21st Century Teaching - Reflective Essay

2184 Words9 Pages
There are a number of key ideas and concepts that we’ve discussed and analysed during weeks 1-5. Concepts: • What is 21st century learning and teaching? • What is personalised learning? • Equity, diversity and inclusivity • Curriculum that uses deep knowledge • Rethinking the roles of learners and teachers 21st Century learning can be ‘considered as an emerging cluster of new ideas, beliefs, knowledge, theories and practices - some of which may be visible in some schools and classrooms, some which exist only in isolated pockets and others which are barely visible yet.’ (Bolstad, Gilbert, McDowell, Bull, Boyd and Hipkins, 2012, p.7) From discussions, 21st Century learning is an ongoing process. Continually changing, students use educational technologies to apply, adapt, communicate and interact with a global community. Students are responsible for their own learning. They question and reflect on their learning experience and collaborate with others in the learning process. Time has changed the definition of what teaching is, plus its influence on past, present and future teaching techniques. Teaching and learning in the industrial age can be categorised as listening, watching, and remembering. As a 21st century teacher our job is to extend the students listening, watching and memory skills. We must aid the students to think laterally. Networking possibilities have expanded with the emergence of new technologies. To be effective in the classroom, we must be a leader and role model and be able to adapt, communicate, collaborate and take risks. If students are not engaged, it’s up to us to adapt to the situation. As teachers, we can collaborate with each other, leveraging knowledge and experiences to keep up with changes in curriculum and technologies. This will assist in managing collaborative tools to enhance and captivate students. Teachers must be
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