Journal #4 - Create, Collaborate, Communicate: Empowering Students With 21st Century Skills

Riedel, Chris. "Create, Collaborate, Communicate: Empowering Students With 21st Century Skills." T.HE. Journal, Jan 2009. Retreived 19 Feb 2009 http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23872_1.

The title alone of this article speaks volumes. It is a fact that in order for us to remain competitive in the global economy, we need to nurture these 21st century skills in our youth. The good news is that today’s kindergartners often enter school with at least some knowledge of computers. When these children graduate from high school and college, they will possess vital technology skills to carry into their careers and daily lives. The top three skills potential employees should have are listed in the article as: a) Creative problem solving, b) Critical and analytical thinking skills, and c) Information gathering and evaluation.

QUESTION #1:
How can we encourage students to obtain these skills?
Think tanks, group collaboration with open discussion, and access to computers for internet research are three specific ways to encourage these necessary skills. The way in which we teach a lesson, whether it is math, science, or language arts, will have an impact on the retention factor. An example of this is for students to present a topic. A simple (but boring) option would be to have the students individually read a chapter and present the topic. Another (more engaging) option would be to divide the students into groups, assign sections in the chapter, invite them to research online to gather data for analyzing and discussion, and create a PowerPoint presentation.

QUESTION #2:
Why create a social network for schools?
Although many students today have access to MySpace and Facebook, there are just as many that don’t. A variety of factors determine who has access, with socioeconomic status being the most obvious. The students in this category would gain a significant benefit from a social network such as Ning. Having access during the school day not only provides a rich technological resource, but it also encourages a sense of community within a school setting.