With NCLB and standardized cirruculum, you might be inclined to say, "21st Century Learning sounds great, but how am I going to get around all those tests my kids have to take every year? A private or charter school, maybe..."

Although I've been an educator for adult learners only, my understanding of 21st Century Learning lends itself to be utilized in so many smaller, more manageable pieces. It doesn't have to be an entire restructuring of the cirriculum. It seems less about restructuring content and more about refocusing the approach to learning. In my mind, 21st Century Learning places the responsibility of learning on the learner...but learning how to learn are skills that need to be modeled...and practiced. Students need the opportunity to practice taking charge of their own learning. If they know how to learn, it seems that success with content testing will follow.

21st Century Learning also impacts folks outside the education arena. I currently work in research and program evaluation and education is a hot topic for those who don't teach or go to school. We deeply care about the quality of students that are being churned through our system. Anecdotally, collegues and friends mention how it seems that they have to hold the hands of their younger partners in business. My own experience with adult learners (mostly 18-25) points to how some of the very cornerstones of self-directed learning that I take for granted, are completely lost on a large segment of the population. Forget teaching or learning content...much of my time was spent laying those basic foundations. It's difficult, yes. But what better time to start incorporating these skills than K-12?

Increasingly, it seems like we need to take care of our own needs in professional and personal success. Self-directed learners in the 21st Century can not only fend for themseleves (SURVIVE), but THRIVE while in the middle of it all.

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