Transforming Education for the 21st Century - Part Three

A promise to all my readers who enjoy focused commentaries on a variety of subjectsamp160 I will continue to write those while continuing to write about transforming education for the 21st century so please continue to come here the subject matter will not just be about educationAs a futurist I spend most of my time thinking writing and speaking about the future I make my living through the sale of the Shift Age Trend Report my book The Shift Age and primarily speaking engagements I truly believe that my highest value is to be a catalyst to get people to think about the future and to hopefully at times facilitate a conversation about the future Now in addition to this activity I find myself participating in actually creating one of the most important elements of the future the 21st century American schoolI say American because the task force of which I am a part is focused on the creation of new forms of K12 education in this country That does not mean that what is created cannot be contributed to the global community just that it is taking place in real time in this country I say school as that is what we all call the institution that generations of children up to the age of 18 have attended School has been a metaphor for learning as in amp8220going to schoolamp8221 amp8220being schooledamp8221 amp8220going back to schoolamp8221 or on playing fields and courts of this country amp8220being taken to schoolamp8221 What now must occur is reinventing the educational process so much that even the word school might become obsoleteA few weeks ago a number of leaders and experts in the area of K12 education came together for a two day symposium It was called theamp8221 21st Century Educational Campus Symposiumamp8221 The idea for such a conference first came up over a dinner of Chicago deep dish pizza that Darryl Rosser CEO of Sagus International Amanda Burnette Director of the South Carolina Turnaround Schools Initiative and I were having in early summer However the real driver and host of the conference was Amandaamp8217s boss Dr Jim Rex State Superintendent of Education for South Carolina Dr Rex immediately mobilized his staff donated his technologically state of the art conference center and hosted this symposium To say that Dr Rex and his staff are passionate about improving education in the state of South Carolina is an understatementIn addition to Rex Rosser Burnette and me there were a number of well respected participants listed here With Rosser and Rex acting as cohosts the rest of us presented and discussed the issues that had to be addressed as we face education in the 21st century I had the honor and challenge to deliver a keynote address to the group following Richard Riley two time governor of South Carolina and the Secretary of Education for all eight years of the Clinton administration The intelligence passion and commitment to education in the room was palpable and exhilaratingWhile there were many quotes I could insert here there are two in particular that have stayed with meThe first is from the Honorable Leon Lott Sheriff of Richland County who as the last speaker on a panel about Health Social and Onsite Services leaned into the microphone and asked the audience amp8220Have you ever had your child sleep in the bathtub during the night to insure they wouldnamp8217t get shot due to random gang gunfire This is the environment some of our students live inamp8221 He was speaking to the need for the 21st century educational campus to not just be a place for learning but to also be a safe haven a force of goodness and opportunity within a community In other words any educational campus must also be an integral part of the community it serves as it is the community that both supports and benefits from the campusThe second quote is from Dr Rex in his closing remarks as he was acknowledging all the enthusiasm and commitment we had shared over two days He said amp8220We know so much more than we have ever known about child development up to the age of five and older If we could just integrate that knowledge into practice we could change America in a generationamp8221 In a larger context this means taking all that we know and bring it to the process of creating the future model of educationIt is time to reject the status quo It is time to no longer let vested interests and political agendas dictate the educational system It is time to just decide that every single aspect of K12 must be looked at completely unencumbered from the past Even practices that have worked well in the 20th century must be closely analyzed as to their efficacy in this new century Create the vision for the future of the 21st century K12 campus based not on the past or the present but what it could should and might be in the futureDavid Houle is a futurist strategist and speaker He has always been slightly ahead the curve Houle spent more than 20 years in media and entertainment David can be contacted at DavidDavidHoulecomRead all Davidamp8217s MediaBizBloggers commentaries at David Houle MediaBizBloggers

Become a Thought Leader. Share your thought leadership article with industry professionals & have them archived in Thought Leadership

Transforming Education for the 21st Century - Part Three

Author

Publish date

Channel

David Houle

"About That with Carl Mayer:" Alaina Donnellon (Episode 10: Political Spending) - By Carl Mayer

More Videos:

Become a Thought Leader. Share your thought leadership article with industry professionals & have them archived in Thought Leadership

Transforming Education for the 21st Century - Part Three

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

David Houle

"About That with Carl Mayer:" Alaina Donnellon (Episode 10: Political Spending) - By Carl Mayer

The payment was successful

Cookies