21st Century Education Is the Way Forward
21st Century Education Is the Way Forward by John Thomas
Everywhere you turn in education today, you hear mention of “21st Century Learning.” It is very natural that whenever there is talk about “change,” there is anxiety and confusion until people fully understand what is meant by the change. A parent in a very direct and honest way reached out to me recently after hearing me talk about the growing emphasis of teaching, collaboration, creativity, and critical problem solving. “I don’t get it!” he said, “I went to school and did well. My oldest kids have gone through school and it looked exactly the way it was when I went to school. I didn’t like school, but I got through it and I’ve done well.” Then he added, “So what is this talk about “changing” school? I don’t understand what you mean by 21st Century Learning? What’s the definition of it?”
It is hard to fully grasp such an abstract concept when we have been all through school and have all succeeded. “Why fix what’s not broken?” is a common refrain. But let’s be honest — education is broken. The world is changing. The skillset needed in the world today is far different than the one needed just a few years ago. The