Investigate 21st Century communication skills. Describe the use and the necessity of those skills. How will you assist your learners in attaining those skills?
Let's face it, school is MUCH different from when I was in school. BUT in a good way. No, really, a GREAT way! Digital technology has come leaps and bounds since I was in school and allows both students and teachers limitless resources! I mean, just look at this blog! Blogging isn't new but wasn't really around when I was in school and now blogs are used all over the internet. From mommy blogs, photography blogs, teacher blogs, etc. There is a wealth of information out there that is literally at your fingertips! You can seek out first hand experience from other teachers and their lesson plans. It's truly amazing all that you can learn and find! Pinterest, anyone!? What an amazing tool for teachers, cooks, crafters, DIY projects, and so much more.
There are a lot of ways the 21st century effects our communication skills and I've come up with what I believe are the top 5 and how I will assist my learners in attaining these skills so that they can be successful in the world outside of my classroom.
EMAIL COMMUNICATION
Our main form of communication use to be by phone (landlines) and now we're all using our cell phones to access email, text, social media and more. It's funny, we've become so accustom to these fast methods of communication without actually CONNECTING to a human being since it's all through electronics that we don't like to answer the phone anymore. Email communication is a tool that is necessary in the real world. You MUST have an email. You must check it often and it's helpful if you know how to organize your email folders.
In order to help my students learn about email, I will have them all create their own email addresses (if the school system allows, we can create one using the school email address for each student). I can then show them how to write an email, send an email, archive an email, save it to a folder (and how to create a folder), etc. This is such a simple and mundane task for us adults now but it is something that needs to be learned.
VIDEO COMMUNICATION
Video communication is another technology that is utilized in board rooms all across the world. FaceTime, Skype, etc. are all great ways to have meetings "face to face" with people in other cities or even countries!
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A great and fun way to utilize a technology like Skype in the classroom is to have Pen Pals in another city or country. You could carry the writing lessons into the traditional pen pal system by writing the pen pal letters but you could end the lesson with having each class Skype each other! It's such a fun way to teach them the technology as well as put a face to the person they have been writing to!
TYPING SKILLS
I think that this skill is so often overlooked. Typing skills, I believe, are very important. If it takes you a long time just to type a paragraph, you're going to have a really difficult time in college when you are required to type out pages and pages of work.
I remember my mom starting me on a typing program when I was, I think, about 8 or so and I'm SO grateful. I can type relatively fast; faster than most people I know and I don't look at the keyboard when I'm typing either. It's a skill that has helped me immensely, in both school and in business.
In order to help my students master this skill, we will work on typing in the classroom. This can be practiced in general, just to work on the skills (like in the Mavis Beacon typing program) or when doing other work in the classroom (such as working/typing in email).
PUBLIC SPEAKING
This is a skill that I think has always been important. Being able to speak in public is an important skill that often times is required of corporate leaders. It is a skill that many struggle with. They struggle with nerves, shaking, stuttering, forgetfulness and more. It takes practice and with more practice, the more confidence one has, I believe.
This is a skill that I utilize in my classroom often. We have sharing days and those sharing days require each individual student to speak in front of the class. We have projects which require speaking to the class about their findings, etc. This is a skill that is practiced constantly throughout the school year.
COLLABORATION
This is another skill, like public speaking, that I believe has always been important. As a student, an adult, a coworker, an executive, as a spouse, as a person, we all have to be able to work together. You must be able to work collaboratively...it is what will lead to success in both work and relationships.
In order to teach my students this very important life skill, students will work together collaboratively very often, in all content areas. It's something they will be accustom to as it will be done often.
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