21st Century Learners

Thinking back to my classes in high school, most consisted of teacher lectures, some using overhead projectors, while students listened and took notes.  Technology was incorporated via keyboarding and computer application classes. {After thinking about this, I feel ancient, even though I've only been out of high school for 10 years...which goes to show how quickly technology changes}  When teaching 21st century learners, technology should be integrated into the content/curriculum and not taught as a separate topic.  21st century learners are typically familiar with technology.  As an upcoming teacher, it is exciting to think about all of the possible ways technology could be integrated into lessons! 
The TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) model shows how technology, pedagogy and content should all be integrated into lessons.  This is a very helpful quote I found regarding TPACK  "True technology integration is understanding and negotiating the relationships between these three components of knowledge. A teacher capable of negotiating these relationships represents a form of expertise different from, and greater than, the knowledge of a disciplinary expert (say a mathematician or a historian), a technology expert (a computer scientist) and a pedagogical expert (an experienced educator). Effective technology integration for pedagogy around specific subject matter requires developing sensitivity to the dynamic, [transactional] relationship between all three components."  ( http://tpack.org/tpck/index.php?title=TPCK_-_Technological_Pedagogical_Content_Knowledge)
I think that by incoporating TPACK into my classroom, although it may be challenging at some points, learning will be more exciting, engaging and meaningful.

http://www.edutopia.org/ikid-digital-learner-technology-2008