Gunin Borah
(The writer teaches Geography in Biswanath College. He can be reached at borah.gunin@gmail.com)
A nation depends on the activities of the teachers. Identically, the teachers are work ing to grow the basement of the students. No matter if it is school, college or university, a qualified teacher is the builder of students. Even a teacher on special skills or technical courses is keeping role responsibilities on societies. For this reason, the leader of tomorrow is created by a teacher. At the same time, if a teacher fails to discover the eternal power of the student, the student fails in his whole life. That means a teacher is the best mentor for a student's life.
The educators and teachers of today need to be curious, flexible and forward thinking. The role of teachers in the 21st century increasingly emphasizes mediated learning. It needs to be all about empowering students with transferable skills for employability, growing digital citizenship, critical thinking, and creativity as well as sustainable learning, that will hold up to a rapidly changing world and not just be limited to prescribed content that has been chosen for its past relevance.
For changing the globalizing world, the role of the teacher is essential to improve sustainable education. At the same time, inspiring and guiding the students in increasing employability skills with digital tools are the prerequisite for a teacher. Thus a teacher in the 21st century will be a digital teacher. Teachers are not the facilitator for the learning of the students only, and now they are responsible for training the students for increasing employability skills, expanding the mind, growing digital citizenship, critical thinking, and creativity, as well as sustainable learning. Thus winning the student is the mind of the teacher.
With the passage of time and the integration of technology in every sector, the teacher's role has changed a lot. They need to enrich some skills to develop their students. Otherwise, the students will not get the lesson, and it will increase the number of educated unemployed in the digital era.
This is the most competitive world there are diverse options to choose the next career for a student. In this case, a teacher needs to become a big planner to support them according to their psychology. The students need to try several multidisciplinary jobs. So the teacher will define where they will give more importance. Besides, if an educator can provide proper guidelines to build a career in the 21st century for the students, he will be an all-rounder in his career and life.
In this digital age, the internet is full of supportive resources. When a teacher teaches the students from a collaborative perspective, the student will learn more deeply if they get resources. It can be YouTube video tutorials, digital content, ebooks or even printing documents. If students receive the supporting material on how to enrich critical thinking, communication skills, collaboration and creativity, they can lead their future. A teacher can show the resources according to their interest. It will ensure better learning environments and the students will be engaged with the lesson.
Effective teachers do not limit the earning resources for the students. In contrast, they will create the learning materials. The instructor knows how to make meaningful learning opportunities for all students. Providing practical examples in the classroom or collaborating in a class with another teacher can also help them to learn perfectly.
Digital teacher in the teaching profession doesn't teach the students only, they also help their colleagues to become a supporter of technology and show them how to find online resources and how to stay updated on their subject. They know how to enjoy the work and how to make the lesson enjoyable. That means they are the facilitator for all the students.
The focal point in a 21st-century classroom should be project-based learning. The idea of teaching only with the use of textbooks belongs to the previous century. Students of today must be encouraged to conduct their research, formulate their questions, contact experts, and create final projects using the device already in their hands. Thus educators need to expand their teaching toolbox, try fresh methods, and design newer tasks to teach the existing content. At a time when mental health and well-being are one of the biggest challenges facing students today, a 21st-century teacher can give students the skills they need both for now and for the future.
Teachers must be lifelong learners themselves. Teachers must understand that simply having a degree in teaching is not enough anymore. The 21st-century classroom has its own set of demands and to fulfil these the teacher needs to be aware of the ever-changing trends in the education industry, know the buzzwords, and address the different issues head-on. Expanding your professional network by connecting with eminent personalities from individual fields and having conversations with like-minded individuals is as essential as practising teaching itself.
So, the educators of today need to be curious, flexible and forward-thinking to give students what they will need in the 21st century. The role of the teacher in the 21st century increasingly emphasizes mediated learning. By adopting this approach, teachers will be able to see the changes in their classrooms, schools and the community at large.