So nice to be at home for the morning. I’m not complaining about the travel, though. METC was a blast, where I had so many mind stretching conversations with folks from Mid America. I also got to spend some time with David Jakes, Steve Dembo, Joyce Valenza and others.
This morning I got an e-mail from a friend who has been asked, by his principal, to design a class for all of their Freshmen called 21st Century Skills. He’s asking for some suggestions, which I’ve shared with him, and I’d like open it up to the smarter part of my thinking, you.
So what do you think should be part of the syllabus for a class about 21st century communication skills?
Image Citation:
“Cisco Tech Chat in Second Life on Unified Communications.” Text 100’s Photostream. 16 Nov 2007. 6 Feb 2008 <http://flickr.com/photos/text100/2037516605/>.
I fear I will be blasted for this, but how about typing skills? In a world that we all know revolves around the use of “technology” I still see too many kids, and adults, who waste inordinate amounts of time on this basic task. We all know that students who feel frustration will tune out and therefore we lose the opportunity to grab their interest.
I know it isn’t sexy, or something the politicians or district administration will likely be happy with, but the truth remains… typing skills are a very necessary starting point. Plus, you can do so many other things during those typing lessons. Who says you can’t tie a content lesson into a typing skills lesson? My gosh, did I just hint at a cross curricular activity? Are we allowed to do that?
Scott,
You’re right, it isn’t sexy. But if I hadn’t taken typing when I was in high schools, I’d still probably be teaching social studies in South Carolina. Or — wait a minute. I’d probably be retired. Hmmm!
I think that the issue is can keyboarding be self taught? We don’t have to teaching them thumbing. Do we need to teach them home-row. My inclination is that we do, or at least use software. But I’m not sure.
It would be interesting to start the course with an exploration of communication and from there, let kids help design the syllabus. Together we’d be deliberating: What is communication? How does it encompass music, visual arts? What are the myriad purposes for communication? In what was do we give and get information, persuade, move, and entertain each other? How do communications flow? How do different technologies suit our communications purposes?
This would be fun to bat around some more… just a few thoughts off the top:
Is there any way that the syllabus can be shared once this information is compiled? I would enjoy seeing the syllabus.
I agree with Scott about typing and have communications be a part of every subject and dragged across the curriculum. I also thing that relevant research skills should be part of the curriculum. Start with Google and Wikipedia but then go beyond that to other secondary sources and go beyond THAT to primary sources. Maybe it’s just that students need to be exposed to the experience of critical thinking.
I think it would necessary to focus on ways in which the students are already communicating. This would be a great question to ask students that will be taking the course. Their ideas are probably more relevant than ours. There are many possibilities for the structure of such a course. I think the most important idea is that the class should be student directed and teacher moderated.
Some themes below…
1. Social Networks vs. Learning Networks
2. Digital Natives vs. Digital Guests
3. Digital Publishing
4. Information Editing (this is a big one)
5. 21st Century Communication
6. Having your digital voice heard
7. Global Culture
Ouch…..What a question. I have only questions.
To develop productive and effective 21st century communication skills, there still has to be trust and confidence in what WE believe and share, right?
Is body language really equal to an emoticon in a digital networked world? If who you are and what you believe speaks more loudly than what you actually say with “typed†words, how do I present myself so that I can communicate honestly and effectively? Remembering you can be a dog in slippers at home on the internet where a “gamer tag†speaks volumes for you, what are most important factors in communicating around real and significant decisions, made by those gamers in slippers at home, that are now logged for life?
How do you make eye contact, shake hands and empathize with 21st century communication technologies? How do we honor and establish ethos where subversive mis-information and online advertising can substitute for a sound education?
I agree with Jane. Let the kids construct their own syllabus. Let the class do things with emerging 21st century communication tools, ask questions, answer questions and then communicate and share what they have done.
Wow! What a progressive idea! We talk about it and we discuss how to integrate it. It’s nice to see administration take the initiative and implement!
A lot of the schools I work with are seeking similar classes, but they are focusing more on “acceptable use policies”. It’s not necessarily just about 21st Century Communication skills, but I think it encompasses that and so much more.
Wouldn’t one of the first things students need to understand be what acceptable use is of computers for communication (and I don’t mean just in school)? Cyber bullying, researching practices, citing, copywrite, etc. could all be under the umbrella of acceptable use. It would be a great course if it not only taught all of the great ways 21st century communication happens, but ethical and appropriate ways to do so…
I’m currently drawing together resources for a course that will be available for free to teachers anywhere (built in Moodle so it’s easy to take and use); it’d be great to see a copy of the syllabus that gets put together to incorporate some of the ideas.
I like the ideas about a) having students construct the syllabus and b) teaching the appropriate digital publishing/copyright techniques. I think that would be a great discussion as to what is/is not copyrighted.
I disagree about “typing” not being sexy. I’d much rather hear smooth typing than a tap, tap, tap. Oh, you mean to the kids? Ugh, it’s always gotta be about the kids….
I think a course should focus not just on new technology but on how the notion of audience is changing in the 21st C. Ideas about public and private communications are being turned on their heads, and I think there’s lots of interesting work to be done with kids to get us all thinking critically about how we decide what to communicate with whom and how we should adapt our communication styles and ethical standards based on audience.
Just off the top of my head:
Appropriate email addresses, the kids might not use them but thier future employers and teachers still do, hottass@yahoo.com doesn’t look too good at the top of a resume
Everything leaves a trail, you have to be vigilant to protect your online identity, cool pictures on facebook today could spell trouble later
Kids are kids, they have a hard time seeing how what they do today will affect them years into the future, trouble is, they keep track of everything, pictures, emails, text messages, etc. Just look to Mayor Kwame and Detroit and the mess text essages have gotten him into
I’m sure others probably have some better big pciture ideas, but i like to make sure that the small stuff gets covered too. Most of the ideas I mentioned shouldn’t even have to be covered in school, but we all know how that goes!
Go back to go forward.
To add context to the 21st century story, be sure to backtrack to highlight how learning took place in the past. Allow time to explore teaching strategies in different countries and cultures.
An important skill is to know how to find out what we don’t know? What is new?How do we keep up in an increasingly changing communication environment? Of course, we find out from our friends, but how do they know what is the latest? How can we use the available technologies to learn about what is coming?
Here’s what I sent to my friend…
..it would also be a fun course to design. There are a load of books I would suggest: The Long Tail, Wikinomics, The Search, Glut (I’m still reading that one). These are all about information and it’s impact on us.
What might be interesting would be to assign a book for the students to read in the early weeks of the course, and then ask them to write the rest of the syllabus, using a wiki. I’d definitely having them blogging. It might be interesting to have them write a formal review of a YouTube video every two weeks or so. Have the class collaborate either as one or in teams to script and produce a video for YouTube.
Definitely teach them to use tools like Audacity, wikis, iMovie or Movie Maker, presentation software, graphics software (I like Photoshop Elements), blogging, etc. It might also be interesting to make assignments that require them to make productive use of their social networks.
What would be the coolest part of this kind of course would be to learn from your students’ information experiences. Integrate their social networking activities and their video game experiences into the class discussions.
Also, responsibility would be a theme that would be stitched into every aspect of the course.
This seems to be the ideal opporunity for a real 2.0 classroom. I would suggest that a “syllabus” would be the wrong way to go. With things changing at the rate they are, creating a syllabus runs the risk of being behind the times by the end of the first year. I would go with a broad outline of principles, but there has to be the in-built capacity to turn on a sixpence if new technologies change the landscape.
For example, I totally support the notion of learning keyboarding skills, but what if voice recognition software begins to become the norm?
First off, I am not an educator by profession. I am actually the founder of StudyCurve.com, a business owner and an engineer by degree. I am very passionate about education and the future of education. One of the main things that concerns me is that our educational system fears the unknown. Let me explain: I have recently attended conference for the National School Board Association and the Software Industry Association all regarding technology in education. The common thread that I received was that students are not allowed to use many web resources available to them. Coming from the business side of things many of the suggestions made in previous comments are true. For example it is very important that students are taught how to create appropriate email addresses, how to properly type, etc…The one area that I think is overlooked is the use of social networking sites appropriately and effectively. Here is an example from my “public company” perspective. Out of college, while in a management position, I was asked to perform a task that I knew very little about. It was to do a computer programming project. It took me several weeks to finally find someone with the knowledge I needed. If I would have know how to use the different networking tools available to me, I probably could have completed the task in half the time. My point being is that employers are expecting employees to know how to use the tools available to them. Not only this but so many employees are now found via social networking sites.
The issues that I have seen is that our educational system is so worried about the ramifications of allowing our students to use these sites, that they are banned in most districts. In my opinion we need to be teaching them how to properly and effectively use these tools to succeed! It’s just like everything else that is new, there are risks and fears with new technology, however it is important to teach students how to minimize these risks. One last analogy I like to use: When I was growing up it was the same thing just with a different situation. When ever I went outside, I was told not to talk to strangers and to always stay with my friends. It’s the same thing online, it’s just a virtual playground instead of the real thing. I apologize for the long response, this just seems like a very forward thinking group and I would love to hear your feedback.
(1) Business Writing – letters and documentation/procedures
(The Business Writing class that I took at Rutgers College (over 15 years ago) to this day remains one of the single most important classes I took in my 4 years there.)
(2) Copywriting – for more effective marketing and promotions
(3) Public Speaking – so you can sell your ideas to others
(4) Social Networking – blogging, profiles, forums, and etiquette
(5) Offline Networking – trade shows, organizations, strategic partnerships
(6) Multimedia – simple audio and video production and editing
on mediums of communication: how about an experiment in which you ask students to discuss how the medium impacts discussion, with some students communicating face-to-face, some in videoconference, some in voice conference, some via IM or twitter, and some via email.
on other skills: i recommend hofstede’s Software of the Mind for great examples of cross-cultural vectors that students will need for working in a globalized marketplace.
By all means include keyboarding skills. It seems the kids who can’t type only want to do what they can do with a mouse, which limits them too much. I’m not sure kids would “self-teach” typing, I think they’ll have to be taught. I agree with the thoughts about appropriate computer communication skills. When I ask students how they will get information, they say go to the Internet. But when I ask them how they will know if the information is accurate and reliable, they haven’t got a clue. Yes, they also need to be aware of using appropriate email addresses, as well as appropriate written communication skills, not just the slang of myspace.
This is very simple, but many times simple is a good place to start. I think the most important skill in 21st century learning will be life long learning. Duh! Well, think about it. If we are all going to have to change and adapt as technology changes the future, then life long learning will be paramount. I told you this was a simple one.
When I think of my colleagues, the ones that are the best teachers emulate life long learning. They are the ones that embrace change and new techniques. Therefore, I think that this skills needs to continue well beyond the 21st century. Good luck!
Been thinking about this all day.
I like the idea suggested earlier of having students help to determine the content. But, should there not be some sort of structure to guide the process. Maybe 4-5 themes and under each of these themes you could have a few specific skills that you would want to definitely cover. The rest of the topics could be student generated.
As I was driving home tonight I came up with these five possibilities.
1. Productivity
What kinds of skills and tools will help me be more productive? (typing would fit in here 😉
2. Organizational
How do I manage all this stuff that I am sent, create, or search out?
3. Research
How do I find information and once I find it how do I know if it is any good?
4. Social
How do I interact with my co-workers?
5. Tools
What tools (software/hardware) will I need to do my job?
I’ve been thinking about suggesting a class like this myself. Thanks for helping me to get started in my thinking/planning process.
This is an amazing list of suggestions, and my friend has got to be pumped about this.
One thing that occurs to me, though, as I read through this is that I have to hope that some of the suggestions above (copyright, keyboarding, ethics, etc.) have been taught/learned and have been in practice for some years before students have reached their freshman year of high school.
I had an interesting conversation yesterday with a colleague at a nearby district where there is no consistent level of technology instruction from building to building (k-8). So, the high school kids he is working with run the gamut from very knowledgeable to painfully inadequate in their technology skills. The school is in a low socio-economic area and the kids don’t have the option of picking up these skills at home either. The school started out the year with no networked student computers. (Forgot to ask him about teacher machines.)
The students in my district have similar experiences with computers and access to technology before coming into the high schools. The drawback is that tech classes are an elective for most of them. So, you can get two kids from the same feeder school with vastly different skill levels in say, typing. Their knowledge in copyright and ethics depends on the teachers they had at the lower levels. Their exposure to various software depends on the individual schools. There has been a lot of discussion about getting all k-8 kids exposed to same information…but up to now, it is still mostly discussion.
Yes, Dave, I agree that many of the suggestions above may have been introduced to and utilized by students before their freshman year, but others are habits that will need to be changed. That is why it is so important to teach these concepts throughout the K-12 curriculum.
In Ohio, our Academic Content Standards for Technology address the seven standards at all levels:
1. Nature of Technology
2. Technology and Society Interaction
3. Technology for Productivity Applications
4. Technology and Communication Applications
5. Technology and Information Literacy
6. Design
7. Designed World
As an example, while students in kindergarten are expected to “Describe how people use tools to help them do things” for Standard 1, high school students are supposed to “Predict the impact of the exponential development and diffusion of technology” to meet the same standard.
We began a class at our high school this year called “Communication Technologies,” and its purpose is similar to what you proposed above. To create the course of study, we looked to our state standards for technology and language arts, as well as the library guidelines put out by the State Board of Education.
As stated in many of the posts above, though, the syllabus will constantly change with changing technologies. The standards, benchmarks, and indicators have provided the “skeleton” for the class, and it’s up to the teacher to decide which emerging technology tools will be used to promote student learning.
It was my question to Dave that prompted this thread. I am working through all the wonderful responses and will have more to discuss soon.
One suggestion has come up a few times: Design the syllabus collaboratively with the students.
While I support the intent, the reality is that we’ll never get this approved by the Board of Education if we follow that path.
Keep the ideas coming, and thank you.
The themes some have outlined are very helpful. I’ll be thinking about them a lot in the next few days. This task has just come to me in the past few days.
A couple themes that seem important to me:
1. Multimedia presentation: Student should be able to present a topic through video, Web, text and interactive discussion (blogs) at minimum.
2. Collaboration: Student must be able to acquire and synthesize information from both peers and real-world participants.
Here’s one aspect I was just given:
Digital Presentations – We will develop digital presentation courses in every discipline. Students will be required to take a digital presentation course within their chosen career pathway area. For example, there will be a digital presentations course in English, math, social studies, science, fine arts, business, P.E., and practical arts. A student with aptitude and career interests in science or medicine will take their digital presentations course in science. Students will be exposed to the expectations and specifics of learning and presenting in their particular field of interest, and also have the opportunity to learn more about their prospective career path. This course will include online elements sufficient to satisfy the state’s online learning requirement.
As I re-read all of your posts, I’m sure I’ll have questions for you. Thank you again.
http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/
Check out Dr. Scott McLeod’s blog. He talks about Technology and 21st Century Learning, “Ultimately, the 21st Century Learning Initiative seems to be about promoting higher level thinking skills in the classroom and making the educational experience (particularly at the secondary level) relevant to life outside the classroom and after high school.” and how technology fits in. He explains how technology is the tool, but the skills the students need to learn to get through life are what is important.
I have long thought that we (our school district) needs to hold some seminars with parents & students (& teachers) about what a 21st century education entails. Which of course will deal with 21st Century skills needed to succeed. I am unsure if we need a specific course where they learn this. I do believe that every course should be required to deal with 21st century skills. One of our “Boards” want our school to bring back our “Video Productions” course (cut due to budget). Though I think it is a great course, I think it would be better to have every (or almost) class integrate video in their work. Students should be producing “products” much more than worksheets. Our school is no where close to keeping digital portfolios. “Step by step, inch by inch.”
Hi Everyone,
I’ve synthesized several of the comments from this page onto a syllabus wiki page at http://schoolcomputing.wikia.com/wiki/21st_Century_Skills_Course_Syllabus
I’d encourage others to edit that page directly, as a way of modeling many of the skills that we are talking about on this topic. It’s great that they are collected here, but the “value added” of a wiki is that the info can be synthesized & refined.
I wonder about the copyright implications. Should I source each comment that gets used, or is it acceptable just to source this blog post permalink? Are blog post comments released under a CC or similar license?
thanks, Demetri
I would list personal responsibility — I guess it could tie into ethics but I’m thinking in broader terms — being personally responsible for their own learning. They will need to constantly update their skills and training to be competitive. They will have to stay abreast of new technologies and new ways of thinking. Doing the bare minimum to get by will not cut it in the workplace; they will need to learn to step up and be self-motivated, especially with more and more work being done outside the traditional office (no supervisor right there to tell you what to do).
Another thought is to teach constructive criticism techniques, both giving good criticism and how to accept criticism. There is a definite difference between a short comment left on a blog or wiki, and a sit-down conversation with someone. Information can be interpreted in so many ways — the critic might be offering praise, but the student may only see negativity. Learning how to decipher messages (and properly word messages in the first place so as not to cause confusion) is very important in the more “faceless” society online.
One last idea is to work on face-to-face people skills. So many of today’s middle- & high- schoolers have some online communication savvy at this point, but their “real people” skills are terrible! Simple things like making eye contact, how to shake someone’s hand, how to be an effective listener (communication is nothing without good listening!), how to work with various personality types, etc. are critical to the workplace.
Could we be making a mistake by building a course called 21st century work skills, as opposed to leading by example?
When teachers teach using these skills, students learn them and practice them and they become a part of how the student functions.
Collaboration, teamwork, use of technology tools, analyzing and interpreting data, use of the Internet, critical thinking and problem solving, using higher level cognitive skills, clear and compelling communication (writing and presenting), self-direction and assessment… all lead toward the ultimate goal of being a life-long learner who can adapt to one’s situation.
Consider the points made by Yong Zhao of MSU, Mitchel Resnick of MIT, and Chris Dede of Harvard:
http://nlcommunities.com/communities/alannovember/archive/2007/11/21/156147.aspx
http://nlcommunities.com/communities/alannovember/archive/2007/09/24/145629.aspx
http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/item.php?itemID=14552
I know I’m Johnny come late to this post, but was running through my RSS and thought I could had another cent to the bin here.
We do trainings for college students on 21st century tools (mostly focusing on Myspace/Facebook).
We keep an open wiki page for others to connect around this topic > http://tech.swiftkick.wikispaces.net/
Might be some gems in there for your friend.