THE CHANGING GLOBAL LANDSCAPE AND THE 21" CENTURY SKILLS FOR TEACHERS

  We are in an era of borderless "flat" world. Barriers have been broken by new information and communication technologies. Globalization has opened doors that led nations to co-exist and be interdependent. However, the common future will still be more dependent on the knowledge, skills and values of its people, thus glocalization can be the response.

As future teachers of the 21" century, there is an urgent need to understand the new landscape that is brought about by the changes in leaps and bounds of the century. Furthermore, the development of the 21 century skills is a necessary tool for teachers. Without these 21" century tools, no teacher can survive.

Zhou, 2006 as mentioned in SEAMEO, INNOTECH 2011, identified some key categories of the different changes and developments in the 21" century teaching and learning. To understand the categories, we will attempt to:

1. describe the new learning environment,

2. identify the new learning contents,

3. explain the new processes of learning and how these will be facilitated, 

4. describe the new type of learners, and

5. describe the new type of teachers.

The New Learning Environment. 

  The idea of learning environment has broadened from the confines of the four walls of the classroom to places and spaces that support learning. It is a place where interactions of the learners among one another, with the teacher and the surroundings happen. It is characterized by the following:

• learner-centered,

• new spaces and borderless,

• enhanced opportunity for creativity and innovations, and

• use of ICT.

The New Learning Contents. 

 With the new learning environment and the explosion of knowledge, content or subject matter of learning has been modified. From a specific discipline or subject area, subject matter of learning has the following characteristics:

• • integrated/Interdisciplinary: demand-driven,

  • emphasis on learning tools on how to retrieve knowledge; and 

  • balance of scientific, technological, cultural, global, local concepts.

The New Processes of Learning and How These will be Facilitated 

With advancement in the study of the mind and cognition, various processes of learning evolved with human intervention of teachers and peers as well as non-human intervention of artificial intelligence (AI) of robots. With these advancements, different processes of learning and the methods to facilitate these have evolved. These include the idea of multiple ways of learning which can be mediated by the following:

• Face-to-Face when learners and teachers are confined in the same learning space at the same time with the teacher facilitating learning.

• Distance Learning when teaching-learning is mediated by traditional (modules in print) or modern technology (on-line or off-line) without the physical presence of the teacher in a virtual class. It can be synchronous or asynchronous.

• Blended modalities when teaching and learning is facilitated through face-to-face or distance learning which enable to

 the teachers and learners to have both physical presence or physical absence in the teaching-learning process. 

• Experiential and lifelong - when learners are immersed into the real life situation, such that learning becomes more authentic and meaningful.

The New Types of Learners- The new breed of learners does not have age boundaries. 

The new type of learner is:

• a confident person who thinks independently and critically and who communicates effectively; 

• self-directed and who questions, reflects and takes responsibility for his/her own learning: a concerned citizen, informed about the world and local affairs, has a strong sense of civic responsibilities and participates actively in improving the lives of others;

• a member of the new generation: pop-culture, different ways of thinking, responding.

Life and Career Skills

• Flexibility and Adaptability -  Learners adapt to various roles, responsibilities and schedules. Despite the complex condition, they are able to do the different tasks at one time. Recognition of this potential will give a signal to the teacher to provide all learners the opportunities to develop their individual potential of being adaptable and flexible. Rigidity runs counter to the development of this skill.

• Initiative and Self-direction - A self-directed learner demonstrates life and career skills. Goals are set and managed by themselves. There is a commitment to learning as a lifelong process. Many of the young learners are capable of doing things without being told. They take initiatives. They do not need to be given detailed instructions. They plan and work out their plans. Like the learners, the teachers should also possess the same skills

• Social and Cross-cultural skills - This life and career skills require learners to respect cultural differences and work effectively with others, to be open-minded to different ideas in order to innovate and improve quality of work. If one understands the other's culture, it will be easy to respect. Disrespect may spring from ignorance and bias. To be able to appreciate the mores, tradition, history of others, one needs to be open and willing to accommodate and compromise. 

• Productivity and Accountability - Individuals who possess these skills are able to produce results. They respect teamwork and cooperation. They manage time very well and can do multitask. The most tangible proof that one has done something is the product or result. It can be an idea, or a material product. When one is tasked to do something. that person has an accountability to produce results as evidence of a job done. Better results are accomplished if done together through collaboration and cooperation.

• Leadership and Responsibility - Good leaders use interpersonal and problem-solving skills with integrity and ethical behavior to influence and guide others. Leadership and responsibility are life skills that should be developed by all learners and teachers. Leadership is not assigned, it is earned. As the saying goes: "Leaders are born, but they can also be made."

The New Type of Teachers

  As teachers are currently preparing students for jobs and technologies that don't even exist yet, the challenge then is to produce the new type of teachers. Teachers for the 21st century learners teach within the context of new environment new content or knowledge and new processes of teaching and learning. Hence the new type of teachers must possess the following characteristics: 

• Clear standards and accountability that their learners should know and be able to do at the end of their schooling:

• Use broad pedagogies including inquiry-based learning, cooperative learning, other pedagogies; 

•  Skillful in the integration of ICT in pedagogy;

• Skillful in the use of assessment to guide teaching and learning:

• Great understanding of local and global cultures;

• Skillful in action research to diagnose and solve classroom problems based on evidence;

• Practice the core values of inspiring teachers; and

• Develop life and career skills for the 21st century and beyond. (P21)