The 21st Century Changing

Landscape
Eivan Mark S. Sigua
 Lesson Objectives
• Discuss the changing landscape of the 21st
century
• Enumerate and explain the critical attributes
of 21st century education
• Explain the new parameters for teaching and
learning in the 21st century
 Try this!
• Mrs. Rosalia Santos, a primary school teacher in the
Philippines, is presently taking up graduate studies in
education. For her assignment, her professor asked her
to write an essay on the changes in Philippine society
in the past four decades. Read her short essay.
• After reading Mrs. Santos’ essay, reflect on the
following questions:
– What are some of the changes in Philippine society
described by Mrs. Santos?
– What would be the possible effects of these changes on
21st century education in the Philippines?
– Write your answer on the space below.
Changes and Challenges of the 21st
Century

S – Social
T – Technological
E – Economic
E – Ecological/Environmental
P – Political
 Social Changes
• This element describes society as a whole.
• Changes under this category may include
demographics, lifestyles, religion, education,
and age distribution of the population.
• When the social environment changes,
people’s lives are usually affected by these
changes.
 Technological
• Computers, mobile phones, and other
modern-day gadgets are seen not only in
schools and in the work place, but also in
homes and in communities.
• Twenty-first century schools are now
becoming more infused with technology -
computers and the internet are being
increasingly used in instruction at all levels
and in almost all subjects.
 Economic
• A key change in the Southeast Asian region is
economic.
• In 1996, Thailand’s General Prem
Tinsulanonda said that “in merely five
decades, Asia has become the region with the
highest rate of economic growth.”
• The 20th century saw the rise of China and
India, but the 21st century may well see
Southeast Asia as having stronger economies
 Ecological/Environmental
• The ecological element considers the present-day
situation of the physical and biological
environments that you and your students, as well
as your school, can face.
• It is imperative for you as a teacher, to help guide
your students in becoming aware of the changes
in the environment, such as pollution,
deforestation, and global warming, and how
these affect their lives and those around them.
 Political/Legal
• This element consists of understanding the
political and legal environments of a country
or region where your school operates.
• As a teacher, you have to understand and
adapt to the political and legal changes in your
school’s environment.
 Assignment
1. What impacts has increasing migration and other
social changes has on you, and in the school system in
general?
2. How have technological changes affected you, your
teacher and your school?
3. What impact do you think a stronger economy will
have on you and your school?
4. What are some other ways that you can help others
become more aware of environmental issues and
changes in the 21st century and how to address
them?
5. Reflect on the most recent political changes in your
country. How have these political changes affected
your daily life as a student?
 Time to Reflect!
• Have you ever wondered what 21st century
education looks like?
• What changes does the 21st century bring to
the teaching and learning process?
• Take a few minutes to reflect on these
questions.
Critical Attributes of the 21st Century
Education
 Integrated and Interdisciplinary
• Education in the 21st century is characterized by
linkages among various subject areas in an
integrated manner.
• The new approach promotes the utilization of
learning from various disciplines.
• This critical attribute implies that teachers need
to review the school curriculum and identify
strategies or ways on how different subjects can
be effectively linked to enhance the learning
experiences of students.
 Technologies and Multimedia
• Education in the 21st century makes full use of
available Information and Communication Technology,
or ICT (e.g., computers and the internet) as well as
multimedia (e.g., using audio- and video-based
instruction) to improve teaching and learning activities.
• The ability to find, evaluate, utilize, and create
information using technologies and multimedia, or
digital technology in general, is referred to as digital
literacy.
• This critical attribute implies that your school will need
to acquire and use computers and various multimedia
equipment to enhance learning to the best extent
possible. Training is also needed for teacher-users as
part of a bigger “technology plan.”
 Global Classrooms
• Education in the 21st century aims to produce
global citizens by exposing students to the
concerns of the region and other countries.
• They are encouraged to react and respond to
issues as part of their roles as global citizens.
• This critical attribute implies that teachers need
to include current global issues/concerns, such as
peace and respect for cultural diversity, climate
change, and global warming, in classroom
discussions.
 Creating/Adapting to Constant Personal
and Social Change and Lifelong Learning
• Learning can take place anywhere, anytime,
regardless of one’s age.
• Learning should take place not only for the
purpose of passing exams, but also for
transferring knowledge to real life situations.
• The curriculum should be planned in such a
way that the students will continue to learn
even outside the school’s portals.
 Student-Centered
• It is tailor-fit to address the individual learning needs of
each student.
• Differentiated instruction is common in 21st century
classrooms, where diverse student factors are taken into
account when planning and delivering instruction.
• You, as a teacher, can structure learning environments that
address the variety of learning styles, interests, needs, and
abilities found in your classroom.
• This critical attribute implies that teachers should act as
facilitators of learning — not as “sages on the stage” but as
“guides on the side.”
• Learners should be given opportunities to discover new
knowledge, learn with one another, and create their own
learnings.
 21st Century Skills
• It is not enough for students to learn the basic
skills of reading, writing, and numeracy, but
should develop in themselves skills that would
help them cope with life and work in 21st
century communities.
• These skills include, among others, critical and
creative thinking skills, problem solving and
decision making, and ICT literacy and skills.
Project-Based and Research-Driven
• Among the critical attributes of 21st century
education is the emphasis on data, information,
and evidence-based decision making.
• It relies heavily on student-driven activities to
encourage active learning.
• Investigatory projects showcased in many science
fairs across Southeast Asia and in the world are
examples of research-based activities of students.
Relevant, Rigorous and Real-world
• It can be applied to the realities of the present
and includes what students need to develop
to enable them to become productive
members of the 21st century.
• This critical attribute implies that topics are
taught using current and relevant information
and linked to real-life situations and context.
 Try this!
Critical Attributes of 21st Century Suggested Teaching and Learning Are you currently doing these

• For each critical attribute in Column 1,

Education Activities to Achieve the Attribute suggested activities in your school?
(Yes/No)
Integrated and Interdisciplinary
provide Suggested
Technologies and Multimedia
Teaching and Learning
Global Activities
Classrooms to Achieve the Attribute in Column 2.
• InandColumn
Social Change, and3, write the word YES if you are
Creating/Adapting to Constant
Personal
Lifelong Learning
currently doing these suggested activities in
Student-centered
st
your
31 Century Skills school, and NO if you are not.

• Item 8 has been

Project-based and Research-driven

Relevant, Rigorous and Real-world

done for you asYesan example.
Engage Learners in collaborative
projects that will challenge them to
find ways in solving real-world
problems, such as pollution, global
warming, drug addiction and the
like.
 Try this!
What’s New in Examples
• Study the first column of the Education
table below, which provides a
list of the new parameters in New
education in the 21st century. environment of
• Your task is to provide examples learning
of the “new things” in New content of
education listed in the first learning
column. New process of
• You may write your answer in learning
the second column.
New types of
• The last item, New learners
Spaces/Dimensions of Learning,
has been done for you. Work on New Classes can now
the rest of the examples. spaces/dimensio be held online
ns of learning instead of only
within
classrooms.
 New Parameters for Teaching and
Learning in the 21st Century
• Changes and developments in the 21st Century
education fall into the following key categories
(Zhou, 2006)
– New environment of learning
– New content of learning
– New process of learning
– New types of learners
– New spaces/dimensions of learning
 New Environment of Learning
• is more than the use of technology in instruction
• is also characterized by being more student-
centered than teacher-centered
• it also entails learning that goes beyond the
confines of the classroom
• is the availability of new Information and
Communication Technologies (ICTs), such as
mobile phones, computers, and the internet, in
the classroom and in schools
– encourages new types of learning interactions:
between teacher-learner, teacher-teacher, learner-
experts, and between learners-computer.
New Content of Learning

%
 New Process of Learning
• Acquiring knowledge and skills now becomes a lifelong
endeavor that has to be given time and attention so that
self- improvement is continuously achieved.
• Learning can be acquired through informal and non-formal
means, such as online learning modalities, self-help groups,
hands-on experiential learning like internships, and the use
of multimedia and other ICT-mediated learning.
• Learning in the 21st century has also become more
engaged and has evolved from rote learning to more
teacher-pupil, pupil-pupil interaction/dialogue, and
collaborative team learning.
• Teachers are now expected to improve their students’
knowledge, skills, and attitudes by involving them more in
dialogues and discussions.
 New Types of Learners
• Teaching in the 21st century has to evolve and adapt to
the changing needs of our new generation of learners,
who:
– have different sets of values, languages, and pop-cultures,
and different ways of thinking, reacting, responding, and
getting motivated;
– are techno-savvy - their internet and digital technology
skills and competencies, as well as their use of ICT as
powerful learning tools,
– come from more diverse backgrounds and cultural
identities (age, ethnicity,
– have new traits of independence, creativity, open-
mindedness, and enterprising minds.
 New Spaces/Dimensions of Learning
• Changes in the learning environment are observed to be of
three types:
– Horizontally:
• from schools to work-places, communities, mass media, and other
social learning environments.
• For example, learning, whether formal, nonformal, or informal, can
now happen in any place - in community centers, in offices, at home,
or in parks, and through various media such as radio or television
lessons, and the like.
– Longitudinally:
• from early childhood through adulthood to postretirement years
(lifelong).
• Opportunities to learn are not limited to the school-going population,
and one’s age should not be a hindrance for anyone to continue
learning.
– Vertically:
• from real to digital and virtual learning environments. Learning in the
21st century cuts across various media - from lessons done in real life,
to computer-based, or online learning via the internet.
 The 21st Century Classroom
• Read the journal reflection of Ms. Aida, a high
school teacher in Malaysia
• Answer the following questions:
– Do you think this scenario is possible?
– How does the classroom situation of Ms. Aida
compare with your own classroom teaching
experiences?
– How should your classroom be structured so that
Ms. Aida’s experiences may well be your own?
 Four Pillars of Learning in the 21st
Century
• Learning: The Treasure Within, highlighted the need
for individuals to"learn how to learn” to cope with the
rapid changes and challenges of the present and the
future.
• It describes a holistic approach to learning that
encompasses more than what occurs in the classroom.
• This is referred to as lifelong learning - a philosophy
that involves the development of knowledge, skills,
attitudes, and values throughout one’s life—from early
childhood through adulthood.
 Four Pillars of Learning in the 21st
Century
• Framework that organized lifelong
learning
• Fundamental principles for reshaping 21st
century education
• Framework to understand what students
need to acquire and develop in
themselves
Four Pillars of Learning in the 21st
Century
 Learning to Know
• Involves the acquisition and development of
knowledge and skills that are needed to
function in the world.
• Examples of skills under this pillar of learning
include:
– literacy;
– numeracy; and
– critical thinking.
 Learning to Live Together
• Involves the development of social skills
and values such as respect and concern
for others, social and inter-personal skills
and an appreciation of the diversity
among people.
• These skills would enable individuals and
societies to live in peace and harmony.
 Learning to Do
• Involves the acquisition of skills that would
enable individuals to effectively participate in
the global economy and society.
• These skills are often linked to occupational
success, such as:
– vocational and technical skills;
– apprenticeships; and
– leadership and management competencies.
 Learning to Be
• Involves activities that promote holistic personal
development (body, mind and spirit), for an all-
round ‘complete person.’
• These include cultivating one’s self analytical and
socials skills, creativity, personal discovery and an
appreciation of the inherent value provided by
these pursuits.
• An example under this pillar is a teacher who
participates in training workshops that will
enhance his/her knowledge and skills in the
teaching-learning process.
 Try this!
• Work in groups
• Choose a topic/lesson in Mathematics
• Create an outline of how the topic/lesson
should be taught
• In the outline, the four pillars should be
considered
• Present the activities/strategies that will be
used to address the need for the four pillars