Reality in 21ST Century Education
Marecil M. Germones
Education as of today requires empowered individual performer for school implementation. Educators, governing bodies, accreditation organizations, certification boards, employers, and the general public as one of the most significant competencies that people must possess now acknowledge lifelong learning and fully empowered.
As of today, in the 21st century, we find ourselves anew during loud voices proclaiming the importance of lifelong learning. What is clear is that the framework of lifelong learning has changed and the idealistic and generous vision characterizing lifelong learning has now become a necessary guiding and organizing principle of education reforms. We have to be aware and optimistic on how to adapt in this situation.
At present educational system, it is no longer enough to have the same living and working skills one had five years ago. The ways in which we access information and services continue to change. We need new competences to master a whole new digital world, not only by acquiring technical skills, but also by gaining a deeper understanding of the opportunities, challenges and even ethical questions posed by new technologies. As the debate on lifelong resonates throughout the world, it is clear that there are needs to be discussed on how this concept will be put into practice, in the educational field. The rhetoric on lifelong learning has to be matched with evidence of how it works and how it will contribute to crating more humane societies.
In the field of education and the system, for teachers that train new teachers, this will require greater participation in self-assessment, peer assessment, evaluation of performance in practice, documentation of practice-based learning and improvement activities, and learning at the point of care.
Teachers put in practice a new teaching style that an improve students’ abilities and attitudes for lifelong learning. In our classes, we use the critical thinking methods that offer a successful model of learning that may be more generally applied. During a critical thinking method, all work in progress is public and so students can see what every other student is doing. Students witness the thinking processes other students and successes of their peers, and learn the social and intellectual practices that enable them as an ensemble to become a reflective practicum. Students learn to solve problems, as they become critical thinkers and active learners. The ability of critical thinking is considered vital in learning society.
Furthermore, critical thinking methods can work for other subjects to in any field of study. Mostly the teachers and teaching assistants walk around from table to table, see what interesting issues are unfolding and occasionally interrupt the entire class to discuss something that a particular group of students is encountering. We believe that the crucial difference between traditional classrooms and critical thinking classrooms is the distinction between “learning about” and “learning to be.”
As we are submerging and implementer of lifelong learning, our commitment must be implicated and manifested in order to have a dignified and progressive 21st century educational system.
--oOo-
The author is Teacher at Lubao,Pampanga