(Dreamstime, 2021)
In their interaction with the digital learning environment, as much responsibility as possible, in terms of admin rights, should be conferred upon students. It is highly encouraged to involve parents so as to afford students with the opportunity to self manage their digital presence, guided via key transdisciplinary skills, in both the home and school digital learning environment.
Digital citizenship and connectivism consists of the use of many transdisciplinary skills and dispositions and cannot be achieved to proficiency without progression in those skills too. Transdisciplinary skills are interconnected with digital citizenship standards e.g. when evaluating an online study for use in research, students must employ critical thinking in terms of study size, study funding etc. in order to determine validity and relevance to their work. Creativity may be employed in both the choice of digital tool to present this research and within how the digital tool is used. Responsibility and ethical considerations must all be utilised in order to paraphrase the information and cite it as a source. Paraphrasing may fall as part of curriculum literacy standards. In this way a unit of study can authentically integrate standards from across disciplines just as they are interconnected in the 21st century workplace and beyond.
Batelle’s P21 Frameworks for 21st Century Learning, developed by teachers, education experts and business leaders offers a sample framework of how these aspects of the curriculum connect together (Batelle for Kids, 2021). The following key areas of curriculum are identified and connected within one system:
Outlying Skills
- Life and Career Skills
- Learning and Innovation Skills (4C’s)
- Information, Media and Technology Skills
These fit around the Key Subjects:
- 3Rs
- 21st Century Themes
The profile of the 21st century learner then sits at the centre and is underpinned by four pedagogical pillars:
- Standards and Assessment
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Professional Development
- Learning Environments including the digital learning environment (DLE)
The Key Subjects form a reciprocal relationship with Skills with the Subjects providing a context in which to develop skills and the skills facilitating proficiency in the formation and actualisation of Key Subject knowledge. One area of revision would be to replace life and career skills to instead encompass dispositions:
- Ethical and fair
- Curious
- Resilient
- Self-Directed