I’m finding myself more and more frustrated with low hanging fruit. Often, this notion is met with the counterargument about getting started, entry points, adoption cycles, and the ultimate insult to our students and schools, “well, at least they are doing something”.
Recently, I decided to listen to a webinar on examples of 21st Century skills in action. I entered curious to hear examples that show how mindsets about teaching and learning are changing for the better.
I left frustrated and disappointed that these are the examples being held as transformative, even revolutionary, approaches to the classroom that will bring about real reform: voicethread to answer worksheet questions, Flips to record student responses, and just move anything we do to a digital form.
There is little talk about shifting mindsets. There is little interest in rethinking what is possible. There is little effort in exploring learning spaces as multi-dimensional.
Instead, we are talked at about the greatness of technology just because we (students and teachers) can use a tool, just because it is digital, just because we can say our teachers are using technology. In other words, we retrofit our practices and accept this low-hanging fruit, “goals which are easily achievable and which do not require a lot of effort” as the Urban Dictionary says.
For those immersed in this world, there is surely plenty of opposition to my take but let’s think about those not nearly as involved in the educational technology community: what do administrators not convinced about the transformative power of technology think when they hear such models? what do new teachers think about the standards of excellence being showcased? what do veteran teachers with excellent analog classrooms think when they consider the time and effort it takes only to get results such as this?
References
Low Hanging Fruit Image by Sam Pullara
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I agree with you. In fact, there was a discussion about this over at http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/. I have also talked about 21st Century skills in my blog, http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/.
I feel that 21st century education is more student centered. Students are given a task and then work on it, with the teacher as coach and resource. Project Based Learning is a great way to incorporate this. I am an aerospace engineer and worked as an engineer for 10 years before becoming an educator. I try to have my students do things like I did at work. I try to show them that they will have to be able to find things out for themselves. That they will have to be able to work together as a team and solve problems. I also talk to them about new business trends, world events, and new technologies. I also talk to them about new businesses that are being created.
We can never prepare our students for every specific new thing out there. But, we can give them the skills to be able to adapt to new things. Teach them how to think and solve problems, teach them how to communicate and work together, teach them how to do research and self-teach themselves, and encourage their creativity.
Educational technology tools can help us teach students, but they do not automatically make it 21st century education. We can use technology to do things differently (PowerPoint vs. writing on the board), or to do different things (virtual lab or field trip). Instead of the old dioramas and posters, students can create blogs, videos and web sites. Technology can help students explore things and share their work with others.
Technology can also be used to address multiple intelligences. Instead of just written words, students can see videos, sounds, pictures, and interactive demonstrations. Text-to-speech systems can help ELL and struggling students. Technology is also more interesting to students. My students would rather do online, interactive problems than work problems on paper. Same skills learned, but in a different way.
When I think of 21st and 22nd century skills, I think of being able to utilize new technologies and work in new paradigms. However, I see too many educational types using 21st Century skills to mean: project based learning, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving. These are things that I was doing as a student many years ago.
For me, I see us needing to teach students how to think critically and solve problems, learn on their own, and be creative and adaptable. We should use new technologies and show them how the world is changing so that they can adapt to new things. We can’t prepare them for every specific future job or thing, but we can give them base skills that will help them be prepared for anything.
I think we need to really define 21st Century Skills better so that this kind of confusion doesn’t keep happening. Too many people think 21st century skills and 21st century education just means using technology. It is much more than that.
Hi David:
Thanks for the thoughtful commentary and links to the other blogs of interest.
There are surely technologies that enhance our ability to accomplish research-based strategies. This is of vital importance and highlights the focus on strategies. For instance, you mention multiple-intelligences. The foundational ideas and notions underlying this belief system can be enhanced through technologies. These are important and potential ways to finally see these realized in all classrooms.
This leads to an important question around a key idea: the knowing-doing gap. If we know what will lead to an effective learning environment, what is preventing us from doing just that? Should schools focus on ensuring that the body of research surrounding teaching, learning, and leading is actually happening in every classroom, for every member of the community, and at all times?
Would this not make it clear the role of technology as a strategy, tool, and foundational piece?
I don’t care much for the debate over the use of the term 21st Century skills. I see it as a context for discussion to explore those items you state you were doing many years ago. I care about how the context for such skills, habits, and values have potentially shifted and what exactly does each of those things mean when placed in the current social phenomenon.
Some will argue that we don’t know what the future holds which has validity. However, I can start to ground what needs to take place now to ensure the students of today are better prepared for tomorrow than if I continued as we are now. I also know that this is the power of the rapid change we find ourselves immersed — we can no longer fear change and set processes and timetables that slow down the evolution of curriculum, instruction, programs, and growth.
As you said, it is time to ensure that the notion of a 21st Century learning environment is not an argument for technology. It should be an argument for the learning environment that all students, teachers, support staff, and administrators deserve.
Have you identified some work that you can point to as better examples? I appreciate some links to some positive examples here as I know you have them.
What makes a multi-dimensional learning space so innovative or transformative? I am a complete believer in your work here but we can we agree that much of the work put into a multi-dimensional leaning space begins with low hanging fruit as well.
Just curious, where does a project like this fit into your thoughts? monsterproject.wikispaces.com/
Hi Scott:
Good questions — let me see…
Let’s be clear that when I reference multi-dimensional learning space, as indicated with the hyperlink, I’m not representing a program at my school. The very notion of a multi-dimensional learning space is far beyond our school. In fact, the ideas and mindsets that lay at the foundation of such thinking is a mash-up of many ideas with only the questions we ask and the discussions had being true to us.
Do I think the ultimate notion of a multi-dimensional learning space is transformative? Yep, if we shift our mindsets and rethink what it means to teach, learn, lead, and be well-educated. If not, it reads like a program and serves to placate the masses but does little for the learning community. In fact, I’ll speak honestly and say (boy, my glass is nearly empty) I’m really not sure it is possible. Each and every way I look at education, I see a Giant Hairball (great book) that is a tangled mess for which I don’t know how we’ll come to see a new day.
If we are speaking specifically of what I’ve discussed at our school and your notion that it is low hanging fruit, I would agree and disagree. If the end is our present state, you would be correct — it would be low hanging fruit. However, this immense amount of foundational work isn’t the vision or the point of excitement nor are they being held up as the model or stellar examples of teaching and learning today.
Don’t get me wrong. I may discuss these when addressing a broader direction, organizational readiness, change theory, professional development, etc. but never as an example of the transformative power of technology. I would never broadcast this as examples of 21st Century Skills at work.
As for direct examples, I could dig through my bookmarks as I know I’ve seen some but I don’t have any off the top of my head. With that said, I know there are some if not many out there. There are teachers doing amazing things that I have missed along my journey.
Which I guess leads to your example. I haven’t looked at it but I will. In fact, I’d love to discuss it with you — a conversation that is probably better served off-line.
I hope this makes sense — trying to get some thoughts out before the start of class. If it doesn’t, fill in the blanks of confusion with good ideas and I’ll claim that is what I meant hahaha