Main Features of 21st Century Learning

Bruns (2008) focuses on the type of interaction between producers and users of the Web 2.0 environment that he terms produsage. During produsage, when users actively participate in the content development, they become produsers. Examples of this type of collaboration are Wikipedia and open source software development. Bruns (2008) also emphasizes that schools should focus on supporting the development of students' produsage skills, which correlate with the four essential skills for 21st century learners:

1. creativity

2. collaboration

3. critical thinking

4. communication

These qualities can and should be strengthened in an educational environment, especially if schools enable training by modeling situations that require produsage skills.

A question arises: Why is teaching produsage necessary? To better grasp the whole issue, I searched online and found this YouTube video that, in my opinion, does a good job of explaining why produsage might be one of the most important skills for the 21st century.

Personally, I agree with the author. For example, it is difficult to teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills without the inclusion of collaboration. Students generally accept innovative teaching methods and enjoy collaborating across networks. However, a problem arises when error and a lack of transparency are introduced. Additionally, there is often unequal learner participation and sometimes, the sheer nature of produsage, the lack of a finished product, does not provide a satisfactory closure for the students.

How do you feel about produsage in education? In what ways do you agree or disagree with the author's video?

If you find this topic interesting, please do not forget to post your comment.

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