You can only begin to imagine where technology will take the 21st century learner! Teachers are merely touching the edges of potentially life-changing teaching tools that technology can provide. Technology not only connects learners with diverse global communities, but can access multitudes of information on a global scale at ones’ finger tips in an instant. With this in mind, many changes lie just around the corner for students, teachers and schools.
When considering the following statistics and predictions described by Fischer (2009), it is evident the world is changing at a very rapid rate, for instance:
• “The top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010 did not exist in 1994
• We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet
• The number of internet devises in 1984 was 1,000; 1992 was 1,000,000; and 2008 was 1,000,000,000
• The amount of technical information is doubling every 2 years
• It is predicted by 2013, a super-computer will be built that exceeds the computational capabilities of the human brain, and that by 2049 a $1,000 computer will exceed the computational capabilities of the entire human species!“
These statistics and predictions are not only mind-blowing, but give a good indication of the complex skills and knowledge the 21st century learner will require.
The 21st century classroom will evolve into a virtual learning environment where students will carry around their own personal technological learning devices. The teaching and learning about technology will shift to teaching and learning through technology, where teachers will require complex skills and knowledge of an extensive range of Information and Communications Technology (“ICT”) tools to assist student learning. To accomplish this, teachers will need to commit to ongoing professional knowledge, practice, relationships and values and be constantly aware of the transformative role of technology (Queensland Government. Department of Education and Training, 2010a).
Government Educational Authorities, such as Queensland’s Department of Education and Training, are already attempting to make ICT integral to learning and not just to be looked upon as an ‘add on’. Teachers are not only encouraged, but expected to gain the skills and confidence needed to move students forward in their technological skills. On-line support, such as the SMART Classroom’s Framework, is assisting teachers to bridge the gap from just having the skills and confidence to move students forward, to having the skills and confidence to move through the technological learning journey with the students (Queensland Government. Department of Education and Training, 2010b).
Teaching methods will need to adapt to this innovative style of learning. Students will spend a majority of their learning time directly related to technological equipment, which will see the teacher becoming a mentor and facilitator (Pryce, n.d.) rather than one who delivers the pedagogy in a “transmissional instructivist standalone manner” (Queensland Government. Department of Education and Training, 2010a). Learning through technological equipment will include personal reflection and feedback using blogs, collaborative knowledge building processes using wikis, making connections through social networking, expressing creativity through multimedia and personal connections through VoIP, such as Skype (Hall, 2009).
When considering the above innovative style of learning, teachers will need the skills and knowledge to complement their understanding of how a digital learner learns. This new way of accessing information and gaining knowledge, creates interactive and interpersonal applications through digital technology which can shape “the social and cognitive development of those who use them” (Shumar and Renninger, 2002 as cited in Sontag, 2009). Through exposure to the internet and other digital media, students are able to develop multimedia or information literacy through discovery or experiential learning, which as described by Sontag (2009), influences students’ learning through technology and creates social- and cognitive-connectedness. Development of social and cognitive skills through technological experience can provide a student with digital wisdom needed to cope with “an unimaginable complex future” (Prensky, 2009, p.1).
Teachers will be able to support students in this transformative style of learning through adapting current learning theories such as, Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of development. This theory emphasises that when students have the opportunity of doing and being involved in meaningful activities with more knowledgeable people, their learning potential is increased. A teacher can apply Vygotsky’s theory by providing the instructional scaffolding needed by the student when learning and understanding new technological concepts (Eggan & Kauchak, 2010). Further, social interaction, as seen by Piaget (1970, 1977 as cited by Eggan & Kauchak, 2010), creates a mechanism where the equilibrium is disrupted, and cognitive development occurs due to schemes being adapted through accommodation and assimilation. Cognitive development is therefore further enhanced, when students are able to create links between external society-based activities into their internal cognitive processes, otherwise known as ‘internalisation’ (Eggan & Kauchak, 2010).
When considering the social-connectedness opportunities apparent through technology, such as the ability and desire to connect socially with others, affords students considerable learning opportunities where various learning theories are applied. Further, students will develop new schemes through judgments of independent exploration of digital resources, where information is instantly available and the connections between different pieces of information are clearly visible. Piaget (1952, 1959, 1980 as cited in Eggan & Kauchak, 2010) believes this cognitive-connectedness presents an understanding of an experience and assists in achieving equilibrium.
Not only do the above cognitive learning opportunities offer students the chance of gaining digital wisdom through independent exploration of digital resources, but also collaborative situations become apparent where students are able to learn as a result of observing others (Eggan & Kauchak, 2010). This method of learning supports Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory, where learning takes place as a result of observing others, such as through wikis (Eggan & Kauchak, 2010). In addition, Eggan & Kauchak (2010) explain that B.F. Skinner’s learning theory further supports the learning opportunities where shared knowledge through a stimuli, such as various modes of technology, can influence a behaviour and the probability of that behaviour recurring is likely, also known as operant conditioning.
Teachers not only need to foster certain learning theories in achieving a positive learning environment for 2010 and beyond, but must also ensure students are well-equipped with the expected ethical behaviours when participating in technological activities. As discussed by Rikowski (2006), making moral decisions, when no personal face-to-face contact is present and where repercussions may occur due to inappropriate actions and issues, such as plagiarism, piracy and confidentiality, must be considered. Technological practices have the potential to expose unethical practices and students will require the proper guidance, through the implementation of rules and procedures, in adhering to various codes of ethical practice, otherwise known as ‘netiquette’ (Rikowski, 2006).
As described by Pryce (n.d.), through networking and sharing of information, an effective digital learner will gain “the attributes of a lifelong learner; become a knowledgeable person with deep understanding, a complex thinker, a creative person, an active investigator, an effective communicator, a participant in an interdependent world and a reflective and self-directed learner” (Queensland Government. Department of Education and Training, 2010a, p.10).
Further, Queensland Government, Department of Education and Training (2010a), predict that students who are afforded opportunities of becoming proficient digital learners, will gain knowledge and skills which are broad and complex. Effective digital pedagogy has the potential to support and transform teaching. Schools and teachers have already commenced adopting new ways of working and learning with technology. By sustaining collaborative learning environments, which support the social-connectedness required for the digital learner, as well as enhancing the cognitive-connectedness by providing rich, diverse and flexible learning experiences through technology will ultimately profit effective technological teaching in the year 2010 and beyond.
