21ST CENTURY PEDAGOGY

In the 21st century, the world is changing and becoming increasingly

complex as the flow of information increases and becomes more accessible day by
day. The world is radically more different than it was just a few years ago,
hard to imagine that it’s such a short period of time, the world and its people,
economies and cultures have become connected, driven by the Internet, new
innovations and low-cost telecommunications technology.

The education is structured for all students, regardless of background or

community. Students are learning differently than before. Teachers are teaching
differently. Education changes. 21st century allows students to be recipients
and creators of the information at the same time, which prepares them for a new
kind of a workplace in the future, fast pace, technology-rich, and fostering
life-long learning.

However, teachers need to be lifelong learners in order that they can

meet the complex expectations set in a rapidly changing environment. Formal
continuous professional development courses provide them with opportunities to
broaden and update their knowledge base regularly. Moreover, non-formal
learning, such as national or international conferences and seminars, school-
based knowledge sharing workshops, structured professional collaboration are
key for teachers to adapt knowledge and skills to their particulal context.
Informal learning, such as practical experiences in teaching, has been shown as
essential in acquiring knowledge.

Teachers are no longer merely expected to transmit information, rather

they need to facilitate that all students acquire the knowledge and skills and
adopt the attitudes that enable them to become citizens who live a life they
value and who can effectively contribute to the 21st century society. As
education needs to adapt to an environment characterized by changes in society,
teachers are required to revisit and update their skills continuously.

By: ELEANOR N. DOLLOSO