21 Century Learning at Meadowbrook
How the needs of 21st Century learners are being supported in
Meadowbrook Middle School.
The terms 21st Century Learning Skills and 21st Century Learners are the ‘buzz’ words in education these days. At Meadowbrook Middle School we prefer to call them today's students, our students we interact with daily. So really the question we will address is how we are meeting the needs of our students at MMS.
At MMS we are focusing on the skills that will help our students be globally competitive in the 21st Century as well as to be active citizens. These are skills that include not only the curricular standards but also a host of other essential skills like communication, collaboration, and creativity. Literacy doesn’t merely refer to the ability to read and write but also the ability to evaluate and synthesize information, media, and other technology. At the heart of 21st Century Learning is the creating of authentic projects and constructing knowledge and making connections between learning and the real world! At MMS our school improvement project supports teacher learning in this area by collaboratively designing effective learning opportunities that meet the needs of all learners and promote critical and creative thinking skills. We are transforming our school into a more effective and authentic learning environment by creating dynamic and flexible spaces. We have transformed out traditional library space into a Learning Commons or Information Commons space that not only has the function of a library but also functions as an information and technology hub. Students and teachers have access to current technologies, information from many sources and flexible spaces for learning as required throughout the day. All of our classrooms are equipped with LCD projectors and interactive whiteboards with wireless internet access from anywhere in the school. In addition, some other current technology tools that we are using to support, assist and engage students in their learning are iPods, iPads, MacBooks, PC laptops and desktops, document cameras and digital cameras.
Our goal at MMS is to meet the needs of all of our students and prepare them for a successful future as active citizens of our global society.
