Technology-supported High-order College English Teaching and 21st Century Skills

Abstract

As a compulsory course, College English should not only help students master professional knowledge, but also promote the development of their comprehensive qualities, cultivating high-quality and innovative talents who can meet the needs of times. 21st century is an era of digitization and globalization, which places high demands not only on students’ English language skills but also their non-cognitive skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity as well as their digital literacy. Based on knowledge and aiming at improving students thinking mode and abilities step by step, high-order teaching emphasizes the facilitation of students’ critical thinking and creativity through a combination of teachers’ higher-order teaching and the students’ deep learning through various teaching methods. This article aims to investigate whether technology-supported high-order College English teaching can foster students’ 21st century skills gradually in one class. A teaching practice was conducted for freshmen major in journalism and the results confirm the positive role of technology-supported high-order college teaching in fostering students’ 21st skills.