21st Century Competencies

1.What is the rationale for identifying 21st century competencies? ​

- The work place is changing so quickly and technology is being iplemented faster than we can handle. We need to change the way we function in order to keep up with the changing times.

- Teachnology provides multiple opportunities to increase learning for all abilities. Technology allows information to be more accessible to everyone and allows people to be more connected. Technoloy makes the contnt relevant for students learning

2.What is the difference between skills and competencies?

These terms are sometimes used interchangeably and sometimes have very specific meanings. A competency is more complex than a skill. This involves the ability to meet complex demands by adding onto previous skills and attitudes. For example, the ability to communicate effectively is a competency that draws on the individual’s prior knowledge of language, practical skills and attitudes about who is communicating with who. A skill is viewed as the ability to complete tasks and solve problems while a competency is viewed as the ability to apply learning outcomes adequately in a specific context. Along with cognitive knowledge it also includes function parts such as technical skills as well as interpersonal attributes and ethical values. Therefore, a competency is a concept that is more broad that is made up of many different skills.

3.What is the background on 21st century competencies? Why are they important?

There has been much research and debate regarding 21st century competencies. Groups such as OECD, the European Commission, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), and the U.S. National Research Council have contributed to the research and debate. Understanding of competencies in these frameworks that have been developed by these groups. Originally, cognitive competencies in critical thinking, analysis, and problem solving have been seen as indicators of success. However, as things change in the 21st century this means that interpersonal and intrapersonal competencies have become much more important than every before. Employment asks for teamwork and leaderships skills and research says that people skills are an important determinant of occupation and wages, concluding that young people’s social skills affect their jobs prospects. The Conference Board of Canada (2000) has identified employability skills in three areas: fundamental skills, personal management skills, and teamwork skills. The board also specifies skills in the following areas:

• creativity, problem solving, and continuous improvement skills • risk-assessment and risk-taking skills • relationship-building and communication skills • implementation skills

The most significant 21st century competencies found in the international frameworks mentioned above have shown great benefits in multiple areas of life are associated with critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation.

4.Provide a couple of examples that resonate with you, of board activities and initiatives related to technology-enabled teaching and learning

- Character Education resonates with us because in catholic schools, every month one student was chosen who exemplified that character trait for that month. We woud then have assemblies with the whole school that appreciated all those candidates that recieved those character traits

- "Supporting Minds: An Educator’s Guide to Promoting Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being" is an essential concept that should be implemented in all schools. With the growing concerns that students are suffering from mental health issues, it is crucial that all teachers know how to fully support their students. As a school, there should be an inclusive community that is welcoming and supportive.

-Both of us came from an Early childhood program, so we know about the kindergarten program on how it works, its effectiveness and the implementation of full day kindergarten. We have noticed that technology has been a recent implementation in kindergarten classrooms that has transformed some learning concepts.

5.Read Page 34-35. Is there a connection to SAMR? Discuss the chart on page 36 – how might you address these in your next practicum (assuming you have access to technology and your AT agrees)?

Research has found that when used effectively, digital tools and resources can aid in the deeper learning. This connects to SAMR because this is a model that teachers use to infuse technology in the classroom to help with student learning to promote deeper understanding. In SAMR, technology can be used at different levels to aid student in their learning which connects to communication, collaboration, assessment, and student engagement and achievement.

Social collaboration- Students can use this as a way to create an online community and collaborate on an online platform through journaling, discussions and reflections.

Hybrid and mobile- More and more students have laptops and mobile devices on them, so instead of ignoring them and preventing students from using them, we could use them in class as a form of engagement. We could work towards using the SAMR model in implementing different levels of technology into the different tasks

Visualization- We can see these tools being used for subjects like math and social studies. The students would appreciae using these interactive tools rather than seeing print concepts. Tools such as google maps street view would also be a good applications to use as well.

Storytelling and creation- Students can create stories digitally incorporating text and media. This can include creating video stories in which students can share these videos with their classmates to gain feedback and assessment from their peers and their teacher.

Immersive media and stimulation- Students can use immersive games such as Mindcraft to create and work with their classmates in forms of collaboration in creating a virtual world. This promotes problem solving, critical thinking, and reasoning.