From blackboard and chalk to whiteboard and pen.

From manila paper charts to powerpoint

presentation. From textbooks to laptop, iphone or tablets. This is the 21st century. They say the
only thing that is constant in this world is change. Thus, "change is coming" with our education
system. Knowledge is everywhere waiting to be discovered or grasp through education. So safe
to say we are living in the world of educational revolution. Twenty-first century education a
world of digital literacy. There are different interpretations or views with regard to the evolution
of education system. It may be said that we need an update to teaching and learning style such
as incorporation of new and modernized technologies. But others would say it means a total
change of the whole educational system from a traditional classroom to internet-based
schooling. Are we now redefining students and teachers too?

According to one article "21st century education is making your classroom as dynamic as the
world around us". Another article also said that "digital students are profoundly different than
those who graduated only 10 to 15 years ago. Thus, there is a need for schools to remain in
sync with the world around them and the learners within them." Our education system
prepares students to have a career in their life or to be a good citizen. But our world is full of
uncertainties. We can say that some jobs nowadays are not existing during the 90's or the 80's.
It might be also students will have jobs that are not offered or part of our educational
curriculum right now but existing in the year 2020. So what are we preparing for is the essence
of the 21st century education.

Statistics show that 46% of the teachers requires technology in their homework and 94% of the
students used technology to do their homeworks and that was for the past 5 years. It is a real
struggle for teachers who were used to traditional classroom set up compared to these days. It
is not just not knowing to handle or operate gadgets, not having facebook, instagram or twitter
to keep them update accounts or the know how to open websites. Their biggest problem is how
would they teach their students to find solutions to a problem that are not yet existing or to
prepare their students to take their part in the future full of uncertainties which this multi-
faceted world keep throwing to us.

Twenty-first century teaching is not just about science and technologies, as one of the author in
an article said that "21st century teaching is all about skills and technologies are a means to an
end". It is about innovation, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving. That should be
the teacher of 21st century approached their 21st century learners. To engage their students in
diverse and creative ways and encourage their students to participate. We are now done and
had move on with the "listen and repeat after me" teaching concept. As we've said knowledge is
everywhere and students can learn it anywhere. Seems like students nowadays are more on
adapting and they learned easily to it. Instead of just knowing it they tend to remember it. Try
to tell them something and they forget, but try to engage them into something and they
remember.

The use of modern technologies in the learning process of the students is to help them active,
engage and to learn what they can do. It encourages students to think outside the box not just
train them to seek answers through explorations. Although used of internet can be considered
as the 21st century "spoonfeed" concept. Like when teachers provide formulas, theories,
definitions and terms, dates or any informative datas for students to know and learn. And
students nowadays can find such information anytime and anywhere in a lightning. One click on
google then everything they wanted to know is served in a golden platter. With virtually
limitless information which students can get, teachers role to student now become obsolete.
For which is not true. It may be said that teachers are no longer the main source of knowledge
but teachers filter those reliable news and informations, help students to analyze and inculcate
the values which digital medias tend to break.

While the evolution of science and technology is overwhelming, the crisis on human values is
beginning to set in. In the article "Education for the Twenty-first Century" the author said that
"while the knowledge explosion is extending man's and mental outreach and technology is
utilized to bring wealth and economic power at least to a part of the world the domain of
human values has diminished and continues to erode. Values are inseparable from a sense of
worthiness. They are the very ideas and perceptions through which we experience and interpret
our relations to ourselves, to others and the world. They relate to the individual and to society,
operatively different but closely interwoven. The crisis of values is thus to be seen both at the
individual and societal levels." Teachers play a fundamental role in education not only
enhancing the brain capacity but the well-being of their students. By changing the young people
play and socialize and to participate in the civic life. And this will be another challenge for
teachers in handling 21st century learners. However, there are foreign organizations and
associations which provides tools and resources to teachers and supports the development and
integration of 21st century skills and teaching practices. The C21 which is Canada based outlines
7 competencies: 1. Creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship 2. Critical thinking 3.
Collaboration 4. Communication 5. Character 6. Cultural and ethical citizenship 7. Computer and
digital technology. Another is the US support group P21 with their 3Rs (Reading, wRiting and
aRithmetic) and 4Cs (creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration).

Others would say qualitative transformation in education is the keynote for an effective teaching
skill in 21st century but still it depends on how you viewed or interpret 21st century education.
Support sytems, outlines or guidelines will be provided but are you flexible and ready to move
forward and expanding the horizon.