21st century learning
Helping students to develop as confident, enthusiastic and effective learners is a central purpose of education. In this they make meaning rather than receive it. They make decisions and solve authentic problems. They make use of a range of technologies. Their learning is active, driven by learner agency and when appropriate, is collaborative. It demonstrates creativity and innovation and is relevant to the real world. They see themselves as learners and understand the learning process. It should include a commitment to making a difference in the learning and lives of all students, especially disadvantaged students and a focus on learning and teaching that influences a broad range of outcomes, both cognitive and social/emotional. Such a process involves staff, students, parents and other stakeholders.
Many schools already support 21st century learning. How can we build on innovations in today’s schools to create a new approach to learning fit for this century? The challenge is to replicate models of excellence and systematize great 21st century learning to make it everyday practice in schools everywhere. A number of programs already address the issue of 21st century skills. For example, The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21 framework) has developed a vision of the broader set of skills required for success in the 21st and argues that each student should have the capacity for the following:
• Problem solving and decision making
• Creative and critical thinking
• Collaboration, communication, and negotiation
• Intellectual curiosity.
The vision is global but the path to 21st century education requires a local journey; one that recognizes and responds to specific challenges and opportunities within schools and localities. I found the following learning frameworks very powerful:
Learning Power
Kagan co-operative learning
See www.kaganonline.com › dr_spencer
Metacognition and self- regulated learning
The science of learning
w w w. d e a n s f o r i m p a c t . o r g
A Framework of Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills 11-19
See https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/7268/3/PLTS_framework_v2_tcm8-936-1.pdf
