A 21st Century Classroom?

The current year is 2015. This means that we are are only five short years away from 2020. CISCO predicts that by 2020, a $1,000 computer will have the processing power of the human brain1. Whether this claim seems feasible or not, it does not change the fact that technology holds tremendous influence in our everyday lives. As 21st teachers, we must prepare our students to be ready to work with the ever-changing face of technology, and to develop the skills to make it possible. The ultimate goal of the 21st century classroom is to prepare today's youth to deal with the complexities of the real world and the 21st century workplace.

The 21st century classroom is complex, and requires many elements to work successfully. The 21st century classroom is unique because the teacher is no longer seen as all-knowing, but rather as a mentor or guide that facilitates student learning, and encourages student centered learning and communication. In the 21st century classroom, students collaborate with one another, and share ideas in a way that they are always striving to think creatively, and gain knowledge.  Critical thinking, and problem-solving skills are required because of the inquiry based approach to learning. This type of open atmosphere is possible because of the mutual respect between the teacher and the students. With clear guidelines and expectations in place, the students are always aware of what is expected of them, and are driven to succeed. 

Other than the teacher and student dynamics, there are also more concrete aspects of the 21st classroom that are required to make it successful. This includes the interconnectedness of all subject matter. Any curriculum strand should not be taught in isolation, but rather within a framework that is both authentic, and involves the use of media and technology skills. By engaging students in meaningful learning experiences, they have more opportunities to make use of higher thinking skills, and think critically about the information presented to them. Rather than simply memorizing and regurgitating the information, they are thinking of ways that it can be useful within other contexts. 

We must think forward, and create an environment that will help students develop the knowledge and skills necessary for them to be successful in the 21st century workplace. If we succeed, they too will be able to thrive, and have success in 21st century environments. 

1 Source: Hans Moravec, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, 1998; Cisco IBSG, 2006-2009