In the readings from my class, one of the most interesting points from this week was from Dr. Chris Dede (2007)- he described how students in the past (primarily the 19th and 20th century) were trained and educated to be independent thinkers and workers in preparation for a industrial society. In the 21st Century, most businesses and companies are dealing with much more intricate and involved problems and situations. Looking at the business world in today’s society, group work and cooperation is a daily occurrence. Obviously this brings us to a new goal as a teacher. We have to teach our students how to survive and excel in the world they are living in and the world of work they need to be successful in. These 21st Century Skills are a whole new concept for me. When viewing the website, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, I realized that schools in our country are redeveloping their content to include these necessary skills that Dr. Dede (2007) is talking about. This website is a must for all teachers. As a 10 year teaching veteran I fell uneducated at times, especially when reading all this new information and seeing what is out there. But, that doesn’t stop me from appreciating what I find!!
Specifically, what I found most useful were all of the specific resources available for individuals. Not only did the site have links to different informational sites, there were forums, blogs, and discussion boards. One specific thing that interested me was the section on “21st Century States”. I was thrilled to see that Iowa was included!!! (Yeah!!) I was able to pull up a quick description of why Iowa was included (they use the 21st Century skills as a part of the State’s Core Content and Curriculum). In addition to listing the states and giving a quick description, this site also allowed you to view the work that Iowa was using. I was also able to find some specific resources for the core content standards for my state.
The only thing that I was frustrated with from the site was I couldn’t find much on 21st Century skills and special education. The site provided resources for almost all of the content areas, provided assessment information and links. I couldn’t find anything specifically for special education. After logging on, I was able to discuss with some other teachers on the site, and figure out ways to accommodate for my students, but it was frustrating to have to dig so deep. The reason that the lack of focus on special education surprised me so much was that in my opinion, this is one area that has been on top of things with technology. Teachers of students with special needs have been using a variety of technology devices and resources to adapt content for their students, as a means of communication for our students, and as a way to easily access information. How wonderful would it be to develop a forum for special educators on this site so that we can talk as well. I’ll see what I can do…..
Regardless of my disappointment, the other information on the website was beyond interesting and helpful. Every teacher should access it. I am going to be using some of the things I found in my classroom, and also when I am developing my teaching portfolio.
Enjoy!!
Partnership for 21st Century Skills
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/
Dede, C. (2007, February). Transforming education for the 21st century:New pedagogies that help all students attain sophisticated learning outcomes. NCSU Friday Institute. Retrieved November 21, 2009, from http://fi.ncsu.edu/index/html
Mandy,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you brought the special ed. component to my attention. While viewing the 21st Century Web site, I was hyper focused on understanding their mission, and did not think about how special ed. fits into it (even though I also am a special education teacher...my colleagues would give me a tough time!) Thanks for doing the important leg work of inquiring about this. Special education students need every advocate and potential intervention possible. With No Child Left Behind, special education needs more support than ever. It is also interesting to think about how transition IEPs will change. I wonder if more emphasis will be on social skills and technology when evaluating transition needs. My hope is that technology would continue to make life easier, and continue creating assistive technology.
Mandy,
ReplyDeleteI must thank you as well for mentioning the lack of information for special education. I am also a special education teacher, and like Rachel, I was so focused on the mission and student outcomes that I did not think of it from a special education point of view. I thought of my students in general (I teach inclusion so I work with both special education students and regular education students).
After reading the mission and student outcomes several times, I think the skills are accessible to special education students. I think the 21st century skills encourage problem solving, communication, and decision making in many different ways. There isn't one right way to do it. This is what is beneficial for special education students. Even students who struggle the most with reading and writing could learn different strategies for learning and working with 21st century skills.
Linda
Super post and evaluation of this website. It appears that you have found some great resources here, despite the fact that you found little on special education. Just remember, there are ways to take resources used for regular education students and adapt them for use with special education students. So, please don't give up on the site with regard to special education resources.
ReplyDeleteDr. L.