Integration Issues for 21st Century Teachers

In her article, Susan Brooks-Young stated that most teachers are digital immigrants, over the age of thirty and not born into the digital world. As such, they tend to restrict students' use of technology, creating a major barrier to effective integration of technology in classrooms.

Students are digital natives and are accustomed to doing several things at once. Because teachers are digital immigrants, they tend to be linear in their approach to work. Consequently, they discourage multi-tasking by students and attempt to change this behavior. As a result, the teaching style is in direct conflict with the learning style of students.

As administrators and educators, we can no longer allow the use of technology to be optional in the classroom. Because students use technology on a daily basis when not in school, we must find ways to integrate technology in today's classrooms. Teachers must become proficient in 21st century skills while expecting students to go beyond the basic skills and learn more advanced technology skills.

Classrooms in most of our schools address the six key elements for fostering 21st century learning. These elements are emphasize core subjects, emphasize learning skills, use 21st century tools to develop learning skills, teach and learn in a 21st century context, teach and learn 21st century content, and use 21st century assessments that measure 21st century skills. These elements can be found in the three stages outlined in Milestones for Improving Learning and Education (MILE) Guide for 21st Century Skills. The stages are early, transitional, and 21st century. Consequently, we find ourselves at different stages of teaching and learning using the MILE Guide.

We can compare and contrast school system methods in all the key elements. For example, all of our schools teach the core subjects in the early stage as required in state policy and NCLB legislation. However, most do not incorporate relevant examples, applications and settings to be in the 21st century stage. We find ourselves in the same stage with reference to the key element of emphasizing learning skills. Further, teaching and learning in a 21st century context is in the transitional stage. To be at this level requires that instruction include a significant amount of content in a contemporary context.

In November 2001, the Technology Standards for School Administrators Collaborative released the final draft of the Technology Standards for School Administrators (TSSA). At the same time, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) released the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A).

The actual standards and performance indicators in TSSA and NETS-A are identical. They identify knowledge and skills that constitute the "core" or what every school administrator needs regardless of role. In addition, they extend the core to specific needs for administrators in three areas. The areas are superintendents/central office executive staff, district program leaders, and principals/assistants.

These standards are indicators of effective leadership for technology. The link for ISTE is www.iste.org.