Podcast

This podcast is the views of 3 students regarding technology.

Partnership for 21st Century Skills

The website Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a collection of education, business and government leaders who want to see children succeed in school and beyond. The group works to ensure that students receive all the tools necessary to achieve their full potential. The site calls for students to actively engage in projects and real world experiences to demonstrate mastery of concepts. It's good to see an emphasis on real world application rather than just studying for a test. The site offers a tremendous amount of information for interested viewers.

It was surprising to see that the site did not have a specific section for parents. Parents play a crucial role in the development of children and many would appreciate any tips available to help their children become well-rounded. Although it is geared towards helping K-12 students, the layout of the website and information available does not seem to be child friendly. The website uses rich vocabulary and has few visuals.

The site also discussed 21st Century Professional Development. This is a way to help support teachers in delivering the information effectively to students using 21st century technology. Many districts have Professional Development, but they do not always teach teachers how to keep students up to par with the global competition in education. Moving forward, hopefully support is provided across the state and nation to integrate new technologies into the classroom.

Being that this partnership is in place, teachers and students in New Jersey will be directly impacted. There is not only a regional, but also a national goal that has been set. Teachers are going to be held accountable to use current strategies and tools to teach children. Children are going to be accountable for achieving requirements that apply to school and the real world. Technology has given us an outlet to knowledge all over the world, and teachers and students should use the tools, just as employees and businesses do.

Blogs and Elementary Education

Blogs can be an extremely effective tool for people of all ages, including elementary school students. I currently co-teach in a fifth grade classroom, and feel that the addition of a classroom weblog would provide students, parents and teachers with a place where they can communicate effectively. A blog site would provide support for students when completing assignments, and allow parents to monitor exactly what is going on in the classroom each day. Teachers can efficiently deliver instructions and assignments.

In my own class, I could set up a blog that has the work from the day posted on it along with the homework. This could give parents of students who might struggle the ability to go back and reinforce the concepts from the day at home. Also, if students are absent for any reason, they could easily log on and check the daily assignments or homework. If students have difficulty or are unclear about expectations, they could post questions and comments to the teachers and each other.

Creating classroom blogs in elementary education can help make a positive home-to-school connection where all parties are involved. Teachers can make sure that everyone is informed about school requirements, functions and events. Students might also be in contact with one another more frequently, therefore developing more positive relationships in the classroom. I look forward to incorporating blogs into my classroom and look forward to seeing the results.