Education in the 21st Century: Global Challenges and Innovative Solutions

by May 27, 2020Education & Spreading Knowledge, Uncategorized

In a world where robots, machines and software algorithms are replacing routine jobs traditionally done by people, education needs to rise to the challenge.

A radical change, especially in the developing countries, is required in the ways education is delivered to the ‘digital natives’ of today and tomorrow.

Modern challenges – Modern skills 

Recently the world has experienced the rise of the” knowledge economy” where knowledge is primary production source instead of capital and labour.
The Economist Intelligence Unit study found that the set of skills required for handling such a fast-changing market is a combination of soft skills and traditional knowledge. Developing these skills at an early age is important if we want to have better leaders and team-workers that excel in our economic system.

The Partnership for 21st Century Learning association has listed 4 themes of modern education:

Creativity

Critical thinking

Communication

Collaboration.

They should be spread in the entire curriculum and direct the teaching strategies. The P21 has opened its own schools and has developed a widespread system of schooling which is now moving towards the popularization of international schools.

Alternatives methods of education 

In most developed countries, the main educational paradigm is based on the principals of “Global Educational Reforms Movement (GERM)” whose main feature is the outcome-based, standardized education. However, some countries have implemented different reforms. 

In his book ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon?’, Zhao, Y. states that national standards and curriculums, enforced by standardized testing, can at best teach students what is prescribed by their teachers. As a result, students talented in other areas never have the opportunity to discover those talents.  The system results in a population with similar skills in a narrow spectrum of talents.

    •  Finland is experimenting with “phenomenon teaching” that aims to train people for life’s problems.
    • Some educational thinkers are suggesting that the change should be bottom-up. Teachers and students need to work together to find new ways of partnering by using their specific skills.
    • According to Illich, the schooling system is based on the axiom that learning is a result of teaching. Thus, the school becomes an obligatory institution where you obtain knowledge from certified professionals. This proposition has not proven to be entirely true, which explains the popularity of alternative methods of education.
      His theory generated in the 20th century has inspired research and modern solutions such as Ecopedagogy which is a transformative approach to teaching that critically engages practitioners and remains relevant.

Teaching strategies 

1. Project-based learning – allows students to engage in hands-on collaborative tasks and gives them the freedom to learn based on their learning styles. It encourages them to develop skills such as leadership and communication in natural environments.   

2. Problem-based learning – complex real-world problems are used as the vehicle to promote student learning of concepts and principles as opposed to direct presentation of facts and concepts. 

3. Technology integration – technology can be a great tool when used in the right way without allowing it to become too intrusive. Some of the ways it can benefit a class are: participatory research, virtual field trips, feedback, digital citizenship, etc.  

4. Teacher as Facilitator – the teacher is no longer seen as an authoritative figure, but as someone who aids the learning journey of each individual. 

5. The flipped classroom – is a way of organizing the lesson where all the conventional rules are overrun and innovative approaches are followed.

🌄Further information, to deepen the subject: