BCTF 21st Century Learning Discussion Paper

BCTF researcher, Charlie Naylor, released the long-awaited 21st Century Learning Discussion Paper last month. The paper itself is being touted an avenue for much needed discussion among educators in the province about the shape of education. And while the paper admonishes the government for failing to hold these conversations over a decade ago, it does offer much in terms of direction and focus for British Columbia teachers and administrators.
The comprehensive paper focuses on six main areas: purposes of education, alternative views: a changing world, trends in technology, BC teachers’ practices, 21st century skills, and other 21st century learning inititatives.
What struck me as most impressive was the fact that there was very little focus on technology (not that technology will play an important role in the decades); that it was only part of the bigger picture, it was not what will drive the reform. Of note, the “alternative views: a changing world” really helped to set the focus for what we need to be doing in our classes, in all of our classes.