Can you or your children survive in the 21st Century?
Can you or your child survive in the 21st century? Well, if you are a 45 year old mother struggling to get a job because you do not know how to use a computer, or an immigrant that doesn’t understand that you can call your family for free, or a child who cannot complete your homework because you don’t have access to the internet it is time to work towards concepts that will help you in moving forward. In order for your child to survive and thrive in the 21st century they must be equipped with these basic core subjects. Bernie & Charles clearly state that, “reading, writing, and arithmetic necessary but our students have to be globally aware, understand financial literacy, and understand their health. 21st Century learning skills has slightly changed with the rapid advance in technology and increased economic competition. Can you or your child survive in the 21st century?Well, if you are a 45 year old mother struggling to get a job because you do not know how to use a computer, or an immigrant that doesn’t understand that you can call your family for free, or a child who cannot complete your homework because you don’t have access to the internet it is time to work towards concepts that will help you in moving forward. In order for your child to survive and thrive in the 21st century they must be equipped with these basic core subjects. Bernie & Charles clearly state that, “reading, writing, and arithmetic necessary but our students have to be globally aware, understand financial literacy, and understand their health. 21st Century learning skills has slightly changed with the rapid advance in technology and increased economic competition.I know and understand that Dewey, Vygotsky, Bruner, and Papert still have a fundamental understanding of what it takes to learn in formal education but what about the current 21st century learner that has been influenced by digital media? Well according to Beetham & Sharpe, “The multiplicity of learning technologies, beyond the classroom and away from the teacher opens up new territories for education! We should remodel education so that learners can take control of their own learning including, e-learning, self-directed learning, independent learning, and active forms such as collaborative, experimental, inquiry-based, and problem-based as well as be open to the input from the outside world, social media and others.Teachers need our support due to the complexities of this particular design of learning. They are not only grappling with new concepts and ideas, but many struggle with how best organize the mix of learning technologies to support student learning.The Association for Talent Development identified some simple questions to ask yourself on how to effectively evaluate e-learning:
Level of interactivity- interpret the learner engaging in the content and interactivity
Visual impact- if your visuals look bad, the learner has a higher chance to disengage, even if the content has a great message.
Language- Like any learning, clear language is key! Is jargon used that is appropriate for the target audience? Is the tone used in the learning in conjunction with the age of the learners?
Technical functions- Course interface and navigation. Do the buttons take the learner where they're supposed to and function as intended?
Content display and sound- Do the font, text, and images look as intended?
Accessibility. Is the module Section 508 compliant?
Hyperlinks and files- Do the links take the learner to where they're supposed to?
LMS and help- If the online learning connects to your organization's learning management system, is it sharing the data like it's supposed to?
Time- how long does it take a learner to complete the learning?
Cost- If the online learning scores brilliantly in all the above-noted criteria, what if it's too costly to purchase or maintain?
Rankings- The final factor to consider when determining whether an online program is good
Team effort- Get a team together and compare notes using the same criteria
If you are trying to learn about e-Learning make sure you take a look at these popular models:ADDIE model- is the generic process traditionally used by instructional designers and training developers.Dick and Carey Model- (also known as the Systems Approach Model ) All ten steps are connected, and some influence others indirectly while they may influence others directly.ASSURE model- (Instructional Systems Design) process that was modified to be used by teachers in the regular classroom