I’ve said many times that educators need to stop referring to classrooms with rich technology use, project-based learning, collaborative groupings and an inquiry-based pedagogy as 21st Century Classrooms. We live in the 21st century. All classrooms should contain the previous elements. After all, it is 2020. We are in the 21st century, right? Fifty years ago, classroom instruction comprised of lectures, dittos, the occasional filmstrip, and textbooks.
Fast-forward to today. Do today’s classrooms really look any different? Replace the filmstrip with a video and the word ditto with worksheet and we have a picture of what many classrooms throughout the United States still look like today. Schools today will still go through hundreds of thousands of paper copies of worksheets per year.
Classrooms are in desperate need up updates. We need to use current technology and practices. Without the four elements listed in the paragraph above, students will continue to be subjected to an educational experience from the 1950s and 1960s rather than 2015. It is the 21st century. Let’s use what we currently have available to us to make the educational experience for today’s student relevant and engaging.
The Principal's Desk 
Indeed, I frequently refer back to this 14ᵗʰ century painting with amazing similarity to today’s classroom.
http://people.uwplatt.edu/~turnern/classroomFull.html
We really can do much better.
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Thank you for the terrific image!
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I think we can do better…….does the district culture that needs to change, the teacher prep programs or the teachers? …..probably all 3 need addressed to move forward….
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The teacher prep programs MUST have partner teachers that exemplify project-based, technology rich, and constructivist teaching/learning. THESE classrooms are hard to find!!!
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Interesting concept but there is one piece of new technology I would be interested in hearing about your results if any. My company does eRate filing and grant writing and I’ve heard some excitement over the 3D STEM tablets that allow students to study and test on the device while using IA to download the session and testing procedure. Is this tool used minimally or is it a hot item? Are there similar tools becoming more popular and if so is it primarily on Chrome books or Ipads?
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Dan,
Thank you for your question. I am not very familiar with 3D STEM tablets. I have heard about some great programs / apps on tablets where students can manipulate different virtual spaces to build simple machines, currents, and other STEM elements. I recently saw online a “pen” that can stimulate current.
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