We all know that the educational needs and values of 21st century learners are vastly different to the industrial model offered in most Australian schools. This is based on the belief that the literacy skills and understandings required to survive in a modern digital world involve so much more than an ability to discern meaning from words printed on a page. Similarly, we recognise that in age where information is literally at our fingertip, the learning process is often more relevant than the learning of content. As Howard Gardner points out in his 5 Minds for the Future, today’s learners need to develop the ability to think in a disciplined, synergetic and creative way which is both respectful and ethical.
The video below is 55minutes long, however it is worth watching. It offers an encouraging insight into a future for all schools. I sincerely hope that those busily developing our National Curriculum remember to put opportunities in front of our students, instead of ego-centric hierarchical bureaucracy.