Purpose
I work in a rather affluent school, where most of my students are working significantly above grade level. Despite my five years of experience teaching- three in fourth grade and two years in second grade- I continue to struggle with finding new ways for my students to think critically about what they are learning and applying basic skills. With the adoption of the new Common Core curriculum, there is even a stronger emphasis on the application of taught skills.
Further, given the current weight placed on incorporating 21st Century Thinking Skills into the classroom and my experience in the New Literacies Reading program my interest in incorporating technology in to my daily teaching has continued to develop. The framework for 21stcentury learning provides an “innovative support systems to help students master the multi-dimensional abilities required of them in the 21st century”.Skills involving browsing the internet and communicating via different technologies are skills that were not needed ten years ago in school, yet today are stressed more and more due to the changing world around us. These skills are needed to “survive” in this digital age. The emphasis on utilizing technology and web tools in the classroom is a direct reflection of the world surrounding us. Technology is constantly changing and surrounding our everyday lives. What we are doing in the classroom must reflect the real world. Therefore, techniques and methods of teaching years ago are no longer effective. There are a plethora of tools that are out there that hold so much power and meaning in the classroom. The purpose of my synthesis is to reflect upon the information I have obtained throughout my experience at North Carolina State Universityand apply this to effectively getting my students to think critical and apply the skills I am teaching them so that they can see implications of these skills in the real world.
Rationale:
The focus of my synthesis is a direct reflection of my interest in finding new tools to get my students to think critically and apply taught skills. Additionally, given the emphasis of 21st Century Thinking Skills in school I wanted to make sure that these experiences allowed for my students use technology meaningfully. It is necessary for me to evaluate the learning tools that are available to me and ensure that they hold benefit for my students and allow for more complex thinking. So many times technology is implemented on a surface level and holds little value. My purpose is to gather resources that hold meaning for my students and highlights the purpose the skills being taught. Through the use of these tools students are prepared for life in the 21st Century.
I work in a rather affluent school, where most of my students are working significantly above grade level. Despite my five years of experience teaching- three in fourth grade and two years in second grade- I continue to struggle with finding new ways for my students to think critically about what they are learning and applying basic skills. With the adoption of the new Common Core curriculum, there is even a stronger emphasis on the application of taught skills.
Further, given the current weight placed on incorporating 21st Century Thinking Skills into the classroom and my experience in the New Literacies Reading program my interest in incorporating technology in to my daily teaching has continued to develop. The framework for 21stcentury learning provides an “innovative support systems to help students master the multi-dimensional abilities required of them in the 21st century”.Skills involving browsing the internet and communicating via different technologies are skills that were not needed ten years ago in school, yet today are stressed more and more due to the changing world around us. These skills are needed to “survive” in this digital age. The emphasis on utilizing technology and web tools in the classroom is a direct reflection of the world surrounding us. Technology is constantly changing and surrounding our everyday lives. What we are doing in the classroom must reflect the real world. Therefore, techniques and methods of teaching years ago are no longer effective. There are a plethora of tools that are out there that hold so much power and meaning in the classroom. The purpose of my synthesis is to reflect upon the information I have obtained throughout my experience at North Carolina State Universityand apply this to effectively getting my students to think critical and apply the skills I am teaching them so that they can see implications of these skills in the real world.
Rationale:
The focus of my synthesis is a direct reflection of my interest in finding new tools to get my students to think critically and apply taught skills. Additionally, given the emphasis of 21st Century Thinking Skills in school I wanted to make sure that these experiences allowed for my students use technology meaningfully. It is necessary for me to evaluate the learning tools that are available to me and ensure that they hold benefit for my students and allow for more complex thinking. So many times technology is implemented on a surface level and holds little value. My purpose is to gather resources that hold meaning for my students and highlights the purpose the skills being taught. Through the use of these tools students are prepared for life in the 21st Century.