NCCA Key Skills

The NCCA has developed a framework of five skills identified as central to teaching and learning across the curriculum at senior cycle. The key skills enable students to participate fully in society, including family life, the world of work and lifelong learning. As students develop in each of the key skills they will grow in their knowledge about and skills in learning in general and their own learning in particular.

For more information, go to the NCCA website.

What do "Digital Natives" look like?

Young people today are sometimes described as being "digital natives", a phrase coined by Marc Prensky (Digital native wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_native).

Ever wondered what a digital native looks like or how they behave? This video "A Vision of Students Today" provides an insight into how sudents are using technology and multitasking, even when they are "supposed to be " watching the blackboard. See for yourself....


(Thanks to Brick Meier)

Learning To Change

For months, we have been looking for something which encapsulates what 21st Century Learning is all about. This video "Learning to Change" produced by Pearsons brings together some of the leading advocates in this area. Please watch it:


(Thanks to Cliff Brown)

21st Century Skills for 21st Century Learners

The enGauge 21st Century Skills Report is an essential for anyone interested in learning more about 21st century skills. It clearly outlines what skills students will need to compete in the 21st century.
Download it at:
http://www.ncrel.org/engauge/skills/engauge21st.pdf

The Creativity Question

So are our schools stifling creativity in our children rather than nurturing it? This is a must-see for every parent and teacher. Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining case for creating an education system that nurtures creativity, rather than undermining it.
(Recorded February, 2006 in Monterey, California)

Learning 2.0

It's almost 10 years since we wrote the book "Classroom of the Future - A Guide to using the Internet in Irish Schools ". The Internet has changed radically since then, and we are more excited today about its potential than we were 10 years ago.

With the advent of Web2.0 tools, we need to look at this new potential in the context of 21st Century learning and consider the skills required by our generation to live, learn and work in the 21st century.

Wikipedia on Web2.0: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2