Apple team members started out our session today with a startling mashup of facts.* In Today's edition of USA TODAY it was reported that this is the first time we are having a higher number of births than the record in 1957. What does that mean for us as educators? More teachers will be needed! States across the country are rehiring the retiring teachers and reconsidering their DROP programs.
THE WORLD IS CHANGING:
* The number of college graduates each year per country:
US 1.3 million
India 3.1 million
China 3.3 million
* How many searches are done on Google every month?
Approximately 2,700,000,000 !
* 50% of 21 year olds have created content on the web
they have: played 10,000 hours of video games
spoken 10,000 hours on the phone
have sent 250,000 emails or instant messages
Students shouldn't have to power down when they come to school. Are we preparing students for a global, digital economy? Will they be ready?
The Requirements and Rewards of a 21st Century School:
1) Figuring out the right questions and using skills to solve new problems
2) Working in teams
3) Working across discipline
4) Learning to find, communicate and apply information
5) Initiative and leadership in flat organizations and taking responsible risks
6) Merging time and commitments and prioritizing flexible time
These are just a sampling of some of the discussions we had in our tour of 21st Century Learning today. Many of these things seem centered upon Karl Fisch's Did You Know? video, which was an eye opener for me a year ago when I first saw it. As our school begins to take the shape of a 21st Century learning environment, I will use these suggested guidelines to help me in brainstorming, planning and following through with what we do as we enter this new frontier in learning.
What steps are you taking in your school?
