This document summarizes the key findings of a Wikistrat crowdsourced simulation on 21st century education. It identifies three major themes that arose: 1) The opportunities and challenges of technology in education, such as MOOCs, AI teachers, and digital textbooks reducing costs but traditional educators resisting changes. 2) The relationship between education and jobs, and debates around vocational vs. liberal education. 3) The impact of globalization on student mobility and education systems adjusting to the global economy. Over 50 analysts worldwide contributed scenarios on how economic, technological and social trends will change educational methods, programs and policies in the future.
To thrive in the 21st century, students need more than traditional academic learning. They must be adept at collaboration, communication and problem-solving, which are some of the skills developed through social and emotional learning (SEL). Coupled with mastery of traditional skills, social and emotional proficiency will equip students to succeed in the swiftly evolving digital economy. In 2015, the World Economic Forum published a report that focused on the pressing issue of the 21st-century skills gap and ways to address it through technology (New Vision for Education: Unlocking the Potential of Technology). In that report, we defined a set of 16 crucial proficiencies for education in the 21st century. Those skills include six “foundational literacies”, such as literacy, numeracy and scientific literacy, and 10 skills that we labelled either “competencies” or “character qualities”. Competencies are the means by which students approach complex challenges; they include collaboration, communication and critical thinking and problem-solving. Character qualities are the ways in which students approach their changing environment; they include curiosity, adaptability and social and cultural awareness (see Exhibit 1).
In our current report, New Vision for Education: Fostering Social and Emotional Learning through Technology, we follow up on our 2015 report by exploring how these competencies and character qualities do more than simply deepen 21st-century skills. Together, they lie at the heart of SEL and are every bit as important as the foundational skills required for traditional academic learning. Although many stakeholders have defined SEL more narrowly, we believe the definition of SEL is evolving. We define SEL broadly to encompass the 10 competencies and character qualities.1 As is the case with traditional academic learning, technology can be invaluable at enabling SEL.
Student Achievement in the Digital Age: How emergent technologies can enhance...Richard Hall
My presentation at The Northern Universities Consortium (NUCCAT) annual conference in Manchester on 19 November 2015. See: http://www.richard-hall.org/2015/11/18/student-achievement-in-the-digital-age-how-emergent-technologies-can-enhance-the-academic-experience/
To thrive in the 21st century, students need more than traditional academic learning. They must be adept at collaboration, communication and problem-solving, which are some of the skills developed through social and emotional learning (SEL). Coupled with mastery of traditional skills, social and emotional proficiency will equip students to succeed in the swiftly evolving digital economy. In 2015, the World Economic Forum published a report that focused on the pressing issue of the 21st-century skills gap and ways to address it through technology (New Vision for Education: Unlocking the Potential of Technology). In that report, we defined a set of 16 crucial proficiencies for education in the 21st century. Those skills include six “foundational literacies”, such as literacy, numeracy and scientific literacy, and 10 skills that we labelled either “competencies” or “character qualities”. Competencies are the means by which students approach complex challenges; they include collaboration, communication and critical thinking and problem-solving. Character qualities are the ways in which students approach their changing environment; they include curiosity, adaptability and social and cultural awareness (see Exhibit 1).
In our current report, New Vision for Education: Fostering Social and Emotional Learning through Technology, we follow up on our 2015 report by exploring how these competencies and character qualities do more than simply deepen 21st-century skills. Together, they lie at the heart of SEL and are every bit as important as the foundational skills required for traditional academic learning. Although many stakeholders have defined SEL more narrowly, we believe the definition of SEL is evolving. We define SEL broadly to encompass the 10 competencies and character qualities.1 As is the case with traditional academic learning, technology can be invaluable at enabling SEL.
Student Achievement in the Digital Age: How emergent technologies can enhance...Richard Hall
My presentation at The Northern Universities Consortium (NUCCAT) annual conference in Manchester on 19 November 2015. See: http://www.richard-hall.org/2015/11/18/student-achievement-in-the-digital-age-how-emergent-technologies-can-enhance-the-academic-experience/
Helping the Education Industry Learn and Ascend the Digital Technology CurveCognizant
Our framework and tool enables players in the educational ecosystem - educational institutions, publishers and technology providers - to efficiently evaluate new digital technologies in terms of innovation maturity, learner-centricity and the four dimensions of learning: space, schedule, style and supplement.
E-LEArn2017
PrE-confErEncEsymPosium
“moocsandopenEducationintheDevelopingWorld”
n
What do the World Bank, UNESCO, the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), the Inter-American Development Bank, and numerous
other organizations and institutions around the globe have in common? They are all engaged in fascinating experiments to
take advantage of advances in digital technologies and e-learning design to provide education, training, and professional development
opportunities to people in developing countries who previously could not partake of these opportunities. One such delivery
mechanism has been the massive open online course (MOOC) as well as various MOOC-like derivatives. Another is the use of
open educational resources (OER). These efforts are already benefitting millions of people, but much potential for expansion and improvement remains.
The future of education and skills Education 2030Peerasak C.
"We are facing unprecedented challenges – social, economic and environmental – driven by accelerating globalisation and a faster rate of technological developments. At the same time, those forces are providing us with myriad new opportunities for human advancement. The future is uncertain and we cannot predict it; but we need to be open and ready for it. The children entering education in 2018 will be young adults in 2030. Schools can prepare them for jobs that have not yet been created, for technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems that have not yet been anticipated. It will be a shared responsibility to seize opportunities and find solutions.
To navigate through such uncertainty, students will need to develop curiosity, imagination, resilience and selfregulation; they will need to respect and appreciate the ideas, perspectives and values of others; and they will need to cope with failure and rejection, and to move forward in the face of adversity. Their motivation will be more than getting a good job and a high income; they will also need to care about the well-being of their friends and families, their communities and the planet.
Education can equip learners with agency and a sense of purpose, and the competencies they need, to shape their own
lives and contribute to the lives of others. To find out how best to do so, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has launched The Future of Education and Skills 2030 project. The aim of the project is to help countries find answers to two far-reaching questions:
● What knowledge, skills, attitudes and values will today's students need to thrive and shape their world?
● How can instructional systems develop these knowledge, skills, attitudes and values effectively?
This position paper describes the first results from this work. The initial framework was reviewed, tested and validated in an iterative process involving a range of stakeholders from around the world. They ensured that the framework is relevant across the globe, consistent with wider policies and can be implemented. We will finalise the framework by the end of 2018. In 2019, we will change gears and begin to explore the translation of the framework into pedagogy, assessment and the design of an instructional system.
Working with policy makers, academic experts, school networks, teachers, education leaders, students and social partners, the framework provides a space in which to exchange ideas, compare proven and promising practices, discover cuttingedge research and contribute to a new ecosystem of learning. If you’d like to join us, please get in touch."
Microservices - Hitchhiker's guide to cloud native applicationsStijn Van Den Enden
Microservices are a true hype these days. Netflix, Amazon, eBay, … are all using microservices, but why? The idea is simple; split your application into multiple services which can evolve autonomously through time. The name suggests to keep these services small. Conceptually this seems not all that different from a classical Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Nonetheless, microservices do offer a new perspective. A monolithic application is divided into a couple small services which can be independently developed, deployed and scaled. Flexibility is increased, but using this model also has some pitfalls.This session sheds a light on the microservices landscape; the key drivers for using the pattern, tooling to support development and maintenance, and the pros and cons that go with it. We’ll also introduce some key design principles that can be used in creating and modelling these modular enterprise applications.
Helping the Education Industry Learn and Ascend the Digital Technology CurveCognizant
Our framework and tool enables players in the educational ecosystem - educational institutions, publishers and technology providers - to efficiently evaluate new digital technologies in terms of innovation maturity, learner-centricity and the four dimensions of learning: space, schedule, style and supplement.
E-LEArn2017
PrE-confErEncEsymPosium
“moocsandopenEducationintheDevelopingWorld”
n
What do the World Bank, UNESCO, the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), the Inter-American Development Bank, and numerous
other organizations and institutions around the globe have in common? They are all engaged in fascinating experiments to
take advantage of advances in digital technologies and e-learning design to provide education, training, and professional development
opportunities to people in developing countries who previously could not partake of these opportunities. One such delivery
mechanism has been the massive open online course (MOOC) as well as various MOOC-like derivatives. Another is the use of
open educational resources (OER). These efforts are already benefitting millions of people, but much potential for expansion and improvement remains.
The future of education and skills Education 2030Peerasak C.
"We are facing unprecedented challenges – social, economic and environmental – driven by accelerating globalisation and a faster rate of technological developments. At the same time, those forces are providing us with myriad new opportunities for human advancement. The future is uncertain and we cannot predict it; but we need to be open and ready for it. The children entering education in 2018 will be young adults in 2030. Schools can prepare them for jobs that have not yet been created, for technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems that have not yet been anticipated. It will be a shared responsibility to seize opportunities and find solutions.
To navigate through such uncertainty, students will need to develop curiosity, imagination, resilience and selfregulation; they will need to respect and appreciate the ideas, perspectives and values of others; and they will need to cope with failure and rejection, and to move forward in the face of adversity. Their motivation will be more than getting a good job and a high income; they will also need to care about the well-being of their friends and families, their communities and the planet.
Education can equip learners with agency and a sense of purpose, and the competencies they need, to shape their own
lives and contribute to the lives of others. To find out how best to do so, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has launched The Future of Education and Skills 2030 project. The aim of the project is to help countries find answers to two far-reaching questions:
● What knowledge, skills, attitudes and values will today's students need to thrive and shape their world?
● How can instructional systems develop these knowledge, skills, attitudes and values effectively?
This position paper describes the first results from this work. The initial framework was reviewed, tested and validated in an iterative process involving a range of stakeholders from around the world. They ensured that the framework is relevant across the globe, consistent with wider policies and can be implemented. We will finalise the framework by the end of 2018. In 2019, we will change gears and begin to explore the translation of the framework into pedagogy, assessment and the design of an instructional system.
Working with policy makers, academic experts, school networks, teachers, education leaders, students and social partners, the framework provides a space in which to exchange ideas, compare proven and promising practices, discover cuttingedge research and contribute to a new ecosystem of learning. If you’d like to join us, please get in touch."
Microservices - Hitchhiker's guide to cloud native applicationsStijn Van Den Enden
Microservices are a true hype these days. Netflix, Amazon, eBay, … are all using microservices, but why? The idea is simple; split your application into multiple services which can evolve autonomously through time. The name suggests to keep these services small. Conceptually this seems not all that different from a classical Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Nonetheless, microservices do offer a new perspective. A monolithic application is divided into a couple small services which can be independently developed, deployed and scaled. Flexibility is increased, but using this model also has some pitfalls.This session sheds a light on the microservices landscape; the key drivers for using the pattern, tooling to support development and maintenance, and the pros and cons that go with it. We’ll also introduce some key design principles that can be used in creating and modelling these modular enterprise applications.
Distance education includes the various forms of study at all levels which are not under the continuous immediate supervision of tutors present with their students in lecture rooms or on the same premises, but which, nevertheless, benefit from the planning, guidance and tuition of a tutorial organization.
Navigating the Future_ The Evolving Landscape of Post-Secondary Education.pdfFuture Education Magazine
This article explores the evolving landscape of post-secondary education, examining key trends, challenges, and innovations that are reshaping the way we approach higher learning.
Navigating the Role of Technology in Modern Education.pdfBirtikendrajit
This blog explores the multifaceted role of technology in modern education, weighing its potential benefits against challenges such as digital distractions and inequitable access. While technology offers opportunities for personalized learning and global collaboration, educators must navigate these complexities strategically to maximize its impact. By promoting digital literacy, responsible usage, and equitable access, educators can harness the power of technology to enhance learning outcomes and prepare students for success in the digital age.
The potential of #MOOC for learning at scale in the Global South. Diana Lauri...eraser Juan José Calderón
The potential of #MOOC for learning at scale in the Global South. Diana Laurillard y Eileen Kennedy. Centre for Global Higher Education working paper series. @ResearchCGHE
The majority (71 per cent) of education leaders say technology has helped them to make good decisions. A further 72 per cent, the highest of any sector surveyed, also said that the interaction between professionals and technology will be hugely beneficial for the economy as a whole
3. TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION
The most repeated and discussed issues related to the evolving relationship between technology and education.
There was a general belief that technology affords an opportunity to enhance education by allowing cost-efficient
flexibility, customization and personalization of education programs. Not only will web-based technology allow
unprecedented access to education, it can facilitate virtually unlimited participation in lectures, readings and user
forums, allowing a new kind of community interaction between students, professors and teaching assistants. It also
affords the possibility of introducing new teaching modalities, such as the use of interactive gaming techniques, into the
curriculum.
This, of course, is not without challenges. Educational institutions have been especially slow to embrace new technology,
integrate it into their teaching programs and adapt their “business models”. Web-based education programs are
becoming more widely available, but there are questions about content, accreditation, legitimacy and susceptibility to
fraud. There is also substantial resistance from old-line educators who not only question the efficacy of new technology,
but whose livelihoods are directly threatened.
• Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are an increasingly important educational resource. First introduced
in 2008, distance learning continues to expand as computer technology penetrates emerging markets, students
and teachers become more familiar with online tools and techniques, and MOOCs are legitimized as an accredited
learning method.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic teachers become a kind of force multiplier, allowing personalized
education programs to become widespread. Initially, this trend simply increases the efficiency of teaching
particular subject matter, but over time, it shifts control away from large school bureaucracies, dramatically
reduces costs and improves distribution of the most current educational information. However, the long-term
impact of these technologies on the creativity, social cohesion and employment of humans in education is poorly
understood at best.
• Digital textbooks, 3D printing, the use of games and other knowledge dissemination, and learning
techniques not only reduce costs, but allow reading materials, tools and a variety of interesting material to be
transferred quickly and efficiently to students. While this raises a host of legal questions about licensing and
intellectual property protection, it also introduces design creativity and massive cost savings into the educational
environment.
• Human interaction remains important. The digital world may offer fast-paced, interactive and engaging
experiences, but it does not totally replace the social experience of collective learning with peers and not all
students are psychologically or behaviorally suited to learn in the digital environment. While some argue for
a blended learning environment, there are few ideas advanced on how this can or should be accomplished.
Advancing the role of technology not only improves the flexibility, reach and effectiveness of education, it is also
seen as the leading opportunity to reduce costs worldwide.
• Technology creates new, cost-effective ways to transfer knowledge – and hence creates economic opportunities
– to the less fortunate. In fact, using technology to replace existing teachers has become the only way to reduce
the price of education, which has been rising far faster than inflation and creating a significant burden on younger
generations.
1
5. EDUCATION AND JOBS
The role of education – particularly higher education – is a central theme in the consideration of a life quality. At its core,
the question comes down to whether education, as William Deresiewicz once put it, should be more about learning or
about success.
There is a divide between education systems designed to “better qualify the next generation of global laborers” (as one
writer put it) and those that see opportunities – largely through technology – to enhance general learning, train people
to address societal problems and support the education of polymaths. The majority of such systems focus on improving
the connection between education and jobs.
• From a top-down perspective, the importance of education for the sake of employability emerges as the focus of
how broad economic, technological and social trends shape education. In essence, education develops into a kind
of super-vocational training, without really addressing the implications of pushing out generations of students
into a volatile skills marketplace answering solely to the desiderata of the immediate job market.
• From a more bottom-up perspective, the value of higher education as a route to employment comes into question.
Observations and concerns about the role of education in creating knowledgeable, well-rounded citizens remain
quite general, in sharp contrast to the nuts-and-bolts applications of education for the sake of employment.
Technology’s ability to generate flexible learning opportunities and focused skill training, allowing individuals to quickly
acquire the skills necessary to address the requirements of a particular position, is still uncertain. This continues to pose
challenges for defining the adequacy of the approach, standardizing recognition of technology-based proficiency, and
creating a global mechanism for standardization of learning or certification earned this way.
3
7. STRATEGIC TAKEAWAYS
• No true paradigm shifts were forecast, and the current trend towards linking education with employment is
expected to continue. This implies that generalized learning and education, divorced from the rewards of degrees
issued from accredited institutions and/or various forms of certification, will continue to be less important than
pedagogy as a pipeline to jobs.
• Despite the focus on jobs, one consequence of knowledge becoming freely and widely available across the globe
is that it will depress the value and wages of so-called “knowledge workers”, continuing the exportation of jobs
away from wealthy countries and consequently reducing the post-school employment value of receiving a higher
education.
• In the coming decades, technology will allow equal access to information. While this will provide knowledge and
information, it will eventually cause major disruptions in the business of education, though it won’t necessarily
change the content of educational programs.
• Modern education’s focus on test-taking skills, rote learning and intense competition for admission to colleges
and universities was not significantly challenged, except to raise questions on the overall affordability of tertiary
education. This is likely to lead to a generation that is less creative, less culturally adaptable, less honest, and less
well-rounded.
• Globalization’s impact on the system of education is already established – only the scale and scope will increase.
5
9. Written by:
Douglas Olin
Edited by:
Eva Dubinsky
This report is based on the collaborative effort
of more than 50 Wikistrat analysts held in
December 2014.
April 2015
21ST
-CENTURY EDUCATION
OPTIMIZED