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Top10Characteristicsofa21stCenturyClassroom

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Aseducation

advanceswiththehelpoftechnology,itbecomesveryclearthatthemoderndayclassroomneedsareverydifferentfrom
theconventionalclassroomneeds.

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Theevolved21stcenturyclassroomisaproductiveenvironmentinwhichstudentscandeveloptheskillstheywillrequire
intheworkplaceandteachersarefacilitatorsoftheirlearning.Thefocusofa21stcenturyclassroomisonstudents
experiencingtheenvironmenttheywillenterasmoderndayworkersanddevelopingtheirhigherorderthinkingskills,
effectivecommunicationskills,collaborationskills,makingthemadeptwithusingtechnologyandallotherskillsthatthey
willneedinthe21stcenturyworkplace.
Theeducationalpracticesofthetraditionalclassroomarenolongereffectiveandteachersmustdevelopnewteaching
strategiesthatareradicallydifferentfromthoseemployedinthetraditionalclassrooms.Themoderndayclassroomshould
bemorecenteredonstudentsandteachersshouldtaketheroleoffacilitatorsandguidesinsteadofbeingmereproviders
ofknowledge.Theymustensurethattheyengagetheirstudentsinlearningandprovideeffectiveinstructionusinga
varietyofinstructionalmethodsandfollowingdifferentpedagogicalapproachesaidedwithtechnology.Theyshouldbe
activeparticipantsintheirownlearningandmustseekoutprofessionaldevelopmenttoimprovetheirperformanceand
theirstudentslearning.
A21stcenturyclassroomhasmanycharacteristicsassociatedwithitwhichdistinguishitfromtheclassroomsofthepast
centuries.Thetop10characteristicsofa21stcenturyclassroomare:
Studentcentric:Intheseclassrooms,studentsplayanactiveroleintheirlearningandteachersserveasmere
guides.Theyaremorefacilitatorsoflearningthanlecturers.Theyhelpstudentsthinkcriticallyandlearnbydoingand
actasaresourcewhiletheirstudentsdiscoverandmasternewconcepts.Studentcentricclassroomenvironmentsput
studentsinterestsfirstandarefocusedoneachstudentsneeds,abilitiesandlearningstyles.
Computingdevices:Computersarereadilyavailableinmodernclassrooms,sincetheyareessentialtoolsfor21st
centurystudentsandreplacetheutilitiesofpenandpaper.Theynotonlygivestudentsthemeanstoconductonline
researchandmasterthetechnologyskillstheyneed,buttheyalsogiveteacherstheopportunitytoenhancetheir
lessons.Theabilitytodeftlyoperateacomputerisacritical21stcenturyskill.Computingdevicesgreatlyassistin
teachingandlearningandmakethemmoreengagingandeffective.
Activelearning:Inmodernclassrooms,studentsareactivelyengagedinwhattheylearn.Studentsparticipatein
moreactivelearningbyworkingingroupsoroncomputersandcompleteprojectsandotherinterestingactivitiesthat
helpthemdiscovernewskills.Studentscanlearnactivelybytalkingandlistening,writing,readingandreflecting.
Whenstudentsareencouragedtotakeanactiveinterestinlearning,theyaremorelikelytoretaintheknowledge
theyveaccumulated.
Adaptivelearning:Anyclassroomwillalwayshavestudentsofdifferenttypesoflearningabilitiesinitwhichoften
makesitdifficultforteacherstomakesurethatallofthemunderstandtheconcepts.Themodernapproachof
adaptivelearninggivesstudentsthefreedomtolearnattheirownpaceandinthewaytheyaremostcomfortablewith.
Therearevariouskindsofsoftwareavailableforadaptivelearningthatteacherscanusetoenhancethelearningof
theirstudents.
Invitationalenvironment:Theclassroomsshouldnotbecrampedorovercrowded.Modernclassroomsshouldhave
thebasicmaterialrequiredforteachingsuchas,interactivewhiteboardsandLCDprojectors.TheBYOD(BringYour
OwnDevice)approachcanbeadopted,sothatstudentscanbringtheirlaptopsortabletstotheclassroomforbetter
personalizedlearning.Teachingwithtechnologicalmaterialismoreeffective,stimulatesstudentengagement,eases
theworkofteachersandmakesiteasyforstudentstofocusonlearning.

Studentsunderstandandfollowtherulesandprocedures:Thelearningenvironmentiscarefullyplannedandwell
organized.Classrules,procedures,andnoticesofupcomingactivitiesarepostedinconvenientplacestohelp
studentsstayontrack.Studentsareconstantlyencouragedtoremindthemoftheirgoalsandresponsibilities.They
followclassroutinesandunderstandwhattheyareexpectedtoachieveeachdayandhowtheyaretogoaboutit.
Mutualrespect:Teachersandstudentsshouldalwayshaverespectforeachother.Asnowtheroleofteachersisno
longertobethesageonthestage,studentsshouldnotforgettheirvalueastheywillalwaysreceiveguidancefrom
them.Also,teachersshouldencouragestudentstospeakwithconfidenceandvaluetheiropinions.Inawell

disciplinedenvironment,studentsshouldalsocooperatewithandrespecttheirclassmates.
Studentstakeresponsibilityoftheirlearning:Asstudentsareencouragedtoactivelyparticipateintheirown
learning,theybecomeresponsiblefortheirlearning.Selfdirectedstudentsnotonlyencourageeachother,butalso
workwiththeirteachertoachieveacademicandbehavioralgoalsthattheythemselveshavehelpedestablish.
Teachersshouldemployavarietyofstrategiestopromoteresponsibledecisionmakingandcreateselfreliant
students.
Performancebasedassessments:Regularperformancebasedassessmentsarecarriedoutbyteachersthrough
variousmethodswhicharenotrestrictedtotests.Thesecanbebyconductingquizzesandpolls.Teacherscanutilize
projectsaswellasotherproductsandperformancesasassessmentstodeterminestudentachievementsandneeds.
Assessmentsaretailoredtotheabilitiesandneedsofthestudents.
Collaborativelearning:Learningthroughcollaborationisoneofthemosteffectiveformsoflearning.Teachingand
learninginisolationareveryrestrictiveandhinderprogress.Learningingroupsenhancesthescopeoflearningand
developscriticalthinking.Collaborativelearningactivitiesincludecollaborativewriting,groupprojects,jointproblem
solving,debatesandmore.Collaborativelearningredefinestraditionalstudentteacherrelationshipintheclassroom.
Technologyplaysabigroleindevelopingallofthesecharacteristicsformodernclassrooms.Theseclassroomsenhance
thelearningexperienceandbetterpreparestudentsforhighereducationandworkforce.Shareyourviewsandother
characteristicsthatyouwouldliketoseeinyour21stcenturyclassrooms.TheCommentBoxawaitsyou.

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About the Author

Author: Saomya Saxena
Educational technology blogger, loves to research and write about tools and tips for educators on
how to integrate technology into everyday instruction creatively and effectively. Fond of reading and
writing.

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