EDUA 5732 Essential Teaching Practices
ESSENTIAL TEACHING PRACTICES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY TEACHER
21st century teaching requires a new approach that actively meets the needs of digital natives (students that have always had personal technology in their lives) and the evolving workforce. In this course, teachers will learn what it takes to inspire 21st century students to think critically about the world, engage appropriately with digital tools and social media, and build the creativity, collaboration, and communication skills necessary for success in college and career. Teachers will also review best practices for engaging students and improving achievement, including aligning lessons to the Common Core State Standards and targeted learning outcomes; connecting instruction to real-life experiences; improving classroom management; providing targeted feedback on formative and summative assessments; activating prior knowledge to enhance learning experiences; and supporting diverse learners in the classroom using technology, differentiation, and student-centered instruction.
By the end of the course, teachers will be able to develop their students’ critical and higher-order thinking skills through authentic learning tasks, engage students in solving complex real-word problems, integrate technology into their instruction and assessments, and foster cooperative learning in the classroom to ensure students’ success in the 21st century.