Undoubtedly, in the century we live, teachers must urgently begin to rethink our education and the one we desire. We are adapting them to the demands and opportunities of the current and future world. Starting from this idea, we can starkly contrast the education of the last century with that of the 21st century. Previous education was traditionalist, totally passive, focused on the teacher and the simple acquisition of knowledge; the student was seated in a chair with a paper and pencil and spent hours and hours listening and writing; the student was the repository of content.
Academically, the pedagogical approach of traditional teaching was based on memorization and the transmission of information. On the contrary, today, we find ourselves with another educational panorama, with different educational needs, and after watching the videos, we can easily see certain educational aspects to compare. First, the MacArthur Foundation questions this old and obsolete traditional notion that learning is simply acquiring content; on the contrary, the student is the central figure in his learning journey; second, the importance of developing skills and tools to create, produce, and remake that content in new and innovative ways is emphasized. Third, 21st-century education recognizes the value of informal learning that occurs outside of school through digital technologies and media, so schools should raise the need to link this informal learning with formal learning in classrooms, taking advantage of the opportunities provided by new technologies. Likewise, the teacher's planning must focus on the student's interests, concerns, and needs. Finally, another aspect seen in Lichtman's video is to change the switch and deepen the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills; collaboration, effective communication, and creativity are essential to succeed in an increasingly complex world. Moreover, after briefly comparing both educational moments, as Lichtman mentions, the key will be for us as teachers to be open to creating authentic learning environments based on actual projects where students can apply these 21st-century skills In a practical and meaningful way. This will imply a change in paradigm and educational approach towards more active, creative, and knowledge-oriented learning, where our students can succeed in this constantly evolving world.
References:
21stEducator. (2009, April 2). 21st Century Education vs. 20th Century Education [Video]. YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiD1UqLPrOg
Macfound. (2010, December 1). Rethinking Learning: The 21st Century Learner | MacArthur Foundation [Video].YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0xa98cy-Rw
TEDx Talks. (2013, March 21). What 60 Schools Can Tell us About Teaching 21st century skills: Grant Lichtman at TEDxDenverTeachers [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZEZTyxSl3g
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