21st Century learning

Summary: This video offers statistics on the high use of technology in every day life. Students are born into the digital world that is fast paced and multidimensional. The video also offers examples of connecting every day technology with the classroom and classroom assignments. The overall objective of the video brings attention to the large gap between the classroom and the students' lives.

Personal Thoughts: Pay Attention is engaging, stimulating and introduces a variety of ideas to engage students. This video offers interesting questions that can lead to an exchange of ideas.

Summary: This video gives statistics and opinions about the higher education system directly from the students. Real life facts, such as the time spent on technology, are highlighted. Several students hold up signs that reflect the disconnection they feel with the classroom and their education. Signs also explain how the students feel about the relevance of the classroom curriculum. The overall tone of the video is the students are aware of becoming responsible participants in the world, but they do not believe college is preparing them.

Personal Thoughts: A Vision of Students is actual facts about higher education from the students themselves. This video gives a voice to our future leaders and has the ability to create an interesting conversation.

Summary: The video gives us questions about the education system from the students themselves. They express the interest to learn and be connected to the content they are learning. The students highlight contradictions in student expectations and lack of input they actually have in the class. The students also highlight important components of the 21st century learner that are not represented in the classroom. The overall message of the video was the lack of support and guidance in our early education.

Personal Thughts: A Vision of K-12 Students Today shares ideas about education from the students themselves. The obvious gaps between the students’ thoughts and education today can create a conversation about connecting them.

Summary: Engage Me is a collaboration of student ideas. The students offer ideas and suggestions to engage them in the classroom. The students state specific technologies that they use such as podcasts and an iPod. The students also specify specific technologies and tools they could use to learn and create. The students are asking to be an active participant in their education process.

Personal Thoughts: Engage Me is a list of activities and tools that would engage students. The requests and ideas are given by the students themselves. This video opens the conversation to ideas about engaging students.

Summary: 21st Century Skills begins with the idea that current students are unprepared for the present workforce. The education system is outdated. This video discusses the disconnection of the current classroom curriculum with the students. Subjects are taught independently instead of interconnected. Suggestions are given to prepare students for a career. The suggestions are a three step process. Steps are foundation, exploration, and application. The three steps outline a teaching plan to use curriculum to teach skills and connect with the students.

Personal Thoughts: 21st Century Skills offers problems and solutions in 21-st century learning. The video asks interesting questions and offers suggestions.

Summary: This video begins with characteristics of a person who is 21st century literate. The characteristics of the 21st century learner dictate the need for change in the classroom. A world with a global economy requires modernized skills. Voters view critical thinking and problem solving skills as important skills for students. They also view computer, technology, communication, and self-direction as skills that are vital to our future.

Personal Thoughts: 21st Century Literacy acknowledges important skills for a person who is literate in the current world. The list of skills and the need to train students to lead in the global economy are interesting to talk about.

Summary: The video begins with notion that our education system is outdated. Teaching is geared for the 19th century learner and not the 21st century learner. Today’s students live in a digital generation. Students are connected to the world globally and thrive with creativity and collaboration. Teaching needs to change to connect with students and engage them in the classroom.

Personal Thoughts: Teaching the 21st Century Learner acknowledges the outdated education system. The idea that our system needs to change to engage our students is interesting to discuss.

Summary: Rethink Learning is a video created by professions at the Annenburg School for Communication. The video opens with the idea that students want to learn and create. 21st century education students require a connection with information. The video also talks about the importance of a connection between the school environment, the home environment, and the peer environment. The instructors talk about the importance of a well-rounded student. The 21st Century skills require more than knowledge of technology. Students must be able to create and express themselves.

Personal Thoughts: The ideas in the video were engaging and the idea of nurturing multiple skills is interesting. I think the video was less engaging than the other videos and it may be less of a conversation starter.

Summary: The video opens with an introduction about the Library of Congress and the importance of providing students with skills for a digital world. Various experts are interviewed such as educators and politicians. Statistics and statements are given about teaching students to thrive in a world that does not exist yet. The current education is ineffective and outdated. Content, teaching styles, and assessments must be changed to engage the 21st century learner. Suggestions to support learning, such as relationships and rigor, are important. Suggestions for learning environments outside the classroom are given. The overall idea is changing the education system.

Personal Thoughts: The video offers useful information. I thought the video was one dimensional and not engaging. I have a hard time starting a conversation about something that does not interest me.