21st Century Education and Teaching Skills

Learning Objectives/Outcomes:

This is an exciting and challenging time for teacher educators. The nature of teaching is changing. In an effort to transform themselves into exemplary educator preparation institutions, many programs are becoming more entrepreneurial, recognizing new opportunities and making changes required to respond to the needs of 21st century learners. The purpose of this KA1 Erasmus+ Course is to create the foundation for ongoing dialogue around how 21st century knowledge and skills can be appropriately embedded in educator preparation, and to guide the development of resources and services to support educator programs.
Engage teachers in creating instruction aligned with their state’s curriculum standards, effectively interpreting assessment results, responding to students’ learning needs, and cultivating a passion for learning that will support students for a lifetime;
Meet the demands of the global economy by exemplifying, and embedding in instruction, the mastery of 21st century skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration and creativity and innovation. This includes the application of technology to support more robust instructional methods and understanding the relationship between content, pedagogy and technology.
These are the skills most often cited when referring to 21st century skills. They are increasingly being recognized as attributes that separate students who are prepared for a more and more complex life and work environment in the 21st century, from those who are not:
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, e.g., effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs; solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways;
Communication, e.g., articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral and written communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts;
Collaboration, e.g., demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams;
Creativity and Innovation, e.g., use a wide range of idea creation techniques to create new and worthwhile ideas;
Information Literacy, e.g., access and evaluate information critically and competently; manage the flow of information from a wide variety of sources.
Media Literacy, e.g., understand both how and why media messages are constructed; create media products by understanding and utilizing the most appropriate media creation tools, characteristics and conventions.
ICT (Information, Communications, and Technology) Literacy, e.g., use technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information.
Today’s life and work environments require far more than thinking skills and content knowledge. Cultivating the ability to navigate the complex life and work environments requires students to pay rigorous attention to developing adequate life and career skills, such as:
Flexibility and Adaptability;
Initiative and Self-Direction;
Social and Cross-Cultural Skills;
Productivity and Accountability;
Leadership and Responsibility.
If we commit to a vision of 21st century knowledge and skills for all students, it is critical that we support educators in mastering the competencies that ensure positive learning outcomes for students. These include:
Successfully aligning technologies with content and pedagogy and developing the ability to creatively use technologies to meet specific learning needs;
Aligning instruction with standards, particularly those standards that embody 21st century knowledge and skills;
Balancing direct instruction strategically with project-oriented teaching methods;
Applying child and adolescent development knowledge to educator preparation and education policy;
Using a range of assessment strategies to evaluate student performance and differentiate instruction (including but not limited to formative, portfolio-based, curriculum-embedded and summative);
Participating actively in learning communities; tapping the expertise within a school or school district through coaching, mentoring, knowledge-sharing, and team teaching;
Acting as mentors and peer coaches with fellow educators;
Using a range of strategies (such as formative assessments) to reach diverse students and to create environments that support differentiated teaching and learning;
Pursuing continuous learning opportunities and embracing career-long learning as a professional ethic.