Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Browsing the website Partnership for 21st Century Skills , I was a little overwhelmed by the scope and content of the site. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills was formed in 2002, with the goal to "create a successful model of learning for this millennium that incorporates 21st century skills into our system of education." As an educator, I am aware of the importance technology plays in our lives today, but awareness is not enough. Action is necessary to give our students a fighting chance in their future as parents, teachers, employees, employees, and as responsible citizens. As can be seen by the vast array of partners working on this iniative - APPLE, AOL Time Warner, Dell, Cisco Systems, Microsoft, and the National Education Association, to name a few - this is an important step in the success and future of our children and our nation. If we cannot prepare our children how to succeed in a world where technology is changing faster than our gasoline prices, we will have failed them miserably.

I was surprised to find that this site and partnership was established in 2002, yet it is not something that we as eduators are aware of. I see none of these efforts being touted in my state, which is truly disappointing. It was nice to see a sampling of what other states are integrating technology into the classrooms and curriculums, but it would be nice see what all states are doing. Integrating technology into education will cost money - equipment, training, infrastructures, maintenance - but it would be money well spent and the payoffs would be great.

As a middle-aged educator, just starting out, I am excited and open to the possiblities that lie ahead. Curriculums must change for every subject area to incorporate technology, training must be provided and embraced, and the culture of our schools needs sto change for us to all succeed as citizens in the 21st century.

If you have any ideas or stories to share on integrating technology in the classroom, I would love to hear from you : )

Blogging in the Classroom

As a high school English teacher, I believe that blogs could be used in my classroom in a variety of ways. We could have a class discussion about a particular piece of literature we may be studying in class. Blogging may be a way for some students to find their "voice". I have seen through things like Instant Messaging and Facebook that students who may be shy and quiet in class enjoy sharing information digitally. I also think that posting student's work is a way of highlighting their abilities, and it is something they can be proud of and show their parents, etc...

Should I be nervous?

This is all very new to me, and I am very excited about the possibilities blogging will create for me as a teacher. I will looking for new ways to use technology in the classroom, not just to do the same things differently, but to actually do things differently!