While we realize that there’s a lot of technology for helping kids of all ages learn, we might sometimes forget that there are also tools to help students who learn in different ways. When it comes to school children with learning differences, EdTech tools can help them learn in the same ways they help the average kid learn—grabbing their attention with hands-on challenges.
In the 21st century, those who are most successful are always thinking at least one—sometimes two, three, or four steps ahead. Why? Because they have to. No longer can the most successful workers and students get by on basic skills. The times have changed and now essentially require them to have increasingly innovative skill sets just to survive.
For decades, literacy has been considered the absolute most fundamental skill any person could have. With the emergence of the automated era and the now complete commonality of technology tools, the necessary skill has changed from literacy to digital literacy. People need to know technology—how it works, what they can do with it, and how to maximize efficiency.
Every student has different skill sets, different strong points, and, as we all know, also varied weaknesses. Some learn more quickly and might prefer visual lessons, while others require hands-on experience and maybe more than one attempt to master a concept. Luckily, in the 21st century, there is plenty of technology to help close this gap and level the playing field.
As Tom Brady looks to win his fifth Super Bowl ring on Sunday in Houston (and who doesn’t want that?), it’s one of the biggest weekends of the year for sports fans. Not to diminish the rest of the calendar, but it’s also big for 21st century education fans. As schools near their 100th day celebrations, we’re also looking towards next year as well and planning STEM projects.
You have your teachers. You have your administrators. And, you have your aides. Now, there’s yet another profession that’s come to life in lots of 21st century schools and it’s becoming one that seems to soon be fully present across the board. We’re talking about EdTech specialists and instructional technologists, who help educators integrate tech tools more effectively.
In 21st century education, 3D printing is an extremely valuable endeavor, offering students in almost any grade a truly unique learning opportunity that combines creative design, innovative technology, and collaborative experiences. Contrary to popular opinion, 3D printing is affordable and effective and here are some of the best educational 3D printers.
We have a feeling that 2017 is going to be a good one for education, technology, and the pair’s relationship. With that being said, it’s not too early to take a look at what lies ahead for EdTech this coming year. The trends and tendencies are popping up everywhere and include things like virtual reality, coding, collaboration, and, yes, more makerspaces.
So much of 21st century education often involves getting your students to unleash the creativity they did not even know they had. The challenge is getting them to access it on a daily basis. The solution might be to have them collaborate—daily, nightly, or pretty much whenever possible. Two heads are better than one and collaboration is a crucial 21st century skill.
In 21st century education, teachers try to prepare students for a world with technology, hands-on work, and the unknown. Most teachers know about the importance of equipping students with the hard and soft skills they will need in the “real world” and it’s usually their lack of strong resources—not their quality of instruction—that interferes with this challenging process.
