Exemplary Practices 2008

Teaching in the 21st Century

When the PMA Winners for Teaching Excellence were brought to Ottawa in May 2008, it wasn't only to receive their well-deserved awards, they were brought there to work, to share information and complete hands-on tasks.

First, all recipients were asked to make a short presentation on an area of teaching that represented a specific passion. The feature articles are based on those presentations. Next, they participated in a visioning exercise in which they were asked to create the ideal school environment for the 21st century.

Prior to their arrival in Ottawa, Ontario the PMA recipients were asked, "How would you instill a love of learning in the 21st century?"

The answers recipients put forward covered everything from what schools in the future should look like to the tools used and curriculum taught.

Physical space in the 21st century needs to be versatile, flexible and modular with a lot of natural light and calming colours. The space should accommodate team teaching and different sized groups. Some recipients envisioned a community-based K-12 school that included pods for a high school, an elementary school and a daycare. This school also included common areas where staff and students could meet, mingle and share ideas and information.

21st century schools are environmentally friendly, energy efficient and make good use of outdoor space incorporating a food garden, a natural garden and a space or sense garden. The food garden would supply the cafeteria and technologies like geo-thermal heating would supply the school's energy needs. Exhibit space and galleries are an important feature where student work is displayed acknowledging that public recognition is important.

Technology will be ubiquitous in the 21st century but it shouldn't replace one-on-one teacher-student interaction - rather, it should enhance it. Anytime, anywhere learning will be key, featuring a wireless Internet network accessible from everywhere in the facility. One-to-one tools for students and wireless devices for teacher use such as projectors, Whiteboards and Tablet PCs are common. 21st century learning embraces a school without walls focusing on collaborative projects with educators and schools from around the world using tools like Skype, Webcams and simultaneous Webcasts.

The 21st century teaching and learning schedule incorporates theme weeks or days such as a Language or Environment day. Teachers will have ample release time so they may collaborate, plan and share ideas with colleagues, implement community service projects, business partnerships and focus on meaningful assessment and evaluation of student work. Changing up a school schedule might be messy and disruptive, but ultimately, it would be extremely rewarding.

21st century learning demands openness and flexibility. As one teacher team quipped, "One of the ideas we came up with for the ideal 21st century school was a stone bench outside the Parthenon where absolutely nothing is cast in stone…except the bench."

How Can We Meet the Needs of 21st Century Teaching and Learning?

"Teaching should focus on developing critical and creative thinking skills. We really do not know what the world will be like in 5 years let alone 20 or 50 years. I think having a stronger emphasis on the arts and design will help develop a more balanced, creative, and innovative child who is better prepared to deal with this unknown future. Art and design should be emphasized at the same level of importance as science and math." — Murray Bulger

Teachers need to teach with technology and not the technology itself. 21st century learners are not wired like traditional students. This is the age of thinking not memorizing. We need to change our schools to meets the changing needs of students. Rather than banning cell phones, iPods, lap tops etc. we need to embrace the teachable moments upon us." — Milissa Gavel

"In our rapidly changing, technological society we must keep pace to sustain student engagement. As teachers, we must provide students with the skills to become innovative problem-solvers, to have success in a world that we can't even imagine at this time. We need to incorporate meaningful technology in all subject areas." — Angie Musyj