The Partnership for 21st Century Skills website contains an immense about of detailed information and like many informational websites, provides links to additional or related websites with expanded resources. Though it is a large amount of information to cipher through, I find this site to be very informing and put together with collaborative sophistication. I wanted to read and digest as much as possible and soon realized that it was way too much to attend to in one setting. I actually reviewed it in several and had to keep swimming back to the surface if I was to ever get my assignment done.
I was surprised at how much information was in place and the clear lines of precision that they had been organized and formulated. I appreciated the interconnection between the framework's student outcome and the skill support systems to hold things together. I liked that the standards were broken down similar to the way standards are broken down in the Sunshine State Standards with the expected outcomes in place.
As I browsed through a few of the states' profiles at Route 21, I was surprised that they were individualized and not just 1 set of standards and assessments adopted by all of the states. This would be the one place that I disagree with because in order to ensure that all students are being taught the same skills each state should adopt and assess the same standards. Then too, it may be that these are their objectives based on where they are now and they are choosing which standards they will address initially based on their current position in progressing through the initiative. I can understand their professional development, press and recognition, and other profile information being different due to each state possibly being at a different place of implementation.
The implications for my students and myself as a contemporary educator is that we have a lot to learn and a short amount of time to process and assimilate that content. There needs to be a major shift in how we spend our day learning. We need to engage in more relevant and real world experiences that stretch our ability to think critically, be problem solvers in a collaborative fashion, and to co construct knowledge while producing a creative output.
Hi KB,
ReplyDeleteI also had to return to the site a couple of times to take in everything that they had to offer. You talked about the professional development being different according to the state's level of implemenataion, but I would interject that there should still be some sort of technology 101 for those who happen to come to the profession unprepared. My school system does a pretty good job of describing the technology course and the level offered.
Hi KB,
ReplyDeleteI also had to make several return trips to the site. There was a lot of information. I wanted to add on to the idea of professioal development being handled by the state could play a part in the success of the program. I would only hope that the professional development is able to help the teacher where he or she is.
Dreanna
Kaladia~
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! Looking at the various states was interesting to me in Route 21. I often think that Wyoming is behind many other states when it comes to integrating various skills such as 21st century skills and technology. I found some joining states that had already taken that committment to join the 21st century journey. Has your state implemented any of them into their standards? I think that many states are at a different place in their standards, but I do agree that eventually, we all need to have the same or similar standards to go by. We have a lot of students that come and go in our school. It would be beneficial if all students could pick up where they left off when entering a new school.
Gina Dewey
Kaladia,
ReplyDeleteYou mention that you would like for their to be one set of 21st century skills standards for all states, but this is different from the standards set up in each individual state because they are developed within each state.
Do you think that implementing one set of 21st century skills standards could be an option with the new implementation of the Common Core standards across the country?
Also, do you think these should be added to each state's set of standards?
I feel that if they are to be state standards, then they should be related more to the process of teaching rather than the content. What do you think?
Thanks,
Bryan
Dreanna,
ReplyDeleteIn my district they offer several technology trainings and some are series oriented but not prerquiste based so that teachers are allowed to take the training of their choosing. However, none of these trainings are required. Like students, until teachers are convinced that there is a benefit to learning
'technology', many of them won't feel obligated to integrating its practice into the classroom.
Gina,
ReplyDeleteMy state is not affiliated with The Partnership for 21st Century Skills. My district, however, is participaitng in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation project Empowering Effective Teachers Grant which has a component of technology embedded it in. I agree, it would be great for students to receive the same exposure regardless to which school they attend ensuring that all students are receiving the same education.
Brian,
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing...why are they different for each state? Why wouldn't each state want the same set of standards? If the workplace is driving the demand for a certain set of skills how is it that the state decides which ones they will teach? If technology is leveling the playing field then should not the education of tehnology be leveled across the country? Otherwise, certain students will grow up better prepared to compete for higher paying global careers than others.
I do feel that adding one set of 21 Century skills should be added to the Common Core Standards for the same reasons mentioned above. I also agree that it should be more related to the process of teaching. As I responded to Dreanna, if it's not required, many will not choose to learn and implement these practices.