The Role of Educational Technology in the 21st Century

It is an instruction that can make an ordinary person capable of superior performance and a means, either printed or
electronic, to distribute that instruction. It includes:
- improvement of teaching and learning
- facilitation of learning and teaching of disabled children
- consolidation of the teaching process
- exposure of teachers and learners to the recent educational technology and enhancement chances of employment
- linkage of theory to reality
- establishment of technology in administration of schools
Our world is changing, and in order to prepare our children for this new world we need to change the way we educate
them. In the 21st century educators must create a curriculum that will help students connect with the world and understand the
issues that our world faces.
Schools in the 21st century will become nerve centers, a place for teachers and students to connect with those around
them and their community. Teachers in this new environment will become less instructors and more orchestrators of information,
giving children the ability to turn knowledge into wisdom.
In order to educate in the 21st century, teachers and administrators need to cultivate and maintain the student's interest
in the material by showing how this knowledge applies in the real world. They must also try to increase their student's curiosity,
which will help them become lifelong learners. Next they should be flexible with how they teach and give learners the resources to
continue learning outside of school.
There are many skills that children will need in order to be successful in the 21st century. Here are a few of the most
important 21st century skills:
Ability to collaborate, work in teams
Critical thinking skills
Oral presentation skills
Written communication skills
Ability to use technology
Willingness to examine civic and global issues
Ability to conduct research to learn about issues and concepts
Chance to learn about new career opportunities
In the ideal 21st century classroom, kids are actually excited about going to school, and there are little or no discipline
problems because everyone is eager to learn. In this type of classroom activities and lessons are related to the community, whether
local or global. Students collaborate with people from different schools and different countries to learn about issues that affect us
all, as well as how we can solve them today and in the future.
The curriculum in the classroom is designed to incorporate many skills and intelligence levels, and makes use of
technology and multimedia. The lessons are not based on textbooks, instead they are project based. Skills and content are learned
through their research and projects, and textbooks are provided as one of many possible resources.
A new addition to 21st century curriculum is the study of green education and environmental issues. Kids are taught
awareness of their world and real experts such as scientist and politicians are brought in to answer student's questions. New
schools in the 21st century will be bright and spacious, and kids will have room for group projects and individual assignments. Walls
will be hung with student work, and there will be places for students to put on performances for their parents and members of the
community. Students have full access to technology and, if possible, every student will have a laptop.
Within the school there will be labs and learning centers, as well as studios for art, music, theatre, and so on. Each
classroom will be equipped with a television so that all students can watch school productions and other school presentations.
While it may take some time before schools and teachers are equipped to properly educate in the 21st century once they are the
results will be dramatic. Children will be engaged and eager to learn. In fact, they will carry on learning at home and over holidays,
and they will have the resources they need to keep learning no matter where they are. This ability to foster a love of learning is truly
the role of education in the 21st century.
The evolved 21st century classroom is a productive environment in which students can develop the skills they will require in the
workplace and teachers are facilitators of their learning. The focus of a 21st century classroom is on students experiencing the
environment they will enter as modern day workers and developing their higher order thinking skills, effective communication skills,
collaboration skills, making them adept with using technology and all other skills that they will need in the 21st century workplace.
The educational practices of the traditional classroom are no longer effective and teachers must develop new teaching
strategies that are radically different from those employed in the traditional classrooms. The modern day classroom should be more
centered on students and teachers should take the role of facilitators and guides instead of being mere providers of knowledge.
They must ensure that they engage their students in learning and provide effective instruction using a variety of instructional
methods and following different pedagogical approaches aided with technology. They should be active participants in their own
learning and must seek out professional development to improve their performance and their students learning.
A 21st century classroom has many characteristics associated with it which distinguish it from the classrooms of the past
centuries. The top 10 characteristics of a 21st century classroom are:
Student-centric: In these classrooms, students play an active role in their learning and teachers serve as mere guides.
They are more facilitators of learning than lecturers. They help students think critically and learn by doing and act as a resource
while their students discover and master new concepts. Student-centric classroom environments put students interests first and
are focused on each students needs, abilities and learning styles.
Computing devices: Computers are readily available in modern classrooms, since they are essential tools for 21st century
students and replace the utilities of pen and paper. They not only give students the means to conduct online research and master
the technology skills they need, but they also give teachers the opportunity to enhance their lessons. The ability to deftly operate a
computer is a critical 21st century skill. Computing devices greatly assist in teaching and learning and make them more engaging
and effective.
Active learning: In modern classrooms, students are actively engaged in what they learn. Students participate in more
active learning by working in groups or on computers and complete projects and other interesting activities that help them discover
new skills. Students can learn actively by talking and listening, writing, reading and reflecting. When students are encouraged to
take an active interest in learning, they are more likely to retain the knowledge theyve accumulated.
Adaptive learning: Any classroom will always have students of different types of learning abilities in it which often makes
it difficult for teachers to make sure that all of them understand the concepts. The modern approach of adaptive learning gives
students the freedom to learn at their own pace and in the way they are most comfortable with. There are various kinds of software
available for adaptive learning that teachers can use to enhance the learning of their students.
Invitational environment: The classrooms should not be cramped or overcrowded. Modern classrooms should have the
basic material required for teaching such as, interactive whiteboards and DLP. The BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device) approach can
be adopted, so that students can bring their laptops or tablets to the classroom for better personalized learning. Teaching with
technological material is more effective, stimulates student engagement, eases the work of teachers and makes it easy for students
to focus on learning.
Students understand and follow the rules and procedures: The learning environment is carefully planned and well-
organized. Class rules, procedures, and notices of upcoming activities are posted in convenient places to help students stay on
track. Students are constantly encouraged to remind them of their goals and responsibilities. They follow class routines and
understand what they are expected to achieve each day and how they are to go about it.
Mutual respect: Teachers and students should always have respect for each other. As now the role of teachers is no
longer to be the sage on the stage, students should not forget their value as they will always receive guidance from them. Also,
teachers should encourage students to speak with confidence and value their opinions. In a well-disciplined environment, students
should also co-operate with and respect their classmates.
Students take responsibility of their learning: As students are encouraged to actively participate in their own learning,
they become responsible for their learning. Self-directed students not only encourage each other, but also work with their teacher
to achieve academic and behavioral goals that they themselves have helped establish. Teachers should employ a variety of
strategies to promote responsible decision-making and create self-reliant students.
Performance-based assessments: Regular performance-based assessments are carried out by teachers through
various methods which are not restricted to tests. These can be by conducting quizzes and polls. Teachers can utilize projects as
well as other products and performances as assessments to determine student achievements and needs. Assessments are tailored
to the abilities and needs of the students.
Collaborative learning: Learning through collaboration is one of the most effective forms of learning. Teaching and
learning in isolation are very restrictive and hinder progress. Learning in groups enhances the scope of learning and develops
critical thinking. Collaborative learning activities include collaborative writing, group projects, joint problem solving, debates and
more. Collaborative learning redefines traditional student-teacher relationship in the classroom.
Technology plays a big role in developing all of these characteristics for modern classrooms. These classrooms enhance
the learning experience and better prepare students for higher education and workforce. Share your views and other characteristics
that you would like to see in your 21st century classrooms.