Course Reflection

Students in our classrooms are coming to us with a wide variety of skills and technological strengths. With these skills our students need to be encouraged to develop them as well as use the information that they have in order to prepare themselves for the twenty-first century work place. Utilizing twenty-first century skills in the classroom allows for students to use technology as well as to present and prepare media to demonstrate learning. With these new literacy skills students are able to take a hands-on approach to learning which in turn teaches them to synthesize and communicate in novel ways.

One of the biggest revelations that I had about the course was the change in thought about literacy. To me literacy always encompassed only reading, comprehending and writing. Looking at literacy from a twenty-first century perspective encompasses so much more than merely reading and writing. When we begin to utilize new literacy skills we are encouraging students to use higher order thinking skills as well as critical thinking and the ability to evaluate and synthesize information across texts. Using inquiry-based projects allows the students to pursue courses of study that they find interesting which in turn motivates the students in ways that traditional teaching may not.

As I continue to move forward in my teaching career I am encouraged to try using inquiry-based projects within my own classroom. One area that I would like to use these types of projects is in science where the students are able to research and create a presentation with which to use to communicate their information. I would also like to become more proficient in presentation media and software. Creating podcasts and movies are something that I would like to teach my students to do in order to present; however, I do not feel comfortable enough yet to teach my students how to use it. It will take some learning from me to make these types of presentations possible.

In the future I would like to continue to learn more about different types of media software. Periodically my district offers professional development to further aid in our knowledge of technology which I would like to continue to pursue. Another way in which I would like to continue to grow is to network with other teachers who use inquiry-based projects in their own classrooms. When teachers are able to share their experiences and materials it offers support as well as someone to problem solve with.

Twenty-first century literacy skills should be an essential part of the curriculum. Using projects which motivate students as well as teach critical thinking are necessary to prepare our students for the ever-expanding global work force. The earlier students learn these types of skills, the better off they will fare in the future.