Are you wondering if you are teaching with a traditional pedagogy? Or are you wondering if you have stepped into the 21st century pedagogy mindset? As we move into 2020, it is a great time to reflect upon our practices and see what we can do to provide the best learning environment for learners.
Click here and see how these students engage in problem solving and learning while developing 21st century skills.
When educators and organizations provide learning opportunities, it is often easier to teach to the group, norm, or whatever should happen that may be easier. However, this may not provide the best learning opportunity for students. Students are engaged with working in groups and using technology, receiving and solving problems, and demonstrating learning differently.
Think on these reflective questions: How do your students learn? What excites them? How do students engage in critical thinking? What does your instruction look like? sound like? Is your district implementing 21st century strategies? Why are instructional changes neccessary for today’s education to prosper?
Check out the chart below and reflect upon your instructional practices, philosophy, and attitude towards education.
This reflection will help you determine your pedagogical thinking.
Traditional Pedagogy vs. 21st Century Pedagogy
Traditional Pedagogy | 21st Century Pedagogy |
Seat time measures of educational attainment | Provide coursework via technology allows students flexible pacing (DiPietro, Ferdig, Black, & Preston, 2010) |
Organize students into predetermined groups | Detracking students (LaPrade, 2011) |
Structure separate academic disciplines | Provide multiple pathways for learning (Wilson, Stemp, & McGinty, 2011) |
Organize learning into classes of roughly equal size with all the students in a particular class receiving the same content at the same pace. | Blended learning opportunities (Sethy, 2008) |
Keep these groups in place all year (USDOE, 2010, p. xiv) | Multiage grouping (Torrance, 2012) |
Spend some time reflecting upon the research above with the questions below.
What does your education situation look like?
What areas do you have control over?
What areas can you begin to change?
What support and training do you need to get started?
Where can you access support and training?
One way educators can work in the 21st century framework is to engage students in learning with technology. Get started with my free resource:
“Five Quick Tips to Integrating Technology”
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References:
DiPietro, M., Ferdig, R., Black, E., & Preston, M. (2010). Best practices in teaching K– 12 online: Lessons learned from Michigan virtual school teachers. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 9(3), 10–32. Retrieved from www.ebscohost.com/academic/education-research-complete
LaPrade, K. (2011). Removing instructional barriers: One track at a time. Education, 131(4), 740–752. Retrieved from www.ebscohost.com/academic/education-research-complete
Sethy, S. (2008). Distance education in the age of globalization: An overwhelming desire towards blended learning. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 9(3), 29–44. Retrieved from www.ebscohost.com/academic/education-research-complete
Torrance, M. (2012). An idea whose time has come? Montessori Life, 24(2), 18–23. Retrieved from www.ebscohost.com/academic/education-research-complete
United States Department of Education. (2010). National education technology plan Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/technology/netp-2010
Wilson, K., Stemp, K., & McGinty, S. (2011). Re-engaging young people with education and training. Youth Studies Australia, 30(4), 32–39. Retrieved from www.ebscohost.com/academic/education-research-complete
NOTE: This research was pulled from my dissertation.
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It’s always great when you see changes in schools that benefit the children and teachers.
Yes, I love that, too!!
This is a really interesting read! I have 3 young boys and they all learn, solve problems and think critically in different ways. I like to see educators, like yourself, embracing those differences. Thank you!
This is certainly where we are in education – crossroads! I just posted on my FB page 2020 trends. Check it out! It’s a great read!!
Interesting… My daughter’s school seems to be following the traditional method. I think the 21st-century approach I have seen at Montessori centers.
Education is at a transition. Check out the Trends in 2020 education article I posted on my FB page. It’s a great read!
As always…great tips! As teachers add different learning experiences, the kids benefit from change. It’s a win win. Great post.
Great points! I’ve always been a firm believer that everyone learns differently, and therefore need different forms of teaching.
That’s some great information for teachers. It can be difficult to know the best way for students to learn and not all kids are the same.
Thank you for sharing your take on this! It is amazing what a difference just caring about what you are teaching and how makes.
This was a very interesting read. I thought about my grandson’s teacher and she seems to fall somewhere in the middle.
We are certainly in a transition phase in education – about 8 years now. Check out the FB post about “Trends in 2020” related to education. It’s a great read!