Journal #4 "Create, Colaborate, Communicate..." by Chris Riedel (NETS 5)

Donna Twardy
February 19, 2009
Journal #4 “Create, Collaborate, Communicate: Empowering Students with 21st Century Skills by Chris Riedel

Chris Riedel, "Create, Collaborate, Communicate: Empowering Students With 21st Century Skills," T.H.E. Journal, 1/27/2009, http://www.thejournal.com/articles/23872

This article was about how education needs to focus more on engaging students in technology. “According to a study that ranked 55 industry sectors by their level of IT intensiveness, "education ranked 55 ... below coal mining." The article says that employers want candidates that are competent in creative problem solving, possess critical thinking and analytical skills, and who use information gathering skills. Our schools need to embrace the robust skills that students use in their everyday lives and allow them to integrate them into the classroom curriculum. The article explains educators are doing them a disservice by not doing so.
The article goes on to give sixteen things educators need to do to prepare students to become the emerging leaders of the future. These include: Hug a geek, create a social network, develop problem solving skills, start collaborating, use project based learning, develop information processing skills, give kids a global voice, discover RSS, improve critical thinking skills, discover social bookmarking, use interactive video conferencing, integrate web 2.0 into curriculum, promote 1; 1 computing, and focus on staff development.
1. How could you promote collaboration in your classroom using one of the tools mentioned in the article?
I could use Google Docs in the classroom for student to collaboratively work on a group project. This would allow them to work together at school and from home and help to edit each other’s work. This would work well for students who may not have computers at home since they can access Google Docs at the public library. I would also use real life project based learning so that students have those skills when entering the workplace.
2. Why is it important to prepare student to use technology in the workplace?
Today’s workplace is fast paced and students need to have the adaptability and willingness to change along with it. It is not like in the 1950’s when a person would get a job and retire after thirty years. People today may have four or more careers throughout their lifetime. We need to prepare the future leaders to be productive and marketable additions to the workplace.