
I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 course this semester at USA and I have been told that reading your post would be informative! I can completely agree that technology is not the only or first thing to be taught in the classroom. I, as a twenty-year-old, am already overwhelmed. I can’t imagine bringing in blogs and twitter the first week of fourth grade! Also, yes, teachers have to be learners. There are so many new things coming and going in the technology world that can be used in the classroom, in the real world, and in the work place. As teachers, we have to stay ahead of the game; we have to be willing to learn! You can check out my blog at http://davisleahedm310.blogspot.com/. Thank you!
Ms. Hines,
I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 course this semester and would like to invite you to blog. I will writing a response to your post soon! I hope you can come by and check it out! http://doughertycarlyedm310.blogspot.com Thank you!
I could not agree more that teachers have to be learners! I, myself, am still learning all of the new innovative tools for teaching. I can only imagine what else we will need to learn 20 years from now! I’ll be writing a response about your work for Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the University of South Alabama. Feel free to come and check it out at http://deklecareyedm310.blogspot.com
I totally agree that teachers have to be life long learners. Technology is only used in most classrooms for playing educational games and word processors. I see this at my kid’s schools today. Had no idea how much the smart boards are costing. Hopefully they are not going to waste with teachers who are not willing to use them to enhance learning. I am in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class we have to comment on your post in our blogs. Check out my comments to your post in my blog at http://solanololaedm310.blogspot.com/
I agree 100% on what has been stated by Mrs. Hines. The start of the educational process begins with us… The teachers. The attitudes and love for what we do all factor in to what we do and how our children will learn when we are teaching them. It does not matter like Mrs. Hines said, if the school had a million dollar computer the teacher must be willing to share their class with the new technology, or risk alienating part or whole of his/her class. I am a part of Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class at the university Of South Alabama. Check my comments for your post at http://cooperphillipedm310.blogspot.com/
Hello Mrs. Hines, I am a student at the University of South Alabama in Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 class. I read your post and left a comment on my blog page; http://inscorejenniferedm310.blogspot.com. I agree that some of the technology tools should not be a top priority but I do feel they do need to come into play at some point in the elementary, middle and high school years. As I stated in my blog post, educators should be accepting of these things. After all, what kind of educator, does not want to learn and teach students new technology and the ways to learn with the new technology.
Thank you for your post, I very much enjoyed it.
Jennifer Inscore
Mrs. Hines, I totally agree with your blog post! I am a student at The University of South Alabama in Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 class. I will be writing a response to your blog post on my blog. Check it out if you would like! http://broughtonsydneyedm310fall2010.blogspot.com/. Enjoyed your post!
Gaillard Broughton
Mrs. Hines,
I just read your blog post and I agree with you when you say- it’s not all about technology. When I read your blog when sentence had an impact on me and it is “Learning will not look the same to all students or all teachers, but it must be the goal.” I believe it is very true, because everyone learns differently but at the end it’s to learn the same thing.
I am a student at the University of South Alabama and I will be writing a post about your blog, you should have a look at it- martineloedm310.blogspot.com
Mrs. Hines,
I just finished reading your blog post and totally agree with all your points. It makes me strive to become the best teacher i can be. I am a student at the University of South Alabama and i read your blog post as an assignment for Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 class and my comments can be found on the class blog.
at vigneulletjedm310.blogspot.com/
Mrs. Hines.
I agree with all these points. I never realize alot of the things you pointed out until I see them. I read your post as an assignment for Dr. Strange’s EDM 310 class at University of South Alabama. You can check out my blog at hyattcarynedm310.blogspot.com.
Teachers everywhere should read this because I believe it would be a serious wake up call. It has never been true that the technology makes a better teacher and it is about time the school systems woke up and realized this. Like Ms. Hines says when referring to smart boards, “It is not about the board. It is about proper training and mindset of a teacher who is already willing and eager to do amazing things.” It has always been the teachers place to make sure they do not get complacent and to always provide many different learning options because there is no way that even 32 students will all learn the same way.
i love your blog post. its a nice change from the usual “technolgy is what you neeed”. I’m a student in Dr Strange’s EDM 310 class. my blog is sharonbarrowedm310.blogspot.com
I am a student in Dr. Strange’s EDM310 class and reading your post was part of my assignment. You can find my comments on your post on my class blog URL: http://goodwinashleyedm310.blogspot.com/
It is obvious to me that you understand the importance of foundation. Great blog.
reesegk7310.blogspot.com