What does my 21st Century classroom look like?
A quote from a review on contemporary paradigms of digital literacy has guided my thoughts. “The illiterate of the 21st century are not those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn” (Nawaz & Kundi, 2010, p. 20). Critical thinking will guide individuals to unlearn and relearn as necessary, and as such if any of my students leave my class without an increased capacity for critical thought then I have failed to truly educate them. There are multiple branches of literacy that will guide my practice.
Digital literacy is one important branch of general literacy, where students must be competent at using digital technology. In the 21st century, this is clearly important. It seems to be a common view that technology comes naturally to young people, but there are many aspects that still must be taught, and many skills that need to be practiced in a school setting. Students must know how to operate these technologies, but they also need to know how to interpret and synthesize what they are learning from them. As Pinkard (2013) stated in a video about her Digital Youth Network, literacy is defined by the technology of the time, and literacy now requires the ability to critique media. Domine (2011) argues that building 21st century teachers requires intentional pedagogy of media literacy education. Media literacy requires the critical habits of weighing evidence and using reason, and empowers students to be creative producers of messages (p. 196).
Another branch of literacy is necessary: environmental literacy. McBride, Brewer, Berkowitz, and Borrie (2013) define that environmental literacy “…comprises an awareness of and concern about the environment and its associated problems, as well as the knowledge, skills, and motivations to work toward solutions of current problems and the prevention of new ones” (p. 3). It is so very important to me that I take every opportunity to teach my students environmental literacy. In my opinion, the Alberta curriculum does not allow for enough of these opportunities. My teaching philosophy holds environmental literacy to the same degree of importance as media literacy. Media literacy and environmental literacy do complement each other in that they require some of the same skills. Environmentally literate students have certainly learned ideas about the state of our planet that are not entirely true, and they will have the capacity to unlearn those ideas and relearn the truth.
The classroom environment will be most suited for learning. No student will feel left out or marginalized. The instructions and assessments will follow a universal design for learning, paying special attention to the guiding principle of flexibility, as identified by King-Sears (2009, p. 199). Students will have some choice in their learning, so as to best accommodate their needs, and they will have choice in assessment that allows them to truly show what they have learned. It will be important for each student to have their own school-supplied laptop that they may take home. There are two reasons: the students will need a computer to do a variety of classroom activities, and it will create equality among the students. Culturally responsive pedagogy and teaching will be essential for creating a harmonious classroom environment, where all students of all cultures will feel valued. The Indigenous students in my class will have a designated space in the school where they may go to interact with Elders, participate in smudging, participate in other community building activities, and socialize (personal communication, January 13, 2020).
The physical elements of my classroom will be designed to help the students feel most open and energized. I have witnessed first-hand the benefits of standing desks when I volunteered in a grade six classroom, and I am certain that there would be older students who could benefit much the same. My class would not be sentient; students can stand as they please, and there would be periodic movement breaks that would help the students’ bodies and brains. Ample natural light and student work displayed proudly would help contribute to a warm and welcoming environment that is their own. My class would also have the opportunity to participate in the school’s greenhouse program, where students learn to garden. Students can learn about the resources and care required to grow our food, and through this opportunity they can learn about how nutritious vegetables are and increase their environmental literacy.
Students will be given projects and assignments that allow them to exercise and demonstrate their media literacy. It is evident from Pinkard’s (2013) video that when her students were at the Digital Youth Network’s after school space, and given the opportunity to create and explore with digital technology, that they came alive. Even students that were quiet during the school day were animated and engaged, and they learned and grew greatly through the experience. Students in my classroom would be given the opportunity to work on creative projects that hold personal interest to them. They will be able to work individually and in groups to further foster community.
An ideal learning activity in my future science class that encompasses all of these ideas would require students to evaluate the merit of science claims in a popular news article. The students would need to investigate the claims made in the article, practicing media literacy, and learning environmental literacy along the way. An activity like this, especially if repeated throughout the term on a variety of topics would give students the skills to unlearn and relearn as necessary in their lives outside of school.
Some elements of this ideal classroom are possible in our current paradigm and legislation, and some are not. While I may not be able to take my students to the school garden, and they may not all have their own personal computer or some of the expensive programs they may like to use, the loss of these tools would not prevent media or environmental literacy from being learned and practiced. The spirit of these literacies is critical thinking, which is something that can be accomplished in any setting, with enough determination.
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References
Domine, V. (2011). Building 21st-century teachers: An intentional pedagogy of media literacy education. Action in Teacher Education, 33, 194-205.
King-Sears, M. (2009). Universal design for learning: Technology and pedagogy. Learning Disability Quarterly, 32(4), 199-201.
McBride, B. B., Brewer, C. A., Berkowitz, . R., & Borrie W. T. (2013). Environmental literacy, ecological literacy, ecoliteracy: What do we mean and how did we get here? Ecosphere, 4(5): 67.
Nawaz, A., & Kundi, G. M. (2010). Digital literacy: An analysis of the contemporary paradigms. Journal of Science and Technology Education Research, 1(2), 19-29.
Pinkard, N. [Nichole Pinkard on Digital Literacy (Big Thinkers Series)]. 2013, February 6. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/Aya43MnWTxQ
Language, Literacy, and Society in Educational Contexts 