The Future of Learning in the 21st Century

As we come to the end of another year, many of us find ourselves reflecting back on the past-enjoying our memories of all that was good and remembering some of which was difficult. I don’t know about you but I find time moves faster the older I get. It seems like yesterday that we were in “jitters” about the passing of the millennium.

As many of you know, my better half lives 3.5 hours from here which translates to considerable time and miles traveling down I35 and highway 6. To pass this time, I have become an avid consumer of books on tape. My latest book, Don’t Know Much About History, is a wonderful read or in this case-listen. I have been re-learning and in some cases, learning for the first time, details surrounding the formation of our country. While there is much I could share about my reflections, the most relevant to what I want to share is how different the world was then and yet how little time has really passed since Concord and Lexington. When you stop to think about how human history has evolved, the past 200 years are truly amazing! I know this is nothing profound but consider that Ben Franklin crossed the Atlantic as French ambassador to help negotiate peace while today’s leaders might touch-down on three different continents within a 24 hour period.

The speed with which we move around, the speed with which information crosses the globe has changed the way we work, communicate, interact and learn. You have heard this before but today’s students are different than those we taught 20 years ago or even 10 years ago. The world is also a very different place requiring new ways of working, new skills-21 st century skills.

I recently came across another report that looks at learning in this new age. Learning for the 21 st Century is a report compiled by a consortium of partners in technology and education forming the Partnership for 21 st Century Skills. While the report is in excess of 30 pages, there is some great material to consider and it will not require a cover to cover reading. I recommend the three page executive summary which will provide an overview of their findings. The report builds a bridge to 21 st century learning through 21 st century tools, Learning Skills, Core Subjects, 21 st Century Context and 21 st Century Content. Assessment is also a key player in this report-21 st Century Assessment to assess 21 st Century Skills.

So as we come to the end of another calendar year and reflect backward, I encourage you to take a moment and attempt to see into the future-the future of learning in the 21 st century. (First 3 people who e-mail me with the key phrase "Learning for the 21st Century" get a prize.