S Lyon's Technology Blogs

21st Century Skills #1

I decided to do my podcast on an initial perspective of what is meant by "21st Century".  My plan is to continue it with the next podcast we have to complete.

Now I just need to figure out how to add the podcast :)

Here's what I had to say in my podcast since I still can't figure out how to attach it...

As an educator, I am intrigued by the increase in the use of the ?21^st Century? in relation to what students learn, how they will learn, and by whom they will learn from.  In September 2006, the North Carolina State Board of Education approved several goals for North Carolina public schools that included the adjective 21^st century many times.  One such goal states the underlying statement ?Every teacher will have the skills to deliver 21^st Century content in a 21^st Century context with 21^st Century tools and technology that guarantees student learning?.  Those outside of education and for that matter maybe even some in education may wonder, well what does it mean to use the 21^st Century as an adjective as stated in the goals, other than the obvious meaning of course.  Well, first it?s important to talk about the changes that have occurred in the 21^st Century.  Technology?technology?technology. Technology is used a lot more in our everyday lives than ever before.  We use the Internet to communicate, to make travel arrangements, to manage accounts and to gather instant information.  We have meetings with people around the world without even being in the same room.  Cell phones today allow us to communicate with family and friends without even talking.  They also allow us easy access to the Internet.  New and improved calculators allow students to do more than perform basic operations.  They allow students to investigate, manipulate, and interpret mathematical concepts like never before.  Blogging, wikis, and podcasting allow us to express ourselves to the entire world from the privacy of our own homes.  With such easy access to the world, it is important that our students are able to keep up.  Hence the need for our students to be well versed in 21^st Century skills.