Discuss both the Ethical Standards and Standard of Practise and share a post/reflection about how 21 st Century teaching and learning practices relate.
From my perspective teaching and learning in the 21st Century is faster, more efficient, more accessible, global, and more technological than ever before. This trend has a time and place in the classroom. I obviously want my students, colleagues, and myself to “keep up with the times” or else I wouldn't be unholding part of the teaching professions’ Standards of Practice - Professional Knowledge, Professional Practice and staying current.
However, as I mentioned, there is a time and place for 21st Century skills. We cannot forget, in our eagerness as ongoing professional learners, the values and skills from the past, and the time and place for the simple aspects of teaching as well. Let me explain before some of my fellow professional teachers and learners get up in arms. There needs to be a balance.
In another class that I am currently finishing up, Collaborative Workspaces and Restorative Practices, the professor chose to use no technology in her instruction. It was refreshing. Part of the Ethical Standards for teachers calls us to reflect on our profession and its standards. Reflection is an art that requires us to slow down, meditate, and think, create, journal, etc. I believe this is best done without technology. There is something to be said about the simpler times in the past where these skills of reflection, hands on experiences, and no technology were used daily.
Overall, I realize the Standards of Practice call us, as professionals, to lead with new ideas, to never stop wondering and learning, to take in new knowledge, to try new practices within our classrooms, and to model 21st Century teaching and learning. Yet, I don’t want us to stray away from what has worked in the past as well. Keep in mind a balance of skills, and teaching practices. Slowing down, being intentional, reflecting, etc. is also modeling teaching and learning that has the best interest of our students in mind.
Danielle,
ReplyDeleteI agree that things seem faster. We have access to information quicker and we are expected to respond to ping our devices make. However, we choose how we react to technology and as teachers we need to teach reflective practices, including rereading material before firing it off. Any medium chosen to express our thoughts is personal choice including technology.
Do you not think that technology makes it easier for us to reflect? We can keep coming back to it and adding new thoughts.
That is true. It's nice to have the option to edit, or freely and quickly type what's on your mind and then go back and re-read, fix mistakes, etc. However, I wrote a hand written letter to my mom a while ago when she was living out east because I wanted to show her the effort and thought that went into the care package I sent. Taking the time to slow down and really think before I wrote, because I couldn't erase and edit my letter, was an eye opener to what technology cannot offer - the craft of hand writing, the extra thought that went into my words, and the sense of achievement in creating something unique.
ReplyDeleteSo I do agree with your point, and I do like the ease of typing and editing that computers offer. Yet at the same time, again, there needs to be balance in what we teach our students. Hand writing offers something completely different and I would hate to see it as a skill that becomes obsolete.
Thank you for your question.
I know that I have added a few comments on Google, but I just want to say how impressed I am with the questioning and depth of responses. Thanks for using the Circle as well. I know that it is hard to go back and forth. If you are comfortable just posting in the circle, that is fine, but just ensure you are reading and commenting (like you already are) on the circle and blogs. I don't want anyone to have unnecessary work here!
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