Guiding+Questions

The learning during my public school education belonged to the 20th Century. I never took a computer class in high school. Even in college, I was able to avoid using new technology. I didn't even have an email address during my undergrad years because it wasn't required until the year after I started school. I am now realizing that I missed out on an important part of my education. Now I'm trying to become more versed in 21st Century skills., particularly the technological aspects. As a teacher, I do think it is very important to teach these skills to students by incorporating more collaborative efforts, presentations, and technology. This class has been very helpful in introducing me to many new programs and I will be able to now use many of them in my classroom.
 * 1. To which __century__ does our teaching/learning belong? //[Action] Inquiry activity with paradigmatic words.//**

Being fluent in the 21st Century means learning skills that prepare students for a rapidly changing world and an unknown future. It is not enough to be able to read, write, speak, and do math. We are going to need to teach our students to be able to apply these skills in a variety of different ways. In particular, students need to be given the opportunity to learn and use new technologies. Educators should embrace these changes rather than fighting them so that our students do not get left behind. According to Jukes and Macdonald other aspects of 21st Century fluencies include speaking and listening skills, reading/writing skills, information skills, technical skills, media skills, personal skills, interpersonal skills, professional skills, and improved teacher skills.
 * 2. What does it mean to be f__luent in the 21st Century__? What are 21st Century skills and/or fluencies? Give examples specific to your classroom.**

21st Century learning environments are more collaborative and student-centered than 20th Century learning environments. In addition, 21st Century learning environments incorporate new technologies into the classroom. Creativity and questioning are encouraged.
 * 3. What are the __characteristics of 21st century learning environments__? Learners? Instructors?**

Constructivist learning environments are one of the keys to creating a 21st century learning environment in the classroom. A constructivist learning environment builds upon students' schema to guide their education. Therefore, this model is very student-centered. In addition, constructivist learning environments use more collaborative projects rather than worksheets to guide student learning.
 * 4. What are the __elements of constructivist learning environments__, and how are they (or not) related to 21st century learning environments? //[Action] Identify an ill-structured problem/question/issue on which your learning space will center. See GetTheLeadOut Example.//**

One instructional model that engages students in 21st Century fluencies is problem-based learning. This model has students look at a social issue/problem and work to understand it and provide potential solutions for it. All of Jukes's and Macdonald's fluencies can be learned through this instructional model.
 * 5. Identify an __instructional model__ that describes learning as process whereby learners engage 21st century fluencies. //[Action] Research and propose 3 instructional models which could be used to guide instruction for your learning space (e.g., problem-based learning, discovery learning, etc…). This will serve as a preliminary plan for your wikiarticle.//**

Laswells's model provides a means of evaluating media for the problem-based learning model. It gives students a way of looking at the relevance and accuracy of the information that they are using for their projects. I think, however, that a better way to evaluate the accuracy of information is to look at all of the sources together and determine the similarities in information.
 * 6. Are there any __frameworks__ for analyzing and evaluating media which work particularly well with your model? //[Action] select a framework to use for your learning space.//**