EDLD 5352 Week 2 Blog Post 3

I think the National Plan is very interesting. It inspires me to know that someone in the national government finds things that I believe are important, important. The National Plan states the things that are imperative to a 21st Century learner and how they can get there. Under the section of Teaching, I found the information very interesting. It states that the education system needs a transformation and that teachers are going to be the ones that are imperative to that change. Teachers aren’t going to be able to lock themselves inside a classroom anymore and do what they want. The teachers are going to have to work collaboratively and team up to get the job done; not only in their own schools, but across the globe. This is a radical change that many are not ready for yet. Professional development will have to transform as well. It will need to be collaborative, coherent, and continuous and that blends more effective in-person courses and workshops with the expanded opportunities, immediacy, and convenience enabled by online environments full of resources and opportunities for collaboration.
The challenge for us is using modern technology to create engaging, relevant, and personalized learning experiences for all learners that mirror students’ daily lives and the reality of their futures. This is in direct contrast to the traditional classroom instruction, and this requires that we put students at the center and empower them to take control of their own learning by providing flexibility on several dimensions. A core set of standards-based concepts and competencies should form the basis of what all students should learn, but beyond that students and educators should have options for engaging in learning: large groups, small groups, and work tailored to individual goals, needs, interests, and prior experience of each learner. By supporting student learning in areas that are of real concern or particular interest to them, personalized learning adds to its relevance, inspiring higher levels of motivation and achievement.