our world is changing
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Our world is changing, and in order to prepare our children for this new world we need to change
the way we educate them. In the 21st century educators must create a curriculum that will help
students connect with the world and understand the issues that our world faces.
Schools in the 21st century will become nerve centers, a place for teachers and students to
connect with those around them and their community. Teachers in this new environment will
become less instructors and more orchestrators of information, giving children the ability to turn
knowledge into wisdom.
In order to educate in the 21st century, teachers and administrators need to cultivate and
maintain the student's interest in the material by showing how this knowledge applies in the real
world. They must also try to increase their student's curiosity, which will help them become
lifelong learners. Next they should be flexible with how they teach and give learners the resources
to continue learning outside of school.
,All educators want to help their students succeed in life. What
was considered a good education 50 years ago, however,
is no longer enough for success in college, career, and
citizenship in the 21st century.
As educators, we constantly strive to prepare our students for the real world that exists around
them. We teach them how to read, write, and calculate. Then, of course, there are the less
tangible skills we teach; such as how to work in a team, think critically, and be curious about the
things they encounter each day.
We want to prepare them to lead productive and successful lives once they leave us and enter
into the realm of adulthood. But what lies ahead for our students in the future? Did educators of
twenty years ago know that so much of our world would be based on computers and technology
now? Could they have known what skills would be needed in the job market today? Unlikely, but
yet they had to do their best to prepare their students for this world anyhow. Nowadays,
educators are still charged with the same complicated taskpreparing students for the unknown.
Tony Wagner of Harvard University worked to uncover the 7 survival skills required for the 21st
century. To accomplish this, hundreds of CEOs in business, non-profits and educational
institutions were interviewed. A list of seven skills that people will need to survive and thrive in the
21st century was compiled from their answers.
We may not know exactly what lies ahead for our students in the future, but we have the
advantage of knowing what skills they will need once they get there. Here are the 7 survival skills
of the 21st century, along with how they may look being purposefully applied in a classroom.
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Skills: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Preparation:Students will need to develop their skills at seeing problems from different angles
and formulating their own solutions. Regardless of the field they choose to enter for their careers,
the ability to think and act quickly is an indispensable tool for the future. To practice this, teachers
should present students with situations in which they need to figure things out for themselveswhere skills that they have already developed can be drawn upon and applied to help them figure
out a problem.
The problem should ideally lend itself to multiple solutions, as we do not want to teach students
that there is only one answer available, but instead that problem-solving can be a creative and
personal experience. Situational problems in mathematics provide a good example of these skills
at work.
Skills: Collaboration Across Networks and Leading by InfluencePreparation:Not every person is born a natural leader.
However, the ability to lead others can definitely help a person to advance and become
successful in their chosen career. Also, finding a job where you dont need to be able to work
closely and harmoniously with others can be quite a difficult task. To best prepare students in this
area, more than just the typical teamwork is required. Instead of simply getting into a group and
splitting the tasks with each other, students should instead be encouraged to take on different
roles within their group for each task within the project.
Sometimes they can be the manager and at other times they can be an organizer or a graphic
designer. There are many different roles that students can fill during a project with their peers
that allows them to work with others in a more collaborative way than just breaking apart a project
and then putting it back together in the end.
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Skills: Agility and Adaptability
Preparation:If we look back at the last twenty years we can see how much has changed in the
workplace and the world.
Our students need to be comfortable with the idea of change and be willing to adapt to the
changes around them. Teachers can create a very dynamic environment within the classroom
that can help to prepare students for the future. Varying the teaching strategies we use, the setup
of the classroom, the ways that learning is demonstrated by students, and even the guidelines for
group work or homework can help students learn to adapt.
Have students create a storyline, for example, then surprise them with a mandatory element to
incorporate, or even have them switch work and complete a task based on the preparations of
another. They might grumble at first, but the skills will serve them well!
Skills: Initiative and Entrepreneurship
Preparation:Students need to be able to take initiative and contribute to the world. We should
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encourage these skills within our classrooms and our communities. Our students can be
incredibly creative and interested in shaping their experience in the classroom, so we can ask
them for much more than a list of classroom rules and consequences.
Let them know that you are available and willing to listen to any of their ideas about improving theclassroom or school. Help them organize their ideas and put them into practiceeven if an idea
may fail. It can be a valuable lesson about how to analyze what went wrong and consider how to
improve the idea. Students should never be afraid of trying because they are afraid of failure.
Skills: Effective Oral and Written Communication
Preparation:Despite advances in technology, these skills never diminish in importance. Think of
a boss or manager sending you an email full of grammatical errors or presenting a new business
plan while speaking too low and reading the entire presentation off a sheet of paper. What would
you honestly think? Consider some of the best communicators you have seenwhat makesthem rise above the rest? We need to teach our students how to speak confidently and clearly.
This doesnt come naturally, but with practice; enunciation, speed, volume, gestures, and eye-
contact can all be taught and learned. The same skills that help in drama can help in oral
communication. Take a moment one day to begin teaching a lesson in a very ineffective way and
see how long it takes your students to ask what youre doing they should be able to tell you
exactly whats wrong with your communication skills! As for written communication, we need to
continue to emphasize the rules while also teaching students how to use the technology available
to them to help check their writing. The difference between formal and informal writing is quite
important for students to learn and start applying.
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Skills: Accessing and Analyzing Information
Preparation:Students have access to unimaginable amounts of information today. The Internet
provides an incredible research tool that can be their best friend or worst enemy. Accessing
information is easy, but accessing good information tends to be more complicated. Students need
to be taught how to sift through the millions of web pages available on a topic and find what they
need (and be able to trust what they find). They need to learn the difference between factualinformation and factual-sounding opinions.
Many students today will check answer websites to gather information, not really thinking about
how the information was written by a person who may or may not be correct or truly
knowledgeable in a subject area. In the same way a teacher can think-aloud reading strategies,
we can think-aloud Internet searching strategies. Project your screen on the board and learn
about a topic with your students. Show them how to search, and how to use those answer sites
without being misled!
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Skills: Curiosity and Imagination
Preparation:Our students come to us naturally curious about their world and wanting to explore
it. Their imaginations are vast and untamed, creating endless amounts of practical and
impractical things. Our task as educators has less to do with teaching them how to be curious and
imaginative, and more to do with not taking that away from them. We need to continue toencourage them to develop these skills, as well as teach them how to apply them creatively and
purposefully. Imagine the little boy who loves soldiers and robots, but hates princesses.
How do you react when he shows you his freshly-drawn picture of a soldier using a robot-inspired
weapon to destroy a princess? Do you celebrate his creativity in the same way you celebrate the
world-saving-robot drawn by the student next to him? Is his picture hung on the wall? We dont all
like and appreciate the same things, so an educator must be very careful about how they nurture
and develop their students creativity and imagination. We can teach them which things are
appropriate in which situations without making them feel like their ideas are wrong or bad.Besides, the greatest horror writers have to begin somewhere!
It is all the transcendence of human race that people today reach the height of maximum luxury
upgrading from the days of their very ancient Stone and Cave age. What human being has
achieved today was once only a dream out of reach. But man's curiosityperhaps the most
wonderful gift given to man by God was behind his quest leading to wholehearted efforts to
convert all impossible dreams of yesteryears into reality.
Today in the 21st century, men have reasons enough to be proud for their unique achievements.
From stepping into the moon of cloning genes, there has been a long list of tremendous success ofscience and technology. But restless people's mind has still enough desire for even greater
achievements. And there is every reason to believe that in the coming days many of such dreams
would be possible for us.
Today at the starting days of the 21st century, Technology is the most pronouncing name all over
the world. We are at the age of computer. Application of computer is becoming a common name
in all aspects of life.
Computer now no longer remains only a laboratory kit. Its application ventures into industrial
setups, health care facilities, educational institutions, banking systems, ticket booking counters,carrying out business proceedings, governmental jobs in fact in all aspects. Greater accuracy,
more memory capacity and time saving ability of computer make people more and more
interested towards its application.
CD-ROMS have already ventured into conventional paper printings with their greater storage
capacity and longer safety. Internet the name has already created history turning out the world
into a global village.
Electronic commerce (E-com) is all set to create big bonanza in the 21st century where a man in
India sitting with his computer could order his required assets at a market complex in America
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and within hours, he could get delivered his required assets at his doorstep. Software experts are
continuing their efforts to create even new miracles.
Home works have already been carried out to regulate computer applications. Pirated software
packages, leaving computer viruses in the net are creating havoc all over the world. The recent
"love bug" menace stalled net application throughout the world for several hours leading billions
of dollar loss incurred in the worldwide business proceedings. Need therefore now arises to have
strict international cyber laws to prevent such crimes.
Medical science is yet another area where man has already gained big success. Bypass surgery
organ transplantation, CAT scan, ultrasound, Keyhole surgery are the names that have given
maximum safety to human life. Using modern equipment in human body, diagnosis and surgery
has already created history. Computer application has given greater accuracy and sophisticated
modes to medical facilities.
Telemedicine now makes possible distant treatment, where a patient can consult with his
physician by pressing keys in the keyboard. In the coming days, it would have greater access
where a patient sitting in India could consult and get treatment from a specialist in America.
Application of robots in surgery is already under experiment in Western countries.
In the coming days of the 21st century where a surgeon could sit in his place and just by pressing
keys perform surgery getting assistance from the robot. The recent success by the scientists in
human gene mapping has marked another grand success in the field of medical science. Scientists
now believe that it would be possible to have absolute treatment for diseases like cancer or AIDS
in our coming days.
Like polio or pox, many other diseases would also be completely eradicated from our life.
However, in the time of overall human health management, there remain many shortfalls.
Inequality in human health security is a big defeat for medical science. High cost now becomes a
factor where the rich can only afford to get specialised medical facilities.
For the poor, better medical facilities are still a distant dream. Large number of children still is
dying of malnutrition in many African countries. Every day, more than 1000 women die all over
the world in problems related to pregnancy and childbirth. In our country malaria and
tuberculosis still cost large number of deaths. In many places, villagers nave still to depend on
quacks since they cannot afford modern medical treatment.
What we now need is equality in terms of health care facilities. Let's hope we achieve this goal in
the coming days of the 21st century.
In the field of space science, there has been success beyond imagination. Once people dreamt of
getting the moon in their hands. And today after stepping into the moon they are now dreaming
of making holiday resorts at moon.
Success achieved in mission Mars has thrown new light on the possibility of life in other planets.
Grand success achieved in space science has now led to spectacular achievements in the field of
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communications like E-mail, Internet, ISD system, mobile Tele system, fax etc. Recent revolution
in TV broadcasting is also due to grand success achieved in the Space science.
In transport, air service system has already created revolution turning the world into an area of
only a few hours of journey. Supersonic jets are now under trial, which would give fastest ever
transport facilities. Railway system of transportation has achieved steep heights. Japan has
already created history by introducing fastest ever electronic railway engine. Gradual decrease of
conventional fuels like petroleum or coal has now led people to find out non-conventional fuel
resources.
A vehicle driven with solar energy is already under trial. Solar energy would be the mains source
of fuel in future, which would also be eco-friendly.
In the field of agriculture also, people's efforts have led to tremendous achievements. Green
revolution has created history all over the world Biotechnology has helped hybridization where
scientists have come out with success in producing advanced varieties of high-yielding, disseat
resistance or drought-resistance seeds.
With the assistance of satellites meteorological science has got new boost-up with early prediction
of proper time management or water management for better cultivation. As has been reported
scientists in Britain recently created a type of insect the can kill any other type of crop destructing
pests. In the coming days man new evolutions are in the line which, would make possible even
evolution are in the line which would make possible even better crop management.
In the field of nuclear science, scientists have already developed fission technology to produce
greater energy. They have already learnt to produce nuclear energy from high-powered
radioactive elements like plutonium, thorium or uranium. In the wake of decreasing stock of non-
renewable sources, people have even learnt of making artificial radioactive material India's
Kamini Research Reactor has already set example using "Uranium 233"; a man-made fissionable
material derived from thorium, as fuel.
Efforts have been continued to harness fusion of hydrogen atom. In the coming days of the 21st
century, scientists would certainly come out with success trapping large amount of energy from
fusion of hydrogen atoms, to be used in useful purposes.
Success of science and technology is tremendous. We have already achieved a lot and there is lotmore to be achieved in the coming days. But where science and technology has made us
materially rich in socioeconomic front, the world is also going to be a big loser. Man's de; to
achieve beyond limit has now threatened safety of human life.
We fast proceeding industrial setup, environmental pollution is becoming a common name.
Vehicular pollution is fast growing at a pace emitting poisonous gases everyday in the
environment. Number of patients suffering from respiratory ailments, skin diseases or other
health hazards is increasing every day. Being one of the most polluted cities in the world,
thousands of residents in Delhi are reportedly suffering from respiratory problems.
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Green house effect is becoming a serious concern threatening world environment. With the
increase of industrial activity and decrease of forest coverage, carbon-di-oxide level is rising in the
environment at a rate faster than the normal resulting in rising of world temperatures. Scientists
have reported melting of ice in the Polar Regions and rising of the sea level. It has now been
predicted that by the mid of the 21st century, many islands and parts of the countries will
submerge under sea.
Ozone depletion is yet another reality creating havoc in our life. Refrigerator, a success of science,
has added luxury to our life, but the coolants used here now remain one of the major sources of
chloro-floro- carbon (CFC), that causes depletion of the Ozone layer, the protection barrier of the
poisonous ultraviolet light. With the influence of UV light, danger of skin cancer is rising
tremendously.
As Darwin explained in his theory of evolution, to keep balance on earth every species need to
keep its multiplication at a balanced rate. With excessive multiplication of human population,
other species are downing their population rate. Several varieties of birds and animals are already
extinct from our environment. With greater human establishment, forest coverage is fast
reducing. Landslides, heavy rains leading to floods have now become the common occurrences.
Large-scale competition among the human beings has led to shortage of all conventional
resources on the earth. For example, the scientists have predicted that by the mid of this century,
the world would face big potable water crisis.
On the social front, disparity between the rich and the poor is increasing tremendously. Social
tension is mounting steadily. People are going to be more and more mechanical. Joint family
norms is now almost outdated.
People have become more and more self-centered. With lack of sympathy among the rich for the
poor, social crimes are raising reducing safety to man's life with deprived classes as also neo-rich
taking to crime.
Disparity among the countries has also been rising. Countries have become more and thirstier to
increase their influence. Various world organisations like WTO, UN, etc. have no longer remained
fair in conducting their business. In these organisations, voice of the rich countries prevails to the
neglect of the poor countries.
The North-South gap has been rising tremendously. Where the American and European countries
are turning to be world's heaven in terms of luxury, people of many African countries are dying of
malnutrition, disease and death.
Political disparity is mounting among the global powers increasing regional tensions. Even after
experiencing war havoc a number of times; nations do not seem to have learnt to avoid conflict.
To show their own muscle power, countries have concentrated beefing up their stockpile of
conventional and nuclear arms.
Again both economic and political disparity is giving birth to rebel groups within the countries.World terrorism is now creating havoc all over the world. Man is the most successful creation of
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God. And all human beings always seek mental peace perhaps the most wonderful gift of God. The
revolution of scientific inventions was all started to give comfort and happiness to man's life.
When Einstein evaluated his theory of relativity (E=mc2) perhaps he did not even imagine that
one day men would apply it to enrich their stockpile of dreaded nuclear weapons. But very
unfortunately people's desires to feed beyond limit make them hawkish against one another. It
took thousands of years to reach at today's level of progress, but it will not take even a day to go
back to our days of origin.
Fortunately a sane human mind can never desire for destruction. World efforts are continuing to
ensure permanent peace. At the beginning of the 21st century, can we really hope of getting a
world of love, unity and peace in our coming days? Religion which should be source of mental
peace, universal brotherhood, and respect for other beliefs is now being misused to promote
terrorism whether it is Kashmir, Chechnya, the Philippines or elsewhere by Islamic
fundamentalists.
The unprovoked killing of innocent and devout pilgrims to Amarnath, the Nature-made (not man-
made) Shiv lingam, in Jammu & Kashmir is a gruesome reminder to the extent where religious
fanaticism has reached. Is it not better to be an atheist than theist, if such brutalities are to be
heaped on human beings in the name of religion? Amar Nath symbolises God's incarnation in
snow to most, it is not Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Mosque dispute which should lead to inter-
religion clashes.
Let man learn to co-exist that is the only wish of every peace-loving person for the 21st century.
Schools are expected to prepare students for a complex and rapidly changing world. In addition to
teaching subject content, schools are expected to develop young people who are information and
media literate; critical thinkers and problem solvers; communicators and team players. They are
expected to teach environmental awareness and civic responsibility and various other transferable
and lifelong skills. Schools are seen to have an important role in enhancing wellbeing so that
students can realise their full potential, cope with the stresses of life and participate fully in their
community. Increasingly schools are expected to educate young people to behave responsibly in
relation to drugs and alcohol, cyber safety, road safety and their sexual health