August 1, 2006

Thailand should embrace
the twenty-first century learning model

A convention visitor explores the teaching capabilities of the Kidpix Deluxe 3X learning tool.

Last week, I mentioned that I attended the fourth annual Think Partners Conference in San Diego, California, organised by Oracle Foundation. Nearly 100 partners, educational leaders and advisors participated in the three-day event. Participants shared real-world experiences regarding collaborative learning through technology.

One main focus of the conference was twenty-first century learning. Members of the conference were busy constructing a framework for this emerging learning concept. There are five pillars of the framework (see graphic): life skills, twenty-first century content, core subjects, leaning and thinking skills, and finally, information, communications and technology (ICT) literacy.

At the global conference, commonalities emerged across different delegations and showed the need for different educational systems to nurture universal elements in twenty-first century learning. The global Think partners and other conference participants unanimously embraced the newly constructed twenty-first century learning framework.

The participants were quite engaged in their discussions of how twenty-first century learning can affect the future of education globally. A group of educators from Oracle Foundation proposed this twenty-first century learning formula: 3R x 7C.

The three Rs represent the proverbial reading, writing, and arithmetic. The seven Cs represent the characteristics with which students should be equipped. They are: critical thinking; creativity and innovation; collaboration; cross-cultural understanding, communication, computer skills; and, career and leadership skills.

Revisiting the Thai learning process

Let's have a look at the three principles of education provided under the Thai Education Act of 1999 (revised 2002). They require that education in Thailand be based on these three principles: Lifelong education for all; All segments of society shall participate in the provision of education; and a Continuous development of the body of knowledge and new learning processes.

There is sufficient flexibility within the statute to incorporate twenty-first century learning. By focusing on the learning processes, as stated in the act, educational institutions should:

provide meaningful activities responding to the individual learners' interests and aptitudes;

provide training in the thinking process, which shall foster a high order of thinking skills;

organise activities for learners to gain first-hand experience; conduct drills in practical work to achieve a complete mastery; enable learners to think critically and acquire good reading habits;

promote a balanced integration of subject matter, integrity, values, and desirable attributes;

enable teachers to create a proper educational environment, and provide instructional media and facilities for learners as part of the learning process.

In so doing, both learners and teachers may learn collaboratively from different types of teaching and learning media, and other sources of knowledge; and enable individual students to learn independently and be passionate about learning.

In comparison

Looking at the learning process suggested in the act, the elements should be adapted into the existing Thai learning framework as twenty-first century content, learning and thinking skills, and life skills. I have witnessed the continued emergence of ICT-guided education at the classroom level and the emphases placed on educational ICT curricula. Now is a good time for us to pro-actively adopt twenty-first century learning and to embrace this emerging trend in educational development.

The twenty-first century learning framework is quite consistent with cross-cultural learning. However, the education act of Thailand does not contain ways in which students may explore, create, and share global awareness on a practical level.

We should examine what we have been doing at the classroom level in light of emerging twenty-first century learning trends. We should endeavour to boost our current practices so as to enable teachers and students to fortify teaching and learning activities with twenty-first century learning and teaching tools.

Finally, any assessment must accurately reflect the distinctive aspects of the various learning elements so we can objectively measure the progress and effectiveness of our students' learning and the efficacy of our teachers.

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Thailand should embrace the twenty-first century learning model

Thailand should embrace
the twenty-first century learning model