How do these “21st Century skills” fit into today’s public educational system? What does the perfect “21st century” classroom look like?

In my mind the issue should really be a discussion of knowledge, information and literacy. These three things have changed dramatically and as educators they define our responsibility, role and craft.

The changes have not occurred overnight and teaching has changed some over time but there comes a point at which adding-on or remodeling is not the best approach. Then it is time to re-concieve the function and purpose. I think schools do need to change but mostly I think as educators we have a responsibility to think deeply about our function and purpose.

The way I see it, ‘which tools and how’, follows from our understanding of knowledge, information and literacy

You’re right. It was a bit of a big stick this morning (and, for the record, I think I can safely say that Sylvia is more empathetic with my views than her quote above may imply). But the first steps in any change initiative are confronting the brutal truth and creating dissatisfaction with the status quo. So, since I work a lot with administrators and teachers who are aren’t doing much to transition schools to the 21st century, I spend a great deal of time working on cognitive dissonance.

Of course your point about “what can we do to be ‘right?’” is a good one. To be honest, I don’t think we know what all the answers are yet. I’ve blogged and written about some ideas in the past, as have many others. But we’re in the shake-out period, the early transition phase into something’s that radically different than before. It’s hard to discern at this point and time what it eventually will look like (did anyone know what impacts the printing press eventually would have on society a decade or two after it was invented?). But I think it’s probably going to involve:

1. a computing device in every kid’s (and educator’s) hand, 24–7;
2. ubiquitous high-speed wireless access to the Internet regardless of where you are on the globe; and
3. a much greater emphasis on individualized, personalized, creative learning and higher-order thinking rather than low-level fact regurgitation.

What will the specific tools be? What will the eventual pedagogical models look like? What forms will school organizations and classrooms take? Who knows? Right now I and others are working hard just to get educators to start thinking and talking about this stuff rather than ignoring it…

Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I’m especially appreciative of contributors like you that push my thinking.

Scott is right that widespread dissatisfaction is a prerequisite condition to systemic change. Unfortunately, we’re more likely to hear complaints about saddlesores and poor rider posture than the fact that our students are wasting years of their life getting the wrong kind of education.

It’s time to stop changing the saddle and the horseshoes while thinking we’re keeping up with the times.

Fundamental, systemic reform is the only solution to schools continuing to be a mostly useless, very expensive waste of resources. What did you learn in school that made you a successful person today, and was conventional school the best environment to learn it?

Sometimes as another edublogger often notes, learning is messy. That is a lesson that (along with learning to ask great questions) our students need exposure to.

I think sometimes we are prone to look to someone to “give us the answer” and are quick to jump for that one right answer when the reality is not so neat and tidy that it can be wrapped up in one or two class periods.

While a laptop and mobile devise for every child that would be nice, it does not make one 21st century. There are classrooms now with great technology still performing skill and drill, no thinking allowed exercises on computers.

21st century education involves, both online and offline ways reading, writing, investigating,creating, and sharing. To engage with one another and the world at this level, our students must be able to think critically, communicate their understandings in opinions in articulate ways, and be able to show something worthwhile for their time in school.

If Twitter, blogs, and wikis can enhance and improve our ability to this, than Bravo! But lets not lose sight that it is not the tool that makes us 21st century. It is still our ability to think and operate that tool in literate and progressive ways.

When the Tacoma narrows bride was built, the primary focus was load bearing strength. But, the dynamics of the location (strong winds blowing through the canyon) caused the bridge to twist and collapse. The primary focus was no longer the key. A lower focus, in this case, aerodynamics, BECAME THE PRIMARY FOCUS.
This is happening in education.

The student of today can be his or her own publisher (blogs, wikis, Twitter, etc.), producer (iTunes, Flickr, YouTube, etc.), entrepreneur (eBay), group organizer, (social sites), precisely because of the technology. Technology has fundamentally changed our society.

Teaching must adjust to the change in society. You can’t tell students to walk from a world of ubiquitous communication, connection, empowerment, to room where they sit quietly at their desks.

And remember, it’s only technology if it came when you were older. It’s not technology if you grew up with it. Does anyone think T.V., radio, and telephones are technology?

Bear with me a moment as I know we all want to move into the world of teaching 21st Century skills. Did anyone teach you how to use the TV, radio, or telephone? Why or why not? Did a teacher sit down and show you how to change a channel with the remote (the newest technology in TV viewing)?

Are these not tools that we have learned because as consumers we want to know how to use them for a number of reasons? Will those individuals that have been born with the PDA in hand not be comfortable learning on his/her own and from others? Do we need to have inept (sorry, many of us are in this arena) adults TEACHING this skill that the youth already have a better grasp of due to their personal desires? Picture yourself being taught to use a cell phone that all of your friends have had for weeks or months) by your grandmother that grew up cranking the handle on the phone to get the one operator in town (Little House on the Prairie images here…). How effective is that really going to be?

I don’t argue against the techology or the fact that things have changed dramatically. I only question whether we should be “teaching” the technology in schools or “accessing and utilizing” what our pupils already understand. Why not allow them to stretch and take us along for the ride?

OK, so one question extended into several, but you get my point…I hope.