Reflective+Journal+Week+1

On this page, I've just jotted down some things from the article that stood out to me. I've also included my own thoughts/ideas.

Alvin Toffler points out, "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn."

The 21st century learner must need to know how to keep learning continually thorughout their lives.

It is no longer just the core subjects, in addition it is information/communication skills, thinking/problem-solving skills, interpersonal and self-directional skills (need clarification on last two)

We must reduce the boundaries that divide schools from home, businesses and real world.

Using a balance of assessments is critical to a 21st century learner. Our school is sooooo desperate when it comes to state standardized testing. It seems as if our entire purpose as a district employee is to get students to "pass the test". While I realize the importance of these tests, especially when it comes to AYP and what it means for our district financially, the test in my opinion is just one way to show academic growth/knowledge. Unfortunately I feel that test pressure has drove educators further and further away from inquiry based instruction. Finding a balance is important to getting students engaged in learning.

Some of the barriers for myself and my school in particular is the lack of technology and training. The computers that we do have do not have access to much of anything. The technology person for our district has almost everything blocked. Our students do not have access to email. The 5 computers in my classroom are ancient. We can't print from them. There is no place for a flashdrive, sd card, powerpoint access etc. Most every site that students go on to is blocked.

A large majority of students from this area come from homes that do not offer guidance on how to use technology for educational purposes.