What Will Teaching in the 21st Century be Like?

What will it be like? To be honest, anything is better than the 90 plus percent of the current atypical classroom teachers. For an exaggeration, Professor Dancealot is a great video that unfortunately can seem more on target than many college students would like; take a look and see for yourselves....


Once seen it is easy to ascertain why this style of teaching is never functional or enjoyable. Regurgitating facts out loud to students who can read the same information on the powerpoint is laughable. “Teaching” something that obviously needs direct, teacher to student interaction without any form of actual class involvement is preposterous. However, this is and has been a formula for teaching for a long time now. Besides school already being expensive, school has become monotonous and boring. Tests are just a tool students use to throw down facts that they learned the night before and forget the next day. After all, college is about the destination now; not the journey. Most are here for the degree, not for the education. In part, this has become the normal way of life because the learning has become a chore instead of a desire. Teachers from preschool to college professors, all have the ability to create passion for learning in their students, but most never put forth the effort to find that perfect teaching path. Like an old shoe that stinks, but feels comfortable so people still keep and wear them, many teachers never change their teaching styles after years of doing the same routine over and over and over.

I completely agree with Colin’s statements about Professor Dancelot. Unfortunately, not all teachers put in as much effort as others. I do think that technology is a wonderful thing to use in the classroom, but it should not bet the main source. We still need physical activity in the education world. Computers, video games, ipads and all types of technological resources can brainwash a person. It is great to know technology, but one should also know resources outside technology. Professor Dancelot only used notes and powerpoints as his resources for teaching. He should have involved his students and had them dancing in the classroom! If he would have involved his students, the majority of his students would not have been so confused by the time of the final exam.


The Networked Student Video by Wendy Drexler, Reviewed by Colin Richard

The video, is about a 21st century high school student studying American Psycology. Most of his work is done online and he does not even have a book. He uses the internet to begin an intricate trail of information that will expand his potential fact base and without much puch, automatically go into an expanded question and answer switchboard of which this student will cherry pick wonderful facts from peers and the best professors in the world. The teacher is therefore used merely as a backup if the students gets stuck and as a motivator and cheerleader when the student does well.
I found this video to be well done in its presentation, but lacking in actual thought. As with most arguments for something new and different, one must take everything into consideration. This is not the case in this particular argument.
To begin with, towards the end of the video, the question is presented as to why we even need a teacher since basically all the students information has come from his own determination through resourceful internet scavenging. The answer would put teachers out of a job. It would close schools down. We need teachers to teach. Also, each subject has to be different in nature as to how it can be taught. One can not just have a round idea and fit it into every shaped cog out there.
The video also tells of how the student will be networked into the greatest professors in the world, yet if this form of teaching evolves, where would these great minds be teaching. The very definition of evolution dictates that the species must adapt or die. Well, in this case, would professors die out. Would they lose their desires to be the teacher to the student. Maybe they have passion for seeing kids grow because of their influence. After all, every child is not a genius. Every child is not from a perfect parenting background. Every child can not be placed out of sight, and almost out of mind.
Now, there can be modifications in order to incorporate this video’s principal idea, but let’s not put the cart before the horse. The twentieth century is here. That does mean the internet, computers and tablets are here to stay (for the moment), so let’s move toward the future with eyes wide open for everyone.


Harness Your Students’ Digital Smarts By: Vicki Davis, Reviewed by Stephanie Aldridge
This video shows a great preview of how teaching will be like in the 21st Century. She makes students think and doesn’t always just give them the answers. The phrase “never tell, always ask” we discussed in class on Wednesday is a perfect example of this video. She will use new vocabulary in class on purpose, so the students will have to look them up to know what they mean. This requires the students to use what they have learned to find out new information. I think this is extremely useful and important, especially for our future students.
At one point in the video, the students actually teach her something new. She made a great point when she said that teachers do not have to know everything before they go in the classroom, they just have to have a place to start. Letting students teach each other creates a positive and intriguing atmosphere in the classroom. The fact that students can teach the teacher is not only an ego boost for the students, but motivates them to research more into the things that they are learning.
Overall, I think there are bigger and better things coming for the 21st century classroom. Some teachers are already on the right track and unfortunately, some are stuck in their ways. This class alone has shown me how much the technological world is growing and changing on a day to day basis. Teaching in the 21st century is guaranteed to be mainly technology based, I just hope they don’t completely rely on technology alone. On Sep 1, 2013, at 11:57 PM, Stephanie Aldridge wrote: