Understanding 21st century learners in confab at SMX
Press release. Published in Byahilo.com and various online and print dailies.
http://byahilo.com/index.php/2016/08/23/understanding-21st-century-learners-in-confab-at-smx/
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY and social media have changed learning forever, as a new breed of learners emerged, those that may prove difficult to teach without new approaches and methods.
The first Philippine International Conference on Teacher Education (PICTE), the biggest educational event of 2016, slated on Sept. 13 to 15, at the SMX Convention Center Manila, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, will address the challenges of engaging the 21st century learners.
According to Dr. Maria Antoinette C. Montealegre and Dr. Leticia V. Catris of the Philippine Normal University, 21st century learners, including millennials, have technology in their DNA and that educators must level up their digital literacy and skills to effectively teach them.
Education technology consultant Mark Anthony Sy describes the 21st century learner as those who are tech-savvy and always want to connect via social media. “They want to work and learn collaboratively with the use of devices. They are proficient and adoptive to fast changing technology thus making them vulnerable to cyber-problems if not guided accordingly,” says Sy, Institutional Educational Technology liason officer for La Salle Green Hills.
In turn, educators must know how to use technology wisely in and outside the classroom parameter; and as such, the classroom must be highly-interactive. Teachers must innovate and learn digitalized methods of teaching and instruction.
“The 21st century classroom has blended practices – strong pedagogical concept of educators plus modern tools like web, LMS or learning portals. This classroom is equipped with visual presentation devices like whiteboard, projector, speakers, computer set-up and a strong internet connection that makes learning enjoyable, productive, effective and real-time feedback,” describes Sy.
Sy identified the changing patterns of study behaviors among millennial learners in his experience as a teacher for 10 years. “From 2005-2009, I observed that, for research, millennials were patient, they would go to libraries, write down citations and take home exercises in paper and would take about a few days before returning them with answers. Today, they rely on the internet for research, use online automatic citation creator sites in the APA style, and take online exercises which give automatic feedback and scoring,” Sy said.
Sy explained that because of these evolutions, the teacher must become innovative, creative, and transformative, with a use of technology to ‘suffice, develop and prepare Filipino learners in the global scene.
“PICTE 2016 will help educators to know the nature of e-learning technology and how it aids the classroom in making teaching effective, fun, and collaborative. PICTE can also answer the problems in the Philippine education industry because it will feature the best speakers and presenters who are very knowledgeable in the topic of digitized education,” said Sy, who will also be a featured speaker at PICTE.
PICTE is mounted by Abiva Publishing House, Inc. and is supported by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Education (DepEd). PICTE will also run alongside the Manila International Book Fair, the country’s biggest and longest-running book fair, set on Sept. 14 – 18 at SMX Convention Center.
For registration and more information regarding PICTE, log on to www.phileduconference.com, or contact Primetrade Asia at 897-0139.
