1

THE ROLE OF TEACHERS IN THE

21st CENTURY

Ujlakyné Szűcs Éva, PhD

Senior lecturer
Kecskemét College
Teacher Training Faculty
 1. THE CHANGING ROLE OF SCHOOLS

PAST PRESENT

• SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE • SOURCE OF INFORMATION

• PLACE OF EDUCATING • PLACE WHERE CHILDREN

CHILDREN ACCORDING TO ARE EDUCATED ACCORDING
THE NEEDS OF SOCIETY TO THE NEEDS OF FAMILIES
(PARENTS ALSO HAVE A
WORD IN SCHOOL
PROGRAMMES)
• TEACH LEARNERS WHAT • TEACH LEARNERS HOW TO
THEY HAVE TO KNOW LEARN
2.THE CHANGING ROLE OF TEACHERS 3

CONTEXT OF CHILDREN

PAST PRESENT

• SOURCE OF • SOURCE OF
KNOWLEDGE INFORMATION

• LEADER • FACILITATOR

• EDUCATOR • SUPPORTER

• PSYCHOLOGIST • EXPERT
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PAST PRESENT

• FREE TIME • ENTERTAINER

ACTIVITY
ORGANISER

• AUTHORITY • MANAGER

• FAMILY AND • ADVISOR

PARENT
  CONTEXT OF TEACHING 5

PAST PRESENT

•LECTURER • ORGANISER OF
LEARNING PROCESS

• USER OF CURRICULA • RESEARCHER,

SYLLABUS-MAKER
• USER OF TEXTBOOKS • TEXTBOOK WRITER

• CHALKFACE • TECHNICIAN, IT EXPERT,

PHOTOCOPY MASTER
• MASTER OF THE • ARTIST OF THE
PROFESSION PROFESSION
 CONTEXT OF SCHOOL MANAGEMENT 6

PAST PRESENT

• COLLEAGUE • INDIVIDUUM

• EMPLOYEE • SOURCE OF
CHANGE

• BOSS • TEAM LEADER

• TECHNICAL • MONEY MAKER

PROFESSIONAL (PR, PROJECTS)
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3. COMPONENTS OF TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE

Content knowledge
(their subjects)

Pedagogic content knowledge

(adapt content according to learners’ needs)

General pedagogic knowledge

(e.g. classroom management, planning, aids and
resources, assessment)
Curricular knowledge

Contextual knowledge
(learners’ characteristics, school norms, community
expectations)

Process knowledge
(study skills, team skills, observational skills, ability
to relate to learners, peers and parents)

Source: J. Roberts (1998) Language Teacher Education London: Arnold

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4. THE IDEAL TEACHER IN THE 21ST
CENTURY
TEACHERS IN THE FUTURE CAN
• DEVELOP STUDENTS’ SKILLS
• UNDERSTAND THEIR STUDENTS’ PROBLEMS
• BUILD ON KNOWLEDGE GAINED OUTSIDE THEIR
CLASSROOM
• DEVELOP THEIR OWN KNOWLEDGE BASE
• TEACH THEIR STUDENTS HOW TO DEVELOP
• SUPPORT THEIR STUDENTS IN LEARNING AND IN
LIFE
• INITIATE CHANGES IN SCHOOLS
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TEACHERS IN THE FUTURE WILL NEED TO

BE
• UNDERSTANDING
• WELL-PREPARED BOTH IN THEIR
SUBJECTS AND IN PEDAGOGY
• PROFESSIONALS RATHER THAN MASTERS
• FACILITATORS
• OPEN TOWARDS THE NEEDS OF THE
LEARNER
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USEFUL LINKS
• Teachers meeting the challenge of change (Green
Paper, 1988)
www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingreforms/
• J. Roberts (1998) Language Teacher Education
London: Arnold
• Teachers' Tools for the 21st Century: A Report on
Teachers' Use of Technology
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=20
00102
• Teachers of the 21st Century Know the What,
Why, and How of Technology Integration
http://www.thejournal.com/articles/14141
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•Teachers for the 21st Century - Making the Difference

http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/school_education/policy_initiatives_re
views/reviews/previous_reviews/teachers_for_the_21st_century.htm#
Teachers_for_the_21st_Century:_Making_the_Difference
•21st-Century Cheating
http://www.scholastic.com/schoolage/middleschool/homework/
cheating.htm
•FUTUREPERSPECTIVE - A Vision of Education for the 21st
Century by Roger C. Schank
http://www.thejournal.com/articles/14552