Assignment:
The term 21st century skills suggests that there is a new set of skills that individuals need to possess to be successful as learners, citizens, and employees in the competitive, global economy. Compare and contrast what the authors identify as twenty-first century skills with what you would identify as twenty-first century skills. Lastly, discuss how these skills fit into the traditional element of schooling that focuses on ensuring that all students develop the basic skills of reading, writing, and mathematics.
For this discussion question response, you are comparing and contrasting what you read about 21st century skills in the course text to your own ideas about 21st century skills. I recommend making a list of what you consider to be 21st century skills. Which ones of these are the same as the ones addressed by Newman (2013)? Which ones did Newman fail to mention that you believe are important? Remember that to compare and contrast something, you are addressing both similarities and differences.
After discussing similarities and differences between your point of view and Newman's point of view, you will discuss how these 21st century skills fit into the traditional element of schooling. How do teachers incorporate these skills while teaching students reading, writing, and mathematics?
While there is not a specific word count required for the initial response to the discussion question, a general rule of thumb is to aim between 200 to 300 words for your initial response. That way, you ensure that you have completed addressed the key ideas at an appropriate level of depth.
Resource Requirement
At a minimum, you need to reference the Teaching & Learning in the 21st Century "Connecting the Dots" by Richard Newman (2013) text; No Excuses University by Damen Lopez. However, you are encouraged to reference other course readings to further enhance your response. Avoid using direct quotes from these sources whenever possible. A best practice is to paraphrase or summarize what you read rather than use word-for-word excerpts. Doing so allows you to demonstrate that you have internalized what you have read rather than simply repeating what has been said by the authors of these readings.
Please check your work carefully before posting it. It is a good idea to compose your initial response in another program such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs. That way, you can check for spelling and grammatical errors before submitting your response to the class.
Be sure that you use a formal, academic tone. Avoid using contractions and conversational language.
If you use any outside sources, you will need to cite these sources in your discussion question response. Be sure to cite them both in the text and in a listing of references at the end of your discussion question response.
APA,