A
recent article, “21st Century Technology Skills Are a Core
Competency for Today’s Graduates” (K. Walsh, 11/10/13), shares insight on what
skills are commonly cited as vital in today’s workforce:
*The
ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing (with nearly all of
written communication in business conducted digitally).
*Teamwork
skills and the ability to collaborate with others in diverse group sessions.
*The
ability to innovate and be creative!
*The
ability to locate, organize, and evaluate information from multiple sources.
It
is more important than ever for educators to provide students exposure to the
information technologies that will prepare them for successful careers in their
futures. In order to do this, our teachers need to be comfortable with a wide
variety of technology. Of course, the basic fundamentals of reading, math,
science, and social studies are necessary in today’s classrooms. However,
technology skills have now been added as an essential component of the overall
curriculum in schools today.
The
effective application of technology, as stated by the Institute of Museum and
Library Sciences, includes:
*Technology
use as a tool to research, organize, evaluate, and communicate information.
*Use
of digital technologies, communication tools, and social networks appropriately
to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and
create information in a knowledge era.
*Apply
a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information technologies.
Garden
County Schools are dedicated to providing our students with the basics, as well
as technology application and integration to meet the demands of a 21st
century workplace. Teachers and students in our district have access to the
latest technology tools and are provided multiple opportunities to apply them
to their daily learning. Being a lifelong learner is a requirement in the world
we live in today and the tomorrow we are preparing our students for!
-Dr.
Paula Sissel
Superintendent/Elementary
Principal