Currículo de Orientación Cognitiva (COC)

Teaching and learning are very different aspects of the education process. To engage students in their learning and meet their educational needs, education needs to acknowledge and utilise the skill set students possess and to connect students’ educational needs to real-life learning (Prensky 2012). In his paper, “The emerging online life of the digital native” (2012), Prensky claims that ‘digital natives’ learn differently, search for information differently, analyse differently and report differently. He noted their ability to program and the way they socialise. In his opinion they are evolving and growing up differently. The educational context has changed significantly, and the new context requires a new approach. Prensky (2012) believes that, since introducing the term ‘digital natives’, the process of learning remains poorly understood. In the new

environment, the outdated lecture style where the teacher imparts knowledge and tests for understanding does not appeal or stimulate students when they are continually connected to ICT. The access students have to ICT, especially mobile devices, is changing traditional pedagogical practices, as students can supplement classroom learning with information programs and tools available through the internet.

Politicians, policymakers, employers, teachers and educational researchers generally share the widely held belief that the current century will require a different set of skills for people, to participate in the work environment and in leisure activities (Ananiadou & Claro 2009). The theoretical underpinnings of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (OECD 1997) identified the necessary knowledge and skills required by students aged 15 to solve real-life problems and to participate fully in society (Ananiadou & Claro 2009). Ananiadou and Claro referred to these as 21st _{Century skills and “those} skills and competencies young people will be required to have in order to be effective workers and citizens in the knowledge society of the 21st _Century” (p.6). They grouped the skills and competencies into three categories: ICT functional skills, that is, the ability to master ICT applications; ICT skills for learning, which covered the ability to use and manage ICT applications that require higher order thinking skills; and the 21st _{Century skills, a category which}

may not necessarily require ICT. The elements of higher order thinking, critical thinking, problem solving and the transfer of knowledge provide a strong foundation for students to participate in the 21st _Century.

To find what ‘digital natives’ want from education, Prensky (2010) interviewed over 1000 students from various age groups, backgrounds and locations. He concluded that students want to learn differently; they want learning that is meaningful to them, that allows for collaboration. In addition, they want to connect with their peers and share their opinions, pursue their own interests and create, using tools with which they are familiar. Prensky (2010) suggests the challenge for teachers in moving forward is to change their pedagogy and become comfortable with ICT; he refers to this as ‘partnering’. In a partnering pedagogy approach it is the students who use the ICT and the role of the teacher is to guide and coach them in the use of ICT for effective learning. The educational process is changing as a result of technology. Subsequently, learning how to learn is becoming a necessary focus for teachers as well as students. Teaching is often regarded as a practice and, according to Kemmis (2009), “understanding and changing practice requires work outside the heads of practitioners as well as inside them” (p. 3). Similarly, schools need to

reconceptualise the role of ICT within pedagogy, as opposed to within each school or viewed in relation to the work of teachers. To bring about a shift within schools, each level of responsibility – the principal, the leaders and the teachers – need to examine their processes and practices and design integrated

pedagogy-based solutions to apply within the school. Teachers must adapt as the nature of learning in the 21st _{Century is different.}

It was during the 1990s that ICT in schools became more accessible and focused on personal devices (Crompton 2014). In his research on mobile technology, Traxler (2009) found that the mobile ICT device not only enhanced and supported learning in a variety of environments, but was also impacting the actual knowledge and learning process. A pedagogical shift toward more

student-centred learning, in particular problem-based learning, was emerging. Mobile learning placed learning in the hands of the students and marked a shift

away from the formal classroom lecture-based instruction format. The ability to access information immediately to facilitate collaboration and communication provided a sense of immediacy that was not available in the traditional

classroom. Current students are both consumers and creators of information and have a level of digital competency. It is evident students are increasingly well connected and practiced in the use ICT; however, they are not necessarily skilled in using it to support their learning. Traxler concluded that

transformational change is required to ensure teachers do not retain old practices with new equipment.

Shulman (1986) highlighted a need to realign pedagogy. This led to the development of his Pedagogical Content Knowledge Model, which was later further developed by Mishra and Koelher (2009) to become the TPACK model. In the new education environment it is clear that ICT is strongly entwined in the educational experience; thus the use of the TPACK model directs attention onto all aspects of curriculum planning. The approach required to effect change is to capture ICT for education as opposed to education capturing ICT, an approach which can tend to focus on content delivery. ICT in education has changed the way students think about, design and manage their learning.

The integration of ICT is complex and often presents significant challenges for teachers. Successful integration depends on a range of factors such as time, attitude, professional development, leadership and smooth implementation. Time and collegiate support allows teachers to work collaboratively and learn from each other while developing course material. The dilemma for teachers is not only to discover how to use ICT, but how to scaffold the theoretical support for implementation in the classroom.

In addition to a whole-school approach to teaching, learning and organisational change, a pedagogical change is necessary; a shift from a teacher-centred focus to a student-centred focus (Moyle 2006). Participants in Moyle’s study identified a number of pedagogical approaches that support the meaningful inclusion of ICT in the teaching and learning process, such as authentic

and multimedia for problem-solving tasks using ICT functions for data entry and analysis, and the opportunity to learn directly about other cultures and world perspectives. The results indicated that students tended to be more motivated and engaged when involved in problem-solving tasks that involved ICT. Moyle (2006) believes a student-centred approach provides opportunities for both individual and collaborative learning, in particular individual learning within the context of teamwork. She concluded that the use of ICT has the potential to broaden student understanding of different cultures and their world view, and allows student to collate their work into digital portfolios for assessment and reporting.

The anticipated outcome of the NSSCF (DEEWR 2009) initiative was to have classrooms where students learnt at a deeper and broader level, with an increased ability to process information and retain instruction. To achieve this, teachers need to know how to use ICT to provide relevant instruction and enhance student capacity for learning, and engage students in their learning through collaboration and connection to others. That is, provide learning that caters to the needs of students who live and learn in a society that utilises ICT to access information, communicate, learn and work. Twenty-first century ICT learning can facilitate new instructional approaches and allow for innovation in teaching and learning.