The Role of the 21st Century Teacher

Education change, whether cause by economic, social, or any other means, always places the teacher in a new role. In this the 21st century, where the pursuit of learning is valued both by the individual and authorities, much would be expected, and much would be demanded of teachers.

In this technology driven era, teachers have an awesome responsibility to prepare our young people not only to face the future with confidence but to build it with purpose and responsibility. This requires a paradigm shift in teaching practices. The old model of pedagogy teacher-focused, one way, one size fits all, which places the teacher in the role of a dispenser of knowledge cannot adequately address the needs of the learner in a digital world. The new role places less emphasis on the teacher and more on the student, so the teacher is no longer the ‘sage on the stage” but a “guide on the side.” In this new facilitative role, the teacher acts as a guide, resource and a coach. Such a teacher would have to be able to set clear expectations for learners, create a climate of collaboration reflective of the real world, provide “just in time” support that is customized and individualized, motivate, direct, model, clarify and so on and so forth. 

This would be challenging to say the least because by nature most of us resist change for one reason or the other. Principals, therefore, have a very important role to play in helping to bring about the desired change in teachers attitude and teaching practices as we seek to integrate technology in the curriculum. Teachers must be encouraged and supported in their professional development as they seek to adopt and adapt teaching practices in the classroom using available technology. Much will be expected, and much will be demanded of teachers in the 21^st century

Reflections on Social Learning Theory

Reflections on Social Learning Theory

(Vygotsky)

According to Vygotsky, the role of schooled learning is to assist the child (learner) to construct new knowledge by exposing him/ her to structured learning experiences that link what is already known to what is being taught. School then can be viewed as a social environment where people interact with each other and various cultural artifacts such as sings and languages and so on and so forth. Currently learning is being conceptualized as a process of knowledge construction, dependent on students’ prior knowledge, and attuned to the context in which it is being situated (Resnick 1989). At present the work of Vygotsky is having a profound impact on the thinking in education

According to Vygotsky, the role of schooled learning is to assist the child (learner) to construct new knowledge by exposing him/ her to structured learning experiences that link what is already known to what is being taught. This is accomplished through a collaborative relationship between the child and a more knowledgeable individual who would determine what knowledge to pass on, how to pass on this knowledge, and at what stage this knowledge is to be passed on. Additionally, the more knowledgeable individual (teacher or peer) would explain, inform, inquire, correct, and the child will be expected to demonstrate what would have been learned in a variety of ways. The emphasis is on the learner as he interacts with the teacher, peer and the resources at his disposal in constructing knowledge.

This student centered approach to learning is applicable to the integration of ICT into the classroom. If this concept is applied, then teachers would be forced to rethink their practices in the classroom. They would have to make determinations on what knowledge to pass on, and how and when this knowledge is to be passed on, using ICT as a tool. Measures would have to be taken to create an atmosphere of collaboration where the opportunity for scaffolding is available. Apart from offering scaffolding, teachers must ensure that students are provided with authentic experiences so that they can establish connections between what is happening in the real world and the classroom.  

The very nature of this type of approach to learning would require paradigm shifts in pedagogical practices, and assessment. Teachers would have to be versed in a number of teaching practices that support this type of learning while at the same time being skilled enough to integrating ICT in the classroom. This is challenging to say the least but as teachers, we have to be cognizant of the fact that times have changed or is changing and so too are our roles. In the 21^st century much will be expected, and much would be demanded of teachers.

Learner’s Charter

Learner’s Charter

It is always a pleasure to collaborate with my colleagues on an activity and this was no exception. It was my first time using this online tool and I encountered a few hiccups which were quickly smoothed over.

We were asked to put ourselves in the place of students and write from their prospective. The end result was a set of expectations which in my opinion adequately expressed students’ views on their rights to an education with ICT. The charter can be summed up as follows: ‘learners have the right to high quality education in an ICT enriched environment that encourages collaboration between learners and teachers.”

Audit: Use of ICT at my school

                     Audit: Use of ICT at my school

Things have begun to change gradually at my school. This is as a result of a change in the leadership and the new direction in which the school is moving. The addition of two young members or staff has also helped in this area.  The Grades 3, 5 and 6 teachers are now using the technology to enhance lesson delivery. Students are using the internet to conduct research for project for Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA) and for corresponding with each other. The Grade K teachers have also been using technology to develop students’ listening ability.

Although we are moving in the right direction, there are a few issues that need to be addressed urgently. The most pressing issue is the ever increasing number of net-books that are going bad and the length of time it takes to have them repaired. On the ground technical support is need for the successful integration of ICT into the curriculum. There is some support at the school but it is not enough.

The lack of enthusiasm among the older members of staff is still of some concern.  Some of these teachers have no personal experience with the computer and many consider themselves as being too old to learn about the technology. A lack of knowledge of the pedagogical practices that support the technology is also fueling this response among these teachers. A two prong approach of in-house training sessions along with having teachers work with their more knowledgeable peer would be used to address this issue.

Reflection on the Flipped Classroom:

Reflection on the Flipped Classroom:

The Flipped Classroom

Module eight (8) presented a number of innovative ways of using the available technology in the classroom and the advantages and challenges of using such an innovation. Among the number of approaches discussed, was the ‘flipped classroom’. As the name suggests, this method reverses the order of the regular teaching method, taking instruction outside of the confines of the classroom and moving home work into the school.

I particularly like this method for the following reasons:

·         It increases the interaction and personalization of the contact time between student and teacher.

·          It allows teachers to engage in differentiated instruction, catering to students’ learning styles, while at the same time, offering necessary scaffolding.

·         This method also encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning. Students can then work at their own paste.

·         Fourthly, in the flipped classroom the content is permanently archived. The content can then be previewed or used for remediation at any time. This is an advantage to students who may have missed classes for one reason or the other.

I can see myself applying methods of the flip classroom in my own teaching. This however would be approached carefully as not all areas of a subject matter lend itself to flipping. Care would also have to be taken in ensure that the right technology is employed and that the videos are of a high standard.