Sipping coffee, eating delicious blueberry cake, munching on doughnuts all the while hearing the clacking of keys and listening to 4 different conversations happening at one time. Saturday was the 3rd time our Seoul CoETaIL class has gathered to collaborate, hang out and geek out! It is amazing what we learn from others and it seems to only be enhanced in the presence of FOOD! We are picking each other’s brains, offering advice and becoming better 21st century teachers and students!
Looking at my Google reader I found an interesting article on E-Learning Journeys titled, “The 22 digital skills every 21st century learner should know.” The author points out several skills and then attaches the most valuable tools to learn those skills. This is brilliant and I found myself roaming around and dabbling for over an hour on this site.
Since our first CoETaIL class is coming to an end, I thought it was a great time to reflect on my 21st century learning journey.
21st century skills I used in my classroom during my first 6 years as an educator:
- Use digital assessment tools to create quizzes – (Quizlet, Quizmeonline)
- Be able to detect plagiarized works in students assignments – (Turnitin, Plagiarism detection)
Skills I have been using in the past 2.5 years teaching at Seoul Foreign School:
- Use blogs and wikis to create online platforms for students (Blogger, Kidblog)
- Use video content to engage students (Vimeo, YouTube)
- Create and deliver asynchronous presentations and training sessions (Slideshare, Prezi)
- Compile a digital e-portfolio for their own development (Weebly)
- Create screen capture videos and tutorials (Screenr)
- Use and provide students with task management tools to organize their work and plan their learning (Trello)
- Use of online sticky notes to capture interesting ideas (Padlet - formerly known as Wallwisher)
- Use file sharing tools to share docs and files with students online (Dropbox)
- Create Engaging mind maps (Slatebox)
- Leverage the power of Digital Story telling in your classroom (Comic Life, Voki)
Skills I have used in the past 5 weeks during my CoETaIL course:
- Use blogs and wikis to create online platforms for students/professionals (Word Press)
- Annotate web pages and highlight parts of text to share with your class (Diigo)
- Use digital images in classroom (Be Funky)
- Use Social networking sites to connect with colleagues and grow professionally (Twitter)
- Use note taking tools to share interesting content with your students (Evernote)
- Understand issues related to copyright and fair use of online materials (Creative Commons)
Out of the 22 skills, I have covered 17 of them in my teaching career and 15 of those 17 have happened in the past 2. 5 years of teaching!
Technology and learning how to keep up with the 21st century Joneses is exhausting. No wonder I am tired! One more week, then I will rest!
http://www.furallover.com/%5Cphoto%5CimPuppy.jpg
What a great idea Misty! Posting all the tools that you have learned and have been using
is a gratifying thing – you may be tired but you are not dead from the neck up!
I say yay!
I agree! Great idea to go back and reflect upon what you’ve learned to do and which tools you’ve used. It’s too easy for us as educators to get down on ourselves for the things we aren’t doing or haven’t yet learned to do. For that reason, it’s good to have a black and white reminder or what we HAVE accomplished. Judging by your list, I’d say you’ve done and learned a lot. In fact, I see some tools there that I don’t recognize and just might have to check out. Thanks for the inspiration…looks like I have some work to do!
The pace of technology change in the past 2.5 years I think has added to that. Many of those tools have only been around 2.5 years or so.
Great reflection…and prepare yourself….this technology stuff isn’t looking to slow down anytime too soon.
Get comfortable always being a beginner.
Misty,
I just bookmarked the article you found for future reference. I feel the same way you do about the technology use in the classroom and how it has increased exponentially. I don’t think it’s all about being at an international school either. I keep reading about public schools back in my home state going one-to-one laptop, tablet, or otherwise. Sometimes I think I’m too close to it to realize how far I’ve come. You title your blog “Keeping up with the 21st Century Joneses”, I think sometimes it can be disheartening to do that, especially for immigrants to technology like me. For myself, I think I need look no further than the comparison of myself past and present.