The 21st Century Digital Learner

Prepared by: Reychelle Grace L. Maglasang

What is Digital Age?• Also called as the

information age• defined as the time

period starting in the 1970s with the introduction of the personal computer with subsequent technology introduced providing the ability to transfer information freely and quickly.

What is Digital Learning?Digital Learning is

learning facilitated by technology that gives students some element of control over time, place, path and/or pace.

Time Learning is no longer restricted to the

school day or the school year. The Internet and a proliferation of Internet access devices have given students the ability to learn anytime.

PlaceLearning is no longer restricted within the walls of

a classroom. The Internet and a proliferation of Internet access devices have given students the ability to learn anywhere and everywhere.

PathLearning is no longer

restricted to the pedagogy used by the teacher. Interactive and adaptive software allows students to learn in their own style, making learning personal and engaging. New learning technologies provide real-time data that gives teachers the information they need to adjust instruction to meet the unique needs of each student.

PaceLearning is no longer

restricted to the pace of an entire classroom of students. Interactive and adaptive software allows students to learn at their own pace, spending more or less time on lessons or subjects to achieve the same level of learning.

While there are some differences in how the skills are categorized

or interpreted, there are also may commonalities. Common skills across most the studies

include:

1. Creativity and Innovation

• Using knowledge and understanding to create new ways of thinking in order to find solutions to new problems and to create new products and services.

Think Creatively

• Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (such as brainstorming)

• Create new and worthwhile ideas (both incremental and radical concepts)

• Elaborate, refine, analyze, and evaluate ideas in order to improve and maximize creative efforts

• Demonstrate imagination and curiosity

Work Creatively with Others• Develop. Implement, and

communicate new ideas to others effectively

• Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives; incorporate group input and feedback into the work

• Demonstrate originally and inventiveness in work and understand the real world limits to adopting new ideas

• View failure as an opportunity to learn; understand that creativity an innovation is a long-term, cyclical process of small success and frequent mistakes

Implement Innovations• Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and

useful contribution to the field in which the innovation will occur

2. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

• Applying higher order thinking to new problems and issues, using appropriate reasoning as they effectively analyze the problem and make decisions about the most effective ways to solve the problem.

Reason Effectively• Use various types of

reasoning (e.g., inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation

Use systems Thinking

• Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce overall outcomes in complex systems

Make Judgements and Decisions

• Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs

• Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view

• Synthesize and make connections between information and arguments

• Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis

• Reflect critically on learning experiences and processes

Solve Problems• Solve different kinds of non-familiar

problems on both conventional and innovative ways

• Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions

3. Communication• Communicating effectively in a wide variety

of forms and contexts for a wide range of purposes and using multiple media and technologies.

Communicate Clearly• Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral,

written, and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and context

• Listen effectively to decipher meaning, including knowledge, values, attitudes, and intentions

• Use communication for a range of purposes (e.g., to inform, instruct, motivate, and persuade) and in diverse environments (including multi-lingual)

Utilize multiple media and technologies, and know how to judge their effectiveness a priori as well as assess their impact

4. Collaboration• Working with

others respectfully and effectively to create, use and share knowledge, solutions and innovations.

Collaborate with Others• Demonstrate ability to work effectively and

respectfully with diverse teams• Exercise flexibility and willingness to be helpful in

making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal

Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual contributions made by each team member.

5. Information Management• Accessing, analyzing, synthesizing, creating and

sharing information from multiple sources.

6. Effective Use of Technology• Creating the capacity to identify and use technology

efficiently, effectively and ethically as a toll to access, organize, evaluate and share information.

7. Career and Life Skills• Developing skills for becoming self-directed,

independent learners and workers who can adapt to change, manage projects, take responsibility for their work, lead others and produce results.

8. Cultural Awareness• Developing cultural competence in working with

others by recognizing and respecting cultural differences and work with others from a wide range of cultural and social backgrounds.

Information, Media and Technology Skills

Information LiteracyAccess and Evaluate Information• Access information efficiently (time) and effectively

(sources)• Evaluate information critically and competently

Use and Manage Information• Use information accurately and creatively for the

issue or problem at hand• Manage the flow of information from a wide variety

of sources• Apply a fundamental understanding of the

ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

Media LiteracyAnalyze Media• Understand both how and

why media messages are constructed and for what purposes

• Examine how individuals interpret messages differently, how values and points of view are included or excluded, and how media can influence beliefs and behaviours

• Apply a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of media

Create Media Products

• Understand and utilize the most appropriate media creation tools, characteristics, and conventions

• Understand and effectively utilize the most appropriate expressions and interpretations in diverse, multi-cultural environments

ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy

Apply Technology Effectively• Use technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate,

and communicate information• Use digital technologies (e.g., computers, PDAs, media

players, GPS, etc.), communication/networking tools, and social networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information to successfully function in a knowledge economy

• Apply a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information technologies

The 21st Century Teacher

To meet the demands of the Digital Education, the 21st Century Educator should acquire the following characteristics:

1. The AdaptorThe 21st Century teacher is

an adaptor. Harnessed as we are to an assessment focused education model the 21st Century Educator must be able to adapt the curriculum and the requirements to teach to the curriculum in imaginative ways.

• .

• They must be able to adapt software and hardware designed for business model into tools utilized by a variety of age groups and abilities.

• They must also be able to adapt a dynamic teaching experience . When it all goes wrong in the middle of a class, when the technologies fail, the show must go on.

• As an educator, they must understand and apply different learning styles. They must also be able to adapt our teaching style to be inclusive of different modes of learning

2. The VisionaryImagination, a key component

of adaptability, is a crucial component of the educator of today and tomorrow.

• They must see the potential in the emerging tools and web technologies, grasp these and manipulate them to serve their needs. If we look at the technologies we currently see emerging, how many are developed for education?

• The visionary teacher can look at other’s ideas and envisage how they would use these in their class.

• The visionary also looks across the disciplines and through the curricula. They can make links that reinforce and value learning in other areas, and leverage other fields to reinforce their own teaching and the learning of their students.

3. The Collaborator• Ning, Blogger, Wikispaces, Bebo, MSN, MySpace,

Second life – as an educator we must be able to leverage these collaborative tools to enhance and captivate our learners. We too must be collaborators; sharing, contributing, adapting, and inventing.

4. The Risk TakerHow can you as an educator

know all these things? How can you teach them how to use them? There are so many, so much to learn.

• A 21st Century Educator must take risks and some times surrender yourself to the students knowledge

• Have a vision of what you want and what the technology can achieve, identify the goals and facilitate the learning.

• Use the strengths of the digital natives to understand and navigate new products, have the students teach each other.

• The learning pyramid shows that the highest retention of knowledge comes from teaching others. Trust your students.

5. The Learner• We expect our students to be life long learners. How

many schools have the phrase “life long learners” in their mission statements and objectives. We too must continue to absorb new possibilities and experiences. We must endeavour to stay current. The 21st Century teacher or educator must learn and adapt.

6. The Communicator• The 21st Century teachers are fluent in tools and

technologies that enable communication and collaboration. They know how to use different media in communication. It allows students to be able to express their insights and share their thoughts in a topic or any issues that concern them.

7. The Model• The Digital Teacher must model the

behaviours that are expected from their students. Today and tomorrow more so, there is an expectation that teachers will teach values.

• The Educators are often the most consistent part of our student life. Teachers will see the students more often than their parents.

• The 21st Century Educator also models reflective practice, whether it’s the quite, personal inspection of their teaching and learning, or through reflective practice via blogs, twitter and other medium, these educators look both inwards and outwards.

These teachers also model a number of other characteristics. These are not necessarily associated with ICT or the curriculum, but are of equal importance. They model:

• Tolerance• Acceptance• A wider view than just their curricula areas• Global awareness• Reflection

8. The Leader• Leadership, like clear goals and

objectives is crucial to the success or failure of any project.

“Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids working together and motivating them, the teacher is most important.” – Bill Gates