Teaching for Tomorrow: teaching content and problem solving by Ted McCain has a simple and challenging message. Help students develop independence and the ability to define, design, do and debrief problems that mimic real world situations. McCain is clearly an advocate for technology in the classroom however technology is a means to an end rather than the ultimate panacea. In his closing paragraphs he gets to the heart of it:
In my view, the use of technology in the classroom is not the critical issue facing us in education in the 21st Century. The issue of foremost importance is to develop thinking skills in our students so that they will be able to utilize the power of technological tools to solve problems and to do useful work.
I have been so inspired by McCains teaching strategy I made my first attempt at using a role play with one of my classes yesterday. I have to say I was pretty nervous and my hands were visibly shaking when I re-entered the room as ‘Rebecca Winters from Reuters’ and launched into my presentation. The kids blinked a bit and then entered into the spirit of the simulation, asking clarifying questions about the task, and later when I returned as ‘me’, they started to grapple with defining the problem. Because ‘Ms Winers’ was no longer in the room the kids had to help each other (if they didn’t take sufficient notes), and my role was to help mediate their thinking about the problem. Voila – engagement in a different way than I have seen.
[...] ago in Shanghai.) I am obviously a fane of what these guys have to say – you may have noticed my post on Ted McCain’s book ‘Teaching for Tomorrow’ which I looked up after reading [...]