• hands-on activities and the teacher's role are adapting in the 21st century

    Our world is changing and changing rapidly. But while we often see digital natives on the covers of contemporary magazines, we have students in our classrooms from both sides of the divide. A 21st-century classroom must engage and energize both natives and non-natives, preparing all students to be active participants in our exciting global community.

    Many look at this divide and cry out for a renewed focus on the 3 R's - reading, writing, and arithmetic. But in order to fully participate in today's global community, students must also master the 4 C's:

    communication
    critical thinking
    creativity
    collaboration
    So often, when we talk about change in the classroom, we simply add one more thing to the list of topics we expect educators to cover. However, as you constructivists out there know, learning is activated when we help our students uncover information, not simply cover it for them.

    illustration of young student with devices and labels like information literacy, collaboration, and communication.
    When we think about bringing the 4 C's into our classroom, we don't need to add a thing. The best way to help students master these skills is to change how we teach and learn in our classrooms. It is the process of learning, not the content of learning, that addresses the 4 C's.

    Technology is a perfect vehicle for facilitating this. But this isn't about learning how to use technology or even teaching with technology tools, it is about students creating and constructing with technology. That is why we develop tools like Wixie and lead professional development on PBL at Tech4Learning.

    We can help students build creativity and critical thinking through the types of questions we ask them to respond to. With all of the information that can easily be found online, we no longer need to have students think of things, but think about them.

    Students should be building communication skills that reflect the media-rich world they are surrounded by. Rather than writing an essay or a report about a subject they are learning, ask students to help solve a problem and let them share their solution using formats they see in the world around them, such as digital stories, eBooks, virtual museums, video journals, news broadcasts, and interactive games.

    While you can encourage students to respond to a question in multiple ways without technology tools, multimedia authoring tools engage students abilities and interests and naturally encourage them to create products that reflect their individuality and unique ideas.

    While we often think about collaboration in terms of connecting with experts or emailing experts, technology tools, like Wixie and GoogleDocs, are allowing for collaboration on documents. But, collaborative learning entails more than just students working next to each other or even helping one another. Truly collaborative project work enhances student learning by modeling authentic work in the 21st-century and helping students achieve the large-scale goals of a project in the time allotted.

    The hardest questions and biggest problems we face today do not have one right answer. In our test-driven classrooms, it is easy to get in a rut of looking for that one correct answer. Products that look different help to foster a learning environment where lots of right answers are accepted and encouraged.
    21st-century classrooms are not about technology, they are about learning! They are places that have moved from "teachers telling to students doing." They are places where students are media producers, not just consumers.

  • @Sehar-Kazi wow nice one thought

    Burfat Ali

  • Hi I'm Ghulamzadi and I want to make a contribution in the museum where all topics are adopted to show ways to teach, to enhance the learning. It's very thoughtful for a teacher that how to make a student critical thinker and revolutionizing the thoughts. So, if it's essential morality to provoke their own understandings then the only methods we could use are like cognitive, thought-provoking and Collaboration.

  • @Samar-Mohamed To be a successful teacher in the twenty-first century and beyond, it is crucial to integrate technology into teaching practices, cultivate 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and creativity, employ innovative teaching strategies such as project-based learning and flipped classrooms, foster a growth mindset.

  • @Samar-Mohamed In the 21st century, teaching focuses on hands-on, experiential learning and emphasizes teachers as facilitators of critical thinking and problem-solving. Educators use technology to personalize instruction, integrate interdisciplinary approaches, and develop essential skills like communication and collaboration. While tools like ChatGPT support learning, the human teacher's role remains vital.

    Tabassum Laghari
    Science Teacher
    Sindh, Pakistan

  • @Sehar-Kazi said in hands-on activities and the teacher's role are adapting in the 21st century:

    To be a successful teacher in the twenty-first century and beyond, it is crucial to integrate technology into teaching practices, cultivate 21st-century skills such as critical thinking and creativity, employ innovative teaching strategies such as project-based learning and flipped classrooms, foster a growth mindset.

    great dear friend, You've outlined several key elements that are essential for teachers to succeed in the 21st century and beyond.

  • @Sehar-Kazi Thanks for sharing

    Adel

  • @ASGHAd210770cb3 Thanks for sharing.It's very informative.

    Adel

  • Hello Samar
    In the 21st century, hands-on activities and the teacher's role are evolving to incorporate technology, foster collaboration, and support personalized learning. Hands-on activities now include digital fabrication, robotics, and virtual reality, often integrated with interdisciplinary projects and the global maker movement. Teachers have shifted from being the primary source of knowledge to becoming facilitators, mentors, and lifelong learners, using educational technology to enhance learning and focusing on students' emotional, social, and career development. This reflects a broader trend towards a more student-centered, dynamic educational approach.
    Chokri

    "Empowering students through engaging education, fostering environmental consciousness, and advancing scientific literacy. Committed to shaping future leaders in Life and Earth Sciences."

  • @Samar-Mohamed Great ๐Ÿ‘ Dear Friend and thanks for sharing this wonderful post.

    (FARHAN MEHBOOB)
    Primary School Teacher
    SINDH, PAKISTAN

  • @Samar-Mohamed Great ๐Ÿ‘ Dear Friend and thanks for sharing this wonderful post.

    (FARHAN MEHBOOB)
    Primary School Teacher
    SINDH, PAKISTAN

  • @Samar-Mohamed Great ๐Ÿ‘ Dear Friend and thanks for sharing this wonderful post.

    (FARHAN MEHBOOB)
    Primary School Teacher
    SINDH, PAKISTAN