Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Looking at the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/ I found some interesting things. I think that it is great that there a program like this that is bringing together groups such as Apple, Dell, Microsoft, National Education Association, AOL Time Warner, Cable in the Classroom, and Cisco Systems to help focus on America’s most important asset its future/youth. These companies know that the world is going to be technology driven in the future and they want to help make sure USA doesn’t fall behind. To be an effective citizen in the 21st century I agree that workers must be able to skills in information literacy, media literacy, and ICT(Information, Communications and Technology) literacy. I am in agreement with Century 21st that a way to assess technology literacy is needed so to I was glad to see my home state of Maine on the list of states working in this program. This is a good site because I can go on here and find resources and ideas to help shape my ever changing teaching pedagogy. It’s good to know that the NEA and a lot of other people are thinking to the future and focusing on ways to incorporate technology into the classroom so we as a country can try to stay in the game.

Why Blogs are a great tool in the classroom.

I'm a former and future high school History teacher and I think that Blogs can be a great tool in the classroom. The main purposes to promote student involvement I foresee with using a blog in the classroom is a place to display homework assignments, notes, PowerPoint slides, links, activities, videos, student work, and provide a place for students to communicate with each other and myself. Putting homework assignments and the agenda for each class will provide a place for students to go to check to see what is for homework if they forgot. Having notes and PowerPoint slides can be a resource for students to use to review the material or to go over to stay up to date if they missed a class. Having a blog that contains links, activities, videos, and a way to communicate to fellow classmates and the teacher enhances the lesson by making it so students can learn on their own time whether at school or at home. Blogs can also be a place where student work is displayed and can receive comments.