The 21st Century TeacherThere are essential skills for the Digital

learners that the teacher should consider in giving appropriate activities

and assessments to their learners.

To meet the demands of the Digital Education, the 21st Century Educator should acquire the following characteristics.

1. The Adaptor – The 21st Century Teacher. The 21st Century Educator must be able to adapt curriculum and the requirements to teach to the curriculum to the imaginative ways.

*They must be able to adapt to a dynamic teaching experience.

* As an educator, they must understand and apply different learning styles.

2. The visionary- Imagination, component of adaptability, is a crucial component of the educator of today and tomorrow.

* They must see the potential in the emerging tools and web technologies, grasp, these and manipulate them to serve their needs.

* The visionary teacher can look at others ideas and envisage how they would use these in their class.

3. The Collaborator* Ning, Blogger, Wikispaces, Bebo, MSN,

Myspace, Second life – As an educator we must be able to leverage this collaborative tools to enhance and captivate are learners. We too, must be collaborators; sharing, contributing, adapting and inventing.

4. The Risk taker – how can you as an educator know all these things? How can you teach them how to use them? There are so many, so much to learn.

*A 21st century educator must take risks and some times surrender yourself to the students knowledge.

* Have a vision of what you want and what the technology can achieve, Identify the goals and facilitate the learning.

5. The learner * We expect our student to life long learners. How many schools have the phrase” life long learners” in their mission statements and objectives. We too must continue to absorb new possibilities and experiences.

7. The Model* The digital teacher must model the behaviors that are expected from their students. * The 21st century educator also models reflective practice, whether it’s the quite, personal inspection of their teaching and learning, through reflective practice via blogs, twitter and other medium, this educators look both inwards and outwards.

6. The Communicator* The 21st century teachers are fluent in tools and technologies that enable communication and collaboration. They know how to use different media in communication. It allows students to be able to express their insights and share their thoughts in a topic or any issues that concern them.

These teachers also model a number of other characteristics. These are not necessarily associated with ICT or the curriculum, but are equal importance:

*Tolerance* Acceptance*A wider view than just curricula areas* Global awareness * Reflection

8. The Leader * Leadership, like clear goals and objective is crucial to the success or failure of any project.

Facilitating 21st Century Learning

ICT – is an abbreviation for information and communication technologies.1. Resources

interactive whiteboards Classroom desktop computers Pds of laptops or one to one programs PDA’s, ipods and cellphones Educationally focused software Learning and content management systems Video and audio conferencing Media production facilities Learning spaces for the 21st century

2. Skills - Fall into two categories; Technical and Pedagogical.* Technical skills - the ability as a 21st century teacher to adapt, adopt and modify. * Pedagogical skills – strengths in Pedagogy can and will make up for deficits in technical ability.

3. Curriculum – Integrating curricula that support ICT integration are dynamic. Teachers and students contribute to the development and revision of the learning experience. Teaching drives the technology rather than technology and driving the teaching.

The Digital DivideToday’s learners have not just greatly change from those of the past, nor simply change the way they speak, clothes, or styles, it also happened between generations previously.

3 Major Groups of Digital Immigrants

Avoiders: They tend to have landlines, no cell phone and no email account.

Reluctant adopters:realize technology is a part of today’s world and they try to engage with it, but it feels alien and unintuitive.

Enthusiastic adopters:They maybe high-tech executives, programmers, businesspeople and others who embrace technology and immerse themselves in the internet culture.

3 Major Groups of Digital Natives

Avoiders: Some young people, even though they were born digital, do not feel an affinity for digital technologies and, unlike most of their peers, they are not enamored by facebook, texting or mobile technologies.

Minimalists:Realize that the technology is a part of today’s world, and they try to engage with it minimally and only when they perceive it is necessary.

Enthusiastic participants:They enjoy the thrive on technology and gadgets.

Categories According to a Person’s Relationship to Technology

Avoider:The Luddites are true avoiders of modern technologies. They use landlines and avoid email and the internet.

Minimalist:Members of this group use technology reluctantly.

Tourists:These are the people who feel like visitors in the digital world.

Enthusiastic or Eager Adopter:This group has fun with technology. They enjoy the latest iphone and talk about its features; the ipad is fascinating even if they don’t have one.

Innovator:Members of this group are not only enthusiastic, they work with the technology to improve it.

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