THE 21 ST CENTURY LEARNER Four Key Pillars of Education: Learning to Know Learning to do

1. THE 21ST CENTURY LEARNER Four Key Pillars of Education: Learning to Know Learning to do Learning to be Learning to Live Together UNESCO’S Commission on Education for the 21st Century Sigfried Ramler

2. Global Literacy: • Understanding global linkages impacting past, present and future. • Alternatives to a textbook centered curriculum: Use of primary sources, such as key documents, speeches, articles of a given period to stimulate • analysis and critical thinking. • Inter-disciplinary and team approach in the teaching of • a civilization, integrating literature, language and the • arts in the historical context and calling for a • collaboration of teachers across the curriculum.

3. The rapidity of change and volatility of the 21st century environment. • Learning and teaching go beyond transmission of • knowledge of past historical events and extend to issues • and challenges dealing with the present and future. • Dealing with issues, predicaments and dilemmas from • a global perspective, preparing students to cope with a • rapidly changing environment.

4. Anticipatory learning with student participation in past-present-future scenarios. • Models of study units, beginning with exploration of the • students’ local setting and expanding across cultures and • boundaries to manifestations abroad. • A conceptual framework for curriculum, which places • teaching and learning into a global context with alternate • scenarios projecting into the future.

5. Social and Ethnic Diversity in the Educational Setting • Enriching educational experiences through school- • community programs featuring diverse cultures. • Bringing speakers and presenters from diverse cultural • backgrounds into the school setting. • Inviting civic leaders from diverse backgrounds and faiths for presentations and dialogue leading to multi-ethnic understanding, cooperation and conflict resolution.

6. Social and Ethnic Diversity in the Educational Setting • Instilling Social Responsibility • Mapping community needs. • Service learning projects. • Exploration of social policies and issues of legislation • and governance which impact social conditions. • Expand from exploration of local conditions to an • understanding of global challenges.

7. Education for Economic Literacy • Home-school link towards economic literacy in early • childhood education • Cross-disciplinary approach in integrating economics • in the study of societies – local, national and global. • Potential for “hands-on” classroom experiences in • economic understanding • Career exploration opportunities

8. Education for Ecological Literacy • “Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe” – H.G. Wells • Universal challenges requiring an understanding of the interaction of humans and the earth’s system. • Education for sustainability requires an interdisciplinary framework of learning and teaching, going beyond the biological and physical sciences. • Exploration beyond the classroom – school projects.

9. Study and Service Abroad • International studying, living and serving as a core • component of the school experience. • Transformative impact of the study abroad experience. • Second language mastery – a vital aspect of schooling in • a global environment.

10. The 21st Century Learner • The wired universe – pervasive impact of technology on • today’s learner. • Disconnect between schooling and non-formal ways the • learner obtains information. • Potential of technology and the media to bring the • classroom into the world and the world into the • classroom. • Information literacy and media literacy – essential • requirements for analysis and critical thinking in the • educational environment.