Model of Effective Instruction
I would have to contend that the 21st Century learning skills are a model example of effective instruction. In an ever-changing society it goes without saying that our classroom practices will also be revolutionized. In order to successfully prepare a student to enter in to the world outside of high school we must prepare them for the realities that they will encounter. Rotherham & Willingham (2009) state, “… the skills students need in the 21st century are not new” (p.352). Critical thinking, problem solving, the “mastery of different kinds of knowledge”, and multifaceted analysis are all skills that originated with the traditional school setting (p. 352). “What is actually new is the extent to which changes in our economy and world mean that collective and individual success depends on having such skills” (p. 352). With that being said- as our economy and world continue to transform, as educators, we must also renovate our thinking and teaching in order to put our best foot forward; however, some believe that we will never find perfection in the classroom or in preparing our students and that we must not capitulate to every movement we encounter. Senechal (2010) argues that a movement, such as the 21st Century skills movement, is nothing more than a distractor. She acknowledges that our schools “are in need of repair- but we will not improve them by scorning tradition or succumbing to the “claims of the present”” (p. 370). She states that in order to repair the problems that we are to “seek out excellence, nurture it, defend it, and live up to it. We must be willing to lift the levels of the subjects we teach…” (p.370). Perhaps I am reading too much, or too little, into this statement but I would...
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... current on-line courses—what we are doing in a Master’s program I encourage my freshman to do in my classroom). Not only am I pushing my students to think at a higher means but also this is also one way to flip a classroom.
While I find value in both sides of the argument on what effective instruction looks like I do believe that there is something to be said for a “something old and something new” approach. As an English teacher I appreciate the ability and encouragement for creative projects, collaboration, and the use of technology; however, I also have a great deal of appreciation for a more traditional approach such as handwritten rough drafts, research papers, and a novel study that is completed in class with students reading aloud portions of the book. In an ever-changing society I know that I must be open to change as no two days in the classroom are alike.
By keeping the old ways of teaching, students are never prepared for jobs that actually exist. Instead students are forced to learn the standard way and lose the ability to apply their prior knowledge to current jobs. Modernized teaching allows an individual to form a creative side of thinking. This is done by using technology, where individuals are able to explore and think of things in new ways never thought of before. Davidson discusses how the education system strictly focuses on preparing students for higher education rather than properly preparing them for jobs in their fields of interest. She
Systems and structures provide the organizational foundation, but it is the human capital that really provides for the success or failure of any organization. In order for real change to happen, the staff needs to fully embrace the vision and the systems of change. This can only be accomplished if they feel respected, valued and involved in all parts of the change process. It is important to authentically embrace this group and treat them as colleagues in the process. This is the group that is responsible for implementing all systems and providing the public relations for the structure. The
American students in the United States are recognizing the diverse learning styles that non-traditional students are bringing to the classroom. A recent study suggests that, within the next decade, one-half of colleges in the U.S. will close the doors to their physical classrooms as more and more classes go online (Bower 3). Duke University has already begun changing the way they approach student learning by offering classes online. This helps the school attract more non-traditional students who may have families, work full-time, or have a number of responsibilities outside school.
Kivunja, C. (2015). Teaching Students to Learn and to Work Well with 21st Century Skills:
In “Five Rarely Considered Obstacles to 21st century Education ”, published in Forbes, Jordan Shapiro opens new gates to exploring the philosophical impediments that block the way of the 21st century education. The rapidly changing world requires a type of education that tends to view essential enduring knowledge and fashionable thought paradigms as intertwined. “Good education involves framing persistent knowledge within current structures”, Shapiro states. In many cases, adults fail to fit the enduring knowledge within the framework of modernity and hide this failure by blaming technology and content knowledge. This, in Shapiro’s viewpoint, is responsible in many ways for the failure of schools to prepare kids for the 21st century world.
The latest fad that has swept the states is called the “21st-Century Skills”. With this, the expectation is that students will improve skills such as cooperative learning and critical thinking, and in the end, be able to compete for jobs in the global economy more efficiently (Ravitch). Putting a priority on skills pushes many subjects, but skill-centered, knowledge-free education has never worked according to Ravitch.
In the information age, the developments in society and the economy require that educational systems equip young people with new skills and competencies, which permit them to benefit from the emerging new patterns of socialization and to contribute actively to economic development under a system where the main asset is knowledge. The savvy and skills needed to compete in today’s worldwide economy are arguably quite different to those upon which 19th and 20th century education systems have traditionally concentrated. Voogt and Robin (2010) defined 21st century competencies as collaboration, ICT literacy, critical thinking and problem-solving that need to teach in order to aid students in today’s world. As well, those competencies mentioned by Voogt and Roblin (2010), the term 21st century skills may refer to a wide circle of knowledge, skills and character traits that are to be critically important to success in today’s world. Frankly speaking, 21st century competencies can be applied in all school curriculum and civic setting throughout a student’s lifetime. Throughout the comparative analysis of all eight frameworks which was done by Voogt and Roblin (2012), all the frameworks seem to be coherent in terms of what 21st century competencies
21st-century education is always changing, especially in the classroom. Teachers are teaching and preparing students to succeed in life and get them ready for the 21st-century skills needed to move forward in this world. Teachers have to get away from being the teacher and to becoming the facilitator who guides students and teachers, by allowing them to take ownership of their learning and teaching. Our role as teachers is to equip students with the tools needed to work together and individually to solve real world problems.
A teacher’s responsibilities are to ensure that every student gets the education that they deserve from a well-structured curriculum and materials. Within the teacher’s responsibilities a strong foundation of instruction has to be implemented, this is why instructional strategies are significant in a teacher’s career. The strategies for instruction vary from teacher to teacher; as a result there are no specific ways to employ strategies within instruction. The main purpose of this essay is to display knowledge of methods that are involved in teaching second language instruction for various ages and levels of students. This essay will also develop from the following components that methods and techniques are important to encourage tactical instructional strategies. These components are comprehensible input, feedback that is on-going, specific and immediate, grouping structures and techniques, building background and vocabulary development along with student engagement.
Knowledge is very important to young children, especially in the aspect of how that knowledge is delivered. I believe it is crucial for children to discover knowledge, so they can retain it for later practices. Direct instruction is a strategy in which the teacher lectures and students acquire the knowledge by listening. Though many teachers today use the direct instruction strategy, it is important that we diversify the way instruction is given. One way teachers can achieve this goal is by using the indirect instruction strategy. Using the indirect instruction, students will be able to apply their abilities in discovering knowledge. Direct instruction, knowledge received, indirect instruction, and knowledge discovered are four strategies
Now that I have seen three different classrooms as part of my practicum observations, I still believe that there are several acceptable approaches and no universally correct teaching methods. However, my thinking has changed because I have seen that everything done ...
Hill, P. (2010). An Australian curriculum to promote 21st century learning. Retrieved March 16, 2011,
The definition of 21st Century teaching is “not a fixed prescription or known formula [but]... an emerging cluster of new ideas, beliefs, knowledge, theories and practices” (Bolstad et al., 2012, p. 1). It is about promoting various approaches and pedagogies that enable a “knowledge-centred” (Bolstad et al., 2012, p. 1) environment. Children nowadays are constantly being stimulated by the world around them. Except when they’re at school. They’re told to sit down, keep quiet, and listen in order to learn (Robinson, 2011).
In this course I experienced an important change in my beliefs about teaching; I came to understand that there are many different theories and methods that can be tailored to suit the teacher and the needs of the student. The readings, especially those from Lyons, G., Ford, M., & Arthur-Kelly, M. (2011), Groundwater-Smith, S., Ewing, R., & Le Cornu, R. (2007), and Whitton, D., Barker, K., Nosworthy, M., Sinclair, C., Nanlohy, P. (2010), have helped me to understand this in particular. In composing my essay about teaching methods and other themes, my learning was solidified, my knowledge deepened by my research and my writing skills honed.
In today’s classroom, one would understand that 21st century skills, critical and creative thinking, independent learning are