21st Century Education: What Is It and Why Is It Important for Your Child?
Our world is changing at an ever-increasing pace, and it is critical that our schools keep up. When most workers held jobs in industry, students needed to learn key skills such as following directions, getting along with others, and being efficient. While these skills remain vitally important, in our new information-based (vs. industry based) economy, students also need to learn a whole new skill set.
To hold information-age jobs, students must learn to think deeply, work in teams, problem-solve creatively, research using latest technologies, be leaders who take initiative, contribute to useful projects, and communicate clearly in multiple media venues.
A recent report by the Association for Career and Technical Education notes that employers throughout the world struggle to find qualified workers because of a “talent mismatch between workers’ qualifications and the specific combination of skills employers want.”
In addition, the American Management Corporation reports that employers want workers who can think critically, solve problems creatively, innovate, collaborate, and communicate.
Where are the skills and abilities being developed in students in order for them to succeed in the information age? The answer is schools employing a 21st century approach to education.
Have you heard of 21st Century (21c) schools, but not been exactly sure what they are all about? Well, you’ve come to the right place. There are a variety of detailed descriptions of 21c education floating around in cyberspace today, but to get to the point, 21c schools are places that have moved from “teachers telling… to students doing.” They are places where students not only use technology and media, but they produce it; they not only learn academic content, but they present it and apply it in real world situations.
But make no mistake, 21c schools are not just about technology – they are about active learning –vs- passive learning. In 21c schools, instead of students receiving their subject information, they are fully engaged in going after it for themselves. 21c teachers understand how the brain learns and uses that knowledge to direct methods of learning/teaching to help students reach their full potential.
In simple terms, instead of teachers planning the material they want to “cover,” they design opportunities for their students to “uncover” information themselves. Instead of memorizing useless facts, students are taught how to use technology and/or field study experiences to find those facts.
21c educators agree that it is necessary to renew our focus on the 3 Rs – reading, writing, and arithmetic. But in order to emerge successfully in today’s society, 21c’ers passionately emphasize the 4 Cs – creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.
What century is your child’s school preparing them for? If you want your child to be ready for a 21c future, check out cindayacademy.com for more details.
