Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Redefining the 21st Century Learner
Redefining the 21st Century Learner
Earlier today, I was asked to demonstrate my understanding of the term 21st Century Learner. I was pleasantly surprised by the question and found myself mentally reviewing a few of the conversations Id had with colleagues in recent days.
The term may have been adopted to spur educators to consider the relevance of learning experiences being offered to students; to embrace emerging tools in the classroom; and to inspire an evolution in our practice. Now that its 2010, and were well into the new millennium, my observations are that the term has failed to engage a majority of educators in critical reflection of their own teaching practice.
By the time I was finished critiquing the term, I was faced with a follow-up question: What term would you use in place of 21st Century Learner?
In considering a more apt term to represent todays school-aged learners, I put forth the term refugees. I went on to explain that I see students every day, who have to unplug, disconnect, and go solo in a world whose terrain is foreign to the way they regularly interact. Rather than interact via mobile devices tethered by invisible signals, most of todays students have to wait for teacher permission to communicate, and even then, can only network with students in the same room. In many ways, its like being forced to speak a unique language while being contained in a foreign land. What they wouldnt give, to have the freedom to return to their home country!How would you have responded?
Have you grown tired of the term 21st Century Learner?
Do terms like Digital Native and Digital Immigrant now strike you as failed attempts to categorize youth and their not-quite-so-techy parents and teachers?
Do you have an apt metaphor for todays learners in todays schools?
Do you see todays learners as Time Travelers, LOST passengers, bats without radar, or something different?
The audio version of this story is available as todays episode on The Clever Sheep Podcast.
Image Credit: Alex Mickla
