21st century: Challenges, change and trends

This Slideshare presentation, 'Challenges, change and trends', by Derek Wenmoth was the Keynote presentation to the NZ Adult Literacy Practitioners Association (ALPA). It came to my attention, courtesy of my Twitter network.

Derek provides a compelling case for re-shaping new curriculum in the 21st century to encompass new technologies/tools and new literacies for current and future generations .
This keynote, tailored for his audience, has a focus on

"the potential for ICTs to be used to enable better learning for adult literacy students."

Challenges, change and trends

View more OpenOffice presentations from dwenmoth.

One slide provides an interesting comparison between communication technologies - then, now and next? with future technologies enabling pervasive, ubiquitous access and use (new media) and new literacies for the 21st century.

Derek puts out a number of challenges to educators including:

"To what extent are we prepared, as a society and as educators, for the massive changes in human capabilities that digital technologies are likely to enable in the next 13 years?
To what extent are our future visions for education based upon assumptions about humanity, society and technology that are no longer valid?"

How does this fit with the current emphasis in many countries on new/revised curriculum and increased focus on testing a narrow view of what constitutes literacy?
What will the next 13 years bring for the youngsters (born in 2008) featured in the first slide ?

Celebrating Scratch

Great post by Jennifer Nelson in the School Library Journal, 1 May, 2009, about Celebrating Scratch in Libraries (Creation software helps young people develop 21st-century literacy skills)
Jennifer provides a compelling case for schools and libraries to come on board.

Scratch (a free download) is ....

"changing the landscape of how young people learn programming, engage in media-based project creation, and develop 21st-century literacy skills. "

The potential for collaboration and networking via the website (imagine, program, share) and use of Creative Commons Licensing are terrific features.

Smartcopying (Australia) has produced a highly recommended resource, a Creative Commons Information pack, to assist teachers and students operating in a digital world where digital content can be created, copied, shared, re-mixed, peer reviewed and communicated rapidly in a variety of ways.

Jennifer's post about Scratch is very timely, given that World Scratch Day is fast approaching (May 16). As you will see from the map, the Limestone Coast Scratchers (from the South East of South Australia) are participating in this event.

Grant High School, on the Limestone Coast, has a focus on HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) and Scratch Day plays a role as one of their strategies in developing students' HOTS.