About
The 21st century offers a new set of possibilities and challenges for educators. Students are entering school with a greater variation of experiences with digital technologies than ever before and they are leaving school to enter a world that is ever-changing. Our task of preparing our students for this world requires an understanding of new literacy skills and technologies and a sense of global awareness.
The use of digital technologies is embedded in many aspects of life in the 21st century. Our students must be prepared to work and live using these tools, therefore it is imperative that we also use these technologies as tools in the classroom so that the learning environment in school mirrors the technological environment of the real world. In addition, information is growing exponentially; therefore, instruction must focus on the skills needed to navigate this new landscape. Students must become information literate so they can locate, evaluate, analyze, and even create information.
Digital technologies have provided opportunities for citizens to collaborate and communicate globally. To prepare our students for success in today’s society, we must provide opportunities for students to learn how to communicate effectively and work with others. No longer can our students be confined to the learning space of their own classroom. Instead, the classroom is without borders and is a technology-rich learning environment that includes opportunities for our students to be innovative, critical-thinking problem solvers.
This site and the accompanying professional development sites are designed to provide timely and relevant 21st-century learning resources for educators in Hickory Public Schools.
