The 4 C's

bY: jACQUI hAMMOCK inst 51020-ol21

The 4 C's of Technology Integration

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Creativity

Collaboration

Critical Thinking

Communication

The 4 C's of technology integration in the classroom are the following:

The 4 C's: communication, collaboration, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity are skills students need to be prepared in order to be successful academically in the 21st century, in their future endeavors of their careers and become productive citizens in our world where technology is constantly changing.

Communication skills are a necessity but must be adapted in regards to the audience. Communication isn't just about expressing one's self but also about actively listening. By incorporating various forms of digital communication formats such as emails and presentations, digital literacy and adaptability can be improved for various social settings. When used in the classroom, Google Docs and Microsoft OneNotes are great tools that improve communications skills since students can share ideas, edit documents and provide feedback in real-time. An example is a project that students research the history of an element on the periodic table and their peers write comments on the shared Google Doc.

Communication

In today's interdependent world, collaboration is an important skill to teach others about teamwork and the integration of technology offers multiple avenues to practice this skill which teaches students the value of different perspectives and cooperative problem-solving. In schools, a common LMS, such as Canvas, gives students the opportunities to work on projects together regardless of their physical location. An example would be using the discussion board in Canvas as a bell ringer, students can read other students' posts and the teacher can display it to review to discuss any misconceptions and absent students can still participate.

Collaboration

With a world so inudated with a plethora of information at our fingertips, critical thinking is a skill that many students struggle with today. Critical thinking is the skill where analyzation and evaluation is needed to make a reasonable judgement. The benefits of this skill promotes independent learning, logical reasoning and ability to navigate complex information. In the science classroom, students can use PhET Interaction Simulations to explore a virtual scenario to state a claim, gather evidence and then explain their reasoning.

Critical Thinking

Integration of technology presents opportunities for creativity which fosters innovation. Encouraging students to be creative helps to keep them engaged as they think 'outside of the box' and nutures adaptability which is needed in today's world that is always evolving with new opportunities and challenges. By integrating various multimedia platforms such as Canva, Flipgrid and WeVideo in a science class, students can have more autonomy over the creative process to research on watersheds and design presentations varying from infographics to videos that are adapted to their learning styles which gives them more ownership of their learning and empowerment.

Creativity

To Recap the 4C's of Technology Integration

An example that can be used for technology integration is an argumentative driven inquiry (ADI) activity where students analyze a problem and must collaborate and communicate to creatively design a solution to the problem. Students then present their findings and solution to their peers who give constructive feedback. This activity can be used in any academic subject and even in the corporate world on challenges a business may face.

Bringing it all together