November 2007 — News

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21st Century Learning: 'We're Not Even Close'

by Dave Nagel

Without incorporating technology into every aspect of its activities, no organization can expect to achieve results in this increasingly digital world. Yet education is dead last in technology use compared with all major industrial sectors, and that has to change in order for schools to meet the challenges of 21st century learning--this according to a paper released Monday by the State Education Technology Directors Association (SETDA), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills at the SETDA Leadership Summit and Education Forum in Washington, DC.

"How will we create the schools America needs to remain competitive?" the paper asks. "For more than a generation, the nation has engaged in a monumental effort to improve student achievement. We've made progress, but we're not even close to where we need to be."

The paper, Maximizing the Impact: the Pivotal Role of Technology in a 21st Century Education System, calls on education leaders to incorporate technology comprehensively in school systems in the United States to boost 21st century skills, support innovative teaching and learning, and create "robust education support systems."

The paper reported that there are two major conceptual obstacles preventing schools from taking full advantage of technology as a catalyst for improvements in teaching and learning: a narrow approach to the use of technology and an unfounded assumption that technology is already being used widely in schools in a comprehensive and effective manner.

According to the paper:

To overcome these obstacles, our nation's education system must join the ranks of competitive U.S. industries that have made technology an indispensable part of their operations and reaped the benefits of their actions. This report is a call to action to integrate technology as a fundamental building block into education in three broad areas:

1. Use technology comprehensively to develop proficiency in 21st century skills. Knowledge of core content is necessary, but no longer sufficient, for success in a competitive world. Even if all students mastered core academic subjects, they still would be woefully underprepared to succeed in postsecondary institutions and workplaces, which increasingly value people who can use their knowledge to communicate, collaborate, analyze, create, innovate, and solve problems. Used comprehensively, technology helps students develop 21st century skills.

2. Use technology comprehensively to support innovative teaching and learning. To keep pace with a changing world, schools need to offer more rigorous, relevant and engaging opportunities for students to learn--and to apply their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways. Used comprehensively, technology supports new, research-based approaches and promising practices in teaching and learning.