21st Century Education

Content adapted from SEAMEO INNOTECHs GURO21 Course 1: Facilitating the Development of 21st Century
Skills for Southeast Asian Teachers

The 21st Centurys Changing Landscape

The Philippines has experienced many changes as it approached the 21st century. These changes have
encompassed all aspects of life in the country from politics and the economy, to technology,
society, and even the environment. All these will definitely have a significant impact on you as a
supervisor as you face life in the 21st century. It is important that you understand these changes so
that you will be better equipped to adapt to them. In turn, you will also be better at helping other
educators adapt to these changes as well. Always remember that you cannot give what you do not
have.

These changes and challenges fall under five categories social, technological, economic, ecological,
and political changes. Kyler (2003) developed a tool to describe these change areas, aptly named
STEEP. This tool has five elements, with each letter in the tools name representing an element. These
are:
S Social,
T Technological,
E Economic,
E Ecological/Environmental, and
P Political.

Analyzing the STEEP changes and challenges will help you obtain a better picture and understanding
of how these will affect your life as a 21st century supervisor, and its impact on you, your school
heads, teachers, learners and your schools.
Read on and find out more about STEEP changes and challenges and how these affect your life as an
educator.
1. Social
This element describes society as a whole. Changes under this category may include demographics,
lifestyles, religion, education, and age distribution of the population. When the social environment
changes, peoples lives are usually affected by these changes. For example, the increasing migration
within a country and from one country to another has been observed in many countries in the region
and in the world. This has led to students becoming more diverse in terms of their cultural
background, making it more challenging for schools to adjust to their individual needs.

2. Technological
The new millennium was ushered in by a dramatic technological revolution (21st Century Schools,
2008). You need only to look around to see that ours is a world that is immersed in technology.

Computers, mobile phones, and other modern-day gadgets are seen not only in schools and in the
work place, but also in homes and in communities.
Twenty-first century schools are now becoming more infused with technology computers and the
internet are being increasingly used at all levels and in almost all subjects. It is your task as a 21st
century supervisor to monitor and take note of the effects the changes within the technological
environment will have on your schools and in the way teaching-learning is delivered.

3. Economic
A key change in the Southeast Asian region is economic. In 1996, Thailands General Prem
Tinsulanonda said that in merely five decades, Asia has become the region with the highest rate of
economic growth. Since then, a rapid growth in economy in most countries in the region has been
observed, resulting in other changes in Asian societies.
The 20th century saw the rise of China and India, but the 21st century may well see Southeast Asia as
having stronger economies (New Straits Times, 2010).
The increase in income might mean more access to education in families. More parents will be able to
send their children to school. Schools will have more resources to strengthen their instruction,
including acquisition of technologies used for teaching and learning.

4. Ecological/Environmental
The ecological element considers the present-day situation of the physical and biological
environments that you and your schools can face. It is imperative for you as a supervisor to help guide
your teachers and students in becoming aware of the changes in the environment, such as pollution,
deforestation, and global warming, and how these affect their lives and those around them. You will
learn later on that knowledge about the environment, or ecoliteracy, is one of the 21st century
literacies that students need to develop.
For example, you can encourage schools to do paperless assignments by asking students to submit
their outputs through email. Teachers may also encourage them to use both sides of the paper for
their school work. This way, students learn the value of conservation of natural resources.

5. Political/Legal
This element consists of understanding the political and legal environments of a country or region
where your schools operate. As a supervisor, you have to understand and adapt to the political and
legal changes in your schools environment. For example, changes in locally-elected officials in your
community may affect the support that the local government gives to schools. Some public officials
are education champions, while others relegate education as among their least priorities.
Reflect on the most recent political changes in your country. How have these political changes
affected your daily life and your life as a supervisor?

The Critical Attributes of 21st Century Education

Source: 21st Century Schools (2014)

1. Integrated and Interdisciplinary

Nowadays, knowledge is no longer distinctly divided into clear-cut learning chunks or
separate subjects. Education in the 21st century is characterized by linkages among various
subject areas in an integrated manner. The new approach promotes the utilization of learning
from various disciplines.
This critical attribute implies that teachers need to review the school curriculum and identify
strategies or ways on how different subjects can be effectively linked to enhance the learning
experiences of students. For example, music and algebra can be linked together in the
discussion of fractions (The time signature of music uses fractions).

2. Technologies and Multimedia

Education in the 21st century makes full use of available Information and Communication
Technology, or ICT (e.g., computers and the internet) as well as multimedia (e.g., using audioand video-based instruction) to improve teaching and learning activities. The ability to find,
evaluate, utilize, and create information using technologies and multimedia, or digital
technology in general, is referred to as digital literacy. Day-to-day activities in the classroom
writing reports, creating multimedia presentations, and communicating or exchanging
information among teachers and students online require different levels of digital literacy.
This critical attribute implies that schools will need to acquire and use computers and various
multimedia equipment to enhance learning to the best extent possible. Training is also
needed for teacher-users as part of a bigger technology plan.

3. Global Classrooms
Education in the 21st century aims to produce global citizens by exposing students to the
concerns of the region and other countries. They are encouraged to react and respond to
issues as part of their roles as global citizens.
This critical attribute implies that schools need to include current global issues/concerns, such
as peace and respect for cultural diversity, climate change, and global warming, in classroom
discussions.

4. Creating/Adapting to Constant Personal and Social Change, and Lifelong Learning

Education in the 21st century subscribes to the belief that learning does not only happen
inside the school and during ones schooling years. Learning can take place anywhere,
anytime, regardless of ones age. This means that teachers should facilitate students
acquisition of KSAVs that go beyond academics. Learning should take place not only for the
purpose of passing exams, but also for transferring knowledge to real life situations. The
curriculum should be planned in such a way that the students will continue to learn even
outside the schools portals.

5. Student-Centered
Education in the 21st century is focused on students as learners. It is tailor-fit to address the
individual learning needs of each student. Differentiated instruction is common in 21st
century classrooms, where diverse student factors are taken into account when planning and
delivering instruction. Teachers can structure learning environments that address the variety
of learning styles, interests, needs, and abilities found in the classroom.
This critical attribute implies that teachers should act as facilitators of learning not as
sages on the stage but as guides on the side. Learners should be given opportunities to
discover new knowledge, learn with one another, and create their own learnings.

6. 21st Century Skills

Education in the 21st century promotes the skills needed to be productive members of
todays society. It is not enough for students to learn the basic skills of reading, writing, and
numeracy, but should develop in themselves skills that would help them cope with life and
work in 21st century communities. These skills include, among others, critical and creative
thinking skills, problem solving and decision making, and ICT literacy and skills. Teachers are
expected to possess these 21st century skills before they can help students develop these
skills.

7. Project-Based and Research-Driven

Among the critical attributes of 21st century education is the emphasis on data, information,
and evidence-based decision making. It relies heavily on student-driven activities to
encourage active learning. This implies that teachers of the 21st century need to be
knowledgeable about research to guide their students learning through self-directed
activities, such as learning projects within and outside their classrooms. Investigatory projects

showcased in many science fairs across Southeast Asia and in the world are examples of
research-based activities of students.

8. Relevant, Rigorous and Real-world

Education in the 21st century is meaningful because it is rooted in real life day-to-day
activities of learners. It can be applied to the realities of the present and includes what
students need to develop to enable them to become productive members of the 21st
century.
This critical attribute implies that topics are taught using current and relevant information
and linked to real-life situations and context. 21st century teachers need to be updated on
the current trends, developments, and issues in your school, community, and in the world, so
that teaching will be relevant to the lives of students. Newspapers, TV and radio news, and
the internet are good sources of relevant and up-to-date information that can be accessed.

New Parameters for Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century

The changes and developments in the 21st century education fall into the following key categories
(Zhou, 2006):

1. New Environment of Learning

This refers to innovative and modern ways of teaching and learning, such as the use of
technology as a teaching/learning tool. However, new learning environment is more than the
use of technology in instruction. The 21st century learning environment is also characterized
by being more student-centered than teacher-centered. It also entails learning that goes
beyond the confines of the classroom. This is in contrast with the traditional learning
environment, which is usually characterized by rote memorization in a teacher-centered
classroom, and the chalk and talk lecture method that predominates instruction.
Foremost in the new learning environment in the 21st century is the availability of new
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), such as mobile phones, computers, and
the internet, in the classroom and in schools. These are breaking barriers of time and space
for global access to updated information by anyone, anytime, and anywhere. These ICTs
provide new learning environments that offer opportunities for teachers and learners to
explore new ways of delivering and receiving instruction. Instead of the usual instruction
being done inside the four walls of the classroom, interactive technologies allow for
exchange of ideas between teachers and students in various schools in real time.
The availability of the new ICTs also encourages new types of learning interactions: between
teacher-learner, teacher-teacher, learner-experts, and between learners-computer.

2. New Content of Learning

The 21st century makes it possible for new learnings to occur through new methodologies
based on subject content. The following table shows the differences between new and
traditional learning content.

Traditional Learning Content

teacher-centered,
discipline-based curriculum
emphasis on subject knowledge
supply-driven: learning content
based on what is available
individual learning
mastery of itemized information or factual
knowledge
heavy emphasis given on core subjects
(math, science, language) compared with
literature, arts, and social sciences
technical and vocational learning
content is relegated to the background,
while academic subjects are at the forefront

21st Century Learning Content

learner-centered, integrated, and
interdisciplinary curriculum
focus on intellectual abilities
demand-driven: learning content based on
what students can actually learn
cooperative learning
focus on acquisition of learning tools
balance of scientific-technological and socialhumanistic-cultural content of education
balance of general vs. vocational
components of education and general vs.
specialized training

3. New Process of Learning

The 21st century made it possible for new processes of learning to occur. Acquiring
knowledge and skills now becomes a lifelong endeavor that has to be given time and
attention so that self- improvement is continuously achieved. In the 21st century, there are
other ways to gain knowledge aside from formal academic settings such as schools and
universities. Learning can be acquired through informal and non-formal means, such as online
learning modalities, self-help groups, hands-on experiential learning like internships, and the
use of multimedia and other ICT-mediated learning.
Learning in the 21st century has also become more engaged and has evolved from rote
learning to more teacher-pupil, pupil-pupil interaction/dialogue, and collaborative team
learning. Teachers are now expected to improve their students knowledge, skills, and
attitudes by involving them more in dialogues and discussions. Indeed, new processes of
teaching have to be introduced in the 21st century.

4. New Types of Learners

Teaching in the 21st century has to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of our new
generation of learners, who:
have different sets of values, languages, and pop-cultures, and different ways of
thinking, reacting, responding, and getting motivated;
are techno-savvy - their internet and digital technology skills and competencies, as
well as their use of ICT as powerful learning tools, are often times better than those
of their teachers;
come from more diverse backgrounds and cultural identities (age, ethnicity,
language, economic status, religion, work experience, etc.); and
have new traits of independence, creativity, open-mindedness, and enterprising
minds.

5. New Spaces/Dimensions of Learning

The 21st century also allows the exploration of learning outside the four walls of the
classroom. While most traditional classes are held in the confines of the classroom, modernday classes are now also being held in such places as parks, school yards, museums,
workplaces, homes, and other venues to enhance the real life experience of learners.
Changes in the learning environment are observed to be of three types:
Horizontally: from schools to work-places, communities, mass media, and other
social learning environments. For example, learning, whether formal, non-formal, or
informal, can now happen in any place in community centers, in offices, at home, or
in parks, and through various media such as radio or television lessons, and the like.
Longitudinally: from early childhood through adulthood to postretirement years
(lifelong). Opportunities to learn are not limited to the school-going population, and
ones age should not be a hindrance for anyone to continue learning.
Vertically: from real to digital and virtual learning environments. Learning in the
21st century cuts across various media from lessons done in real life, to computerbased, or online learning via the internet.

The 21st Century Teacher

Good teaching is now understood to involve a process of facilitating learning rather than being the
simple transmission of knowledge from the teacher to the learner.
Facilitative teaching is teaching that guides, instigates, and motivates students to learn. It uses
learner-centered, teaching-learning practices, instead of teacher-centered ones. As such, teachers
must serve as facilitators rather than the sole source of learning. The facilitative teacher effectively
implements appropriate instructional strategies and creates a positive learning environment in the
classroom (Methodist University, 2010).

Roles and Behaviors of Facilitative Teachers (Smith & Blake, 2005)

1. Provide a meaningful context for learning where lessons are framed by the context of the
students life situations.
2. Encourage hands-on and interactive approaches to learning activities to allow learners
to think about and apply concepts learned.
3. Establish learning outcomes that are clear in their intent to achieve work-readiness for
learners.
4. Give learners the opportunity to collaborate and negotiate in determining their learning
and assessment processes.
5. Understand learners as co-producers of new knowledge and skills.
6. Recognize that the prior learning and life experiences of learners are valuable
foundations for constructing new knowledge and skill sets.
7. Use flexible teaching approaches that address the different learning styles of students.
8. Value the social interactions involved with learning in groups.
The functions enumerated can be effectively performed when teachers possess the characteristics
and practice the corresponding behaviors on the following page (Methodist University, 2010).

Communicative

Knowledgeable

Respectful Understanding

Genuine

Attentive

Characteristics and Behaviors of Facilitative Teachers

Maintains eye contact
Listens actively
Demonstrates awareness of verbal and nonverbal behaviors
Monitors student activity
Monitors progress and provides feedback for all students
Is honest in interpersonal relationships
Displays a real concern and caring for the student

Demonstrates sensitivity and responsiveness to students personal ideas

Demonstrates sensitivity and responsiveness to students needs
Demonstrates sensitivity and responsiveness to students interests
Demonstrates sensitivity and responsiveness to students feelings
Demonstrates sensitivity and responsiveness to students diverse
cultural backgrounds
Values each student as being unique
Shows a positive regard for each student
Accepts students feelings
Shows politeness to students, even when handling misbehavior.
Content-specific Dimensions of Teacher Knowledge
Demonstrates current knowledge of subject matter
Identifies concepts, facts, and/or skills basic to the content area(s)
Utilizes outside resources pertaining to their field
Follows clear, concise objectives
Provides appropriate instructional opportunities adapted to diverse
learners
General Dimensions of Teacher Knowledge
Facilitates student learning through presentation of the content in
clear and meaningful ways
Utilizes a variety of strategies, including technology, to communicate
subject matter
Keeps students actively engaged
Asks high level questions to elicit critical thinking, problem solving,
and performance skills
Accurately assesses and analyzes student learning
Interacts positively with students including active listening
Speaks and writes articulately using the language of instruction
Integrates multiple technological approaches
Provides clear and precise directions that students can easily
understand
Recognizes and builds upon teachable moments

Teaching Styles
Teaching behaviors are influenced by teaching styles. A teaching style is the way in which teaching
tasks are chosen and carried out (Mohanna, Chambers & Wall, 2008). Some teachers choose to have
more teacher-focused activities such as giving lectures and minimizing independent work. Others
prefer to draw out information from their students after engaging them in group activities. Teaching
styles determine the effectiveness of teachers in promoting learning, enhancing positive attitudes
about learning, and improving self-esteem. They are determined by teachers personal characteristics,
experiences, and knowledge of the teaching-learning process and teaching philosophies.
What is your dominant teaching style? Accomplish the following Teaching Style Self-Evaluation to find
out.
Teaching Style Self-Evaluation
Adapted and used with permission from Jennifer Stein (2001)
This assessment will help you determine your teaching style. Answer the following questions by
encircling the letter of the statement that best corresponds to your answer. You are allowed to
choose only one answer for each question.
1. What do you think of your teaching style?
a. It may lead to inflexibility for managing the concerns of students.
b. It may cause students to feel inadequate when they cant emulate your
example.
c. It works well for most students but is very timeconsuming.
d. It may leave students feeling anxious about their ability to meet your
expectations.
2. Which of the following do you like to use when evaluating student-learning?
a. teacher-made tests
b. student self-assessment tests
c. performance-based criteria
d. problem-solving and critical thinking
3. When planning lessons, what do you prefer to have?
a. whole class lessons
b. role-playing
c. peer-tutoring
d. brainstorming
4. When you teach, your instructional time predominantly involves a. lectures
b. demonstrations
c. films/videos
d. class discussion/brainstorming
5. You believe in teaching by a. being the source of information
b. personal example and modelling behavior
c. emphasizing student-teacher interactions
d. being a resource person as needed by the student

6. One of your goals is to have your student a. work within the learning plan
b. observe and emulate what was observed
c. work independently and under his/her own initiative, while you provide as
much support and encouragement as possible.
d. able to work in an autonomous manner while you serve as a resource person
available upon request.
7. One advantage of your teaching style is that it a. focuses on clear expectations
b. emphasizes direct observation
c. allows students personal flexibility
d. helps students see themselves as independent learners
8. Assignments given to students are usually based on a. your personal preferences or on course materials you define as relevant and
important for students to learn
b. a sequence of steps leading to mastery of accepted method (steps) for
performing a task or skill
c. a student portfolio or learning log which has a self-assessment component
d. problem-solving based on research of course material
9. Your teaching style develops a rhythm which contains a. Four steps: content selection, presentation/reception, reflection, application
b. Three steps: selection, skill development, mastery performance
c. Five steps: creating awareness, collecting data, choosing innovation,
implementing a plan, reviewing results
d. More steps: ranging from posing and reflecting on a problem, skill
development exercises to interim evaluation, learner responses, and
development of solutions

What is your dominant teaching style?

Count the number of times you circled each letter. Each letter corresponds to a teaching
style. A is for the formal authority teaching style, B is for the demonstrator or personal model
teaching style, C is for facilitator teaching style, and D is for the delegator teaching style. Your
most circled answer is your dominant teaching style. Do you have two or three items that
have equally high counts? If yes, then you are adapting a mix in some elements of other
styles.

Teaching Style Categories (Stein, Steeves, & Mitsuhashi, 2001)

Formal Authority
Teachers who have a formal authority teaching style tend to focus on content.
This style is generally teacher-centered, where the teacher feels responsible for providing and
controlling the flow of the content and the student is expected to receive the content.
One type of statement made by an instructor with this teaching style is I am the flashlight for
my students; I illuminate the content and materials so that my students can see the
importance of the material and appreciate the discipline. Teachers with this teaching style
are not so much concerned with building relationships with their students or enabling

students to form relationships with other students. This type of teacher doesnt usually
require much student participation in class. This teaching style is often called the sage on the
stage model.
Demonstrator or Personal Model
Teachers who have a demonstrator or personal model teaching style tend to run teachercentered classes with emphasis on demonstration and modelling. This type of teacher acts as
a role model by demonstrating skills and processes and then as a coach/guide in helping
students develop and apply these skills and knowledge; thus, the teacher is called a guide by
the side.
A teacher with this type of teaching style might comment: I show my students how to do a
task properly or work through a problem and then Ill help them master the task or problem
solution. Its important that my students can solve similar problems independently by using
and adapting demonstrated methods. Instructors with this teaching style are interested in
encouraging student participation and adapting their presentation to include various learning
styles. Students are expected to take some responsibility for learning what they need to know
and for asking for help when they dont understand something.
Facilitator
Teachers who have a facilitator model teaching style tend to focus on activities. This teaching
style emphasizes student-centered learning and there is much more responsibility placed on
the students to take the initiative for meeting the demands of various learning tasks. This
type of teaching style works best for students who are comfortable with independent
learning and who can actively participate and collaborate with other students.
Teachers typically design group activities that necessitate active learning, student-to-student
collaboration, and problem solving. This type of teacher, who is also a guide on the side like
the demonstrator, will often try to design learning situations and activities that require
student processing and application of course content in creative and original ways.
Delegator
Teachers who have a delegator teaching style tend to place much control and responsibility
for learning on individuals or groups of students. This type of teacher, who is also a guide on
the side, will often give students a choice in designing and implementing their own complex
learning projects and will act in a consultative role.
Students are often asked to work independently or in groups and must be able to maintain
motivation and focus for complex projects. Students working in this type of setting learn more
than just course specific topics as they also must be able to work effectively in group
situations and manage various interpersonal roles.
The All-Round, Flexible, and Adaptable Teacher
Given the four teaching style categories, is it possible for a teacher to be using two or more teaching
styles? The answer is YES. Such a teacher is called the All-Round, Flexible, and Adaptable Teacher.
Mohanna, Chambers, & Wall (2008) describe this teacher as one who can use lots of different skills,
can teach both peers and juniors, and is very aware of the whole environment in relation to teaching
and the learners. The all-round, flexible, and adaptable teacher is an effective teacher who can adapt
to any of the four teaching styles depending on the subject matter and other variables.

References

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What_is_21st_Century_Education.htm
Damodaran, R. (2010, April 12). Southeast Asia to hog 21st century spotlight. New Straits Times,
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Kyler, J. (2003, December/January). Assessing your external environment: STEEP analysis.
Competia, (33). Retrieved from http://www.mbadepot.com/files/STEEP.pdf
Methodist University-The Facilitative Teacher. Retrieved July 25 2010. http://www.methodist.edu/
education/facilitative.htm
Mohanna, K., Chambers, R., & Wall, D. (2008). Your teaching style. Primary health care, 18(5).
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http://www.21stcenturyschools.com/critical-attributes-of-21st-century education.html
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