Reflection: Learning for the 21st Century

As the world grows increasingly complex, success and prosperity will be linked to people’s ability to think, act, adapt and commincate creatively. Today’s education system faces irrelevance unless we bridge the gap between how students live and how they learn.
Technology may give schools the ability to bridge the achievement gap and the digital divide. The No Child Left Behind Actof 2001, which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, emphasizes student achievement and requires assessmenr in core subjects, which are the foundation for learning. Accelerating technological change, rapidly accumulating knowledge, increasing global competition and rising work force capabilities around the world make 21st century skills essential.

Students will spend their adult lives in a multitasking, multifaceted, technology-driven diverse, vibrant world. In the 21sst century, literacy has been redefined as more than basic reading, writing and computing skills. Economic, technological, international, demographic, and political forces have transformed the way people work and live. Because these changes and the rate of change will continue to accelerate, the illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.

Current 21st century tools include computers, networking and other technologies, plus audio, video, and other media and multimedia tools. These tools enable people to perform effectively at work and in their daily lives. In the business world, employees are required to make business decisions, work productively in teams and communicate directly with customers. Employers value candidates who can acquire new knowledge, learn new technologies, rapidly process information, make decisions and communicate in a global and diverse society. Education in the digital age must utilize ICT literacy, which requires good leadership, a strong technology infrastructure, adequate and equitable access to technology and the Internet in schools. That prepares students for learning in this complex, digital society.