21st century education is about providing students with the skills they need to succeed in this new world and assisting them in developing the confidence to put those skills into practice. With so much information available to them, 21st century skills focus on making sense of it, sharing it and using it wisely.
The true extent of human knowledge, modernisation, and the advancing rate of development caused by technology necessitates a pivot in our educational approaches- we must move away from knowledge plateaus and towards continuous cycles of learning. Education from yesterday is no longer adequate for today’s learner.
In order to prepare students to live, learn, and work in the 21st century, we must develop a variety of skills and competencies in addition to core subject-matter knowledge. Such as :
- Knowledge construct.
- Collaboration.
- Real-world problem solving and innovation.
- Skilled communication.
- Self- regulation.
- Use of ICT for learning.
At Jacaranda International, they are proud to say that their academic program and syllabi are based on 21st century learning design principles. Information and communication skills, thinking and problem solving skills, and interpersonal and self-direction skills are the three broad categories of 21st century learning skills.
They have established themselves as being at the forefront of change and innovation in the educational space, whether it is in terms of adapting and implementing new technological revelations, innovations and solutions from other key players, or the development of new integration and practices in the use of technology in teaching, methodologies, pedagogies, and practical applications within the classroom.
As society transitioned into the post-COVID era, they made strategic decisions to ensure that their students thrived, were challenged, learned who and what they wanted to become, and, most importantly, were prepared and skilled to succeed in an ever-changing environment.
So, why is this significant? Approximately 80% of jobs will not exist in 2030, which is a frightening prospect in terms of how to prepare students for that. So you are teaching them skills that will enable them to be adaptable and deal with any situation that may arise. It also promotes a growth mindset, and with that growth mindset, you have acknowledged that there are many different ways you need to develop as a person and that you should always be open to learning.
As a result of this re-aligned focus and research, they have made critical strategic decisions to change not only the trajectory of their learning practices, classroom infrastructure and layout, teaching and operational resources, and staff development programs, but also to re-establish the institution’s vision and core purpose.
The last two years have demonstrated once again that in order to ensure a true 21st century learning environment, one must constantly reflect and innovate on how to teach and the environment in which one does so.
How does Jacaranda International ensure that they provide a 21st Century institution?
- Personalised learning acknowledges that learners’ experiences, characteristics, interests, and aspirations shape the quality of learning – which is central to their approach.
- Using teaching and learning strategies that actively engage learners and push their knowledge boundaries to develop their competencies and confidence.
- Curriculum entitlement and choice that provides breadth and depth of instruction and learning, as well as personal relevance and flexible learning pathways.
- A learner-centered approach to school organizations and instruction-delivery with educators and school leadership thinking creatively about how to support quality teaching and learning within a hybrid environment providing learners with voice and choice throughout their school career with themselves.
- Establishing and solidifying the use of gamification and engagement tools to leverage play and self-discovery as a critical means of learning, leveraging children’s natural curiosity, exuberance, and games-based enthusiasm.
- Developing skilled and trained educators who are knowledgeable, responsive, and dedicated to integrating technology into their teaching practices and methodologies.
- Based on the fundamental principle that children, no matter how young, are born into the digital world today, and that educational practices must provide ample opportunities for 21st century learning while also aiming to develop skills that will be required in the third millennium.
- Critical thinking and the activation of higher cognitive levels for information/content processing are required. The arts, philosophy, thinking and debate, classical literature, STEAM-education, and critical media literacy can all be creative vehicles for achieving this goal.
As a result, Jacaranda International has always had, and will continue to develop, a unique and future-oriented perspective on educational transformation, and how it will ultimately determine the school’s success in ensuring the progressive and continuous adaptation required to educate within the 21st century centric learning environment.
