May 4, 2022 11:53:28 AM | 21st century teaching and learning Features of 21st Century Teaching and Learning

If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow,”

-John Dewey, American philosopher, and educator

The above quote holds true for the 21st century learners. The unprecedented technological changes that the world has been witnessing show that schools no longer can rely on traditional methods of teaching to prepare students for the 21st century challenges. The 21st century teaching and learning have to be far more technology-enabled and pedagogically different. As the pioneer of the unique blended learning model, Chrysalis Thinkroom Programme, we share with you features of 21st century teaching and learning: 

1. Active learning  and learner-centred instruction: The 20th century teaching methods emphasised on passive learning where teachers gave instructions and students tried to internalise it. This kind of learning prioritised conformity over creativity.  However, in the 21st century, when students can access information with a few clicks, passive learning is no longer attractive for students. More and more schools are adopting active learning which is a more learner-centred approach. Students engage in activities such as debates, problem-solving, role-playing  games, and working on case studies.  In simple words, they learn ‘by doing’ rather than ‘listening to lectures’. This promotes critical thinking in education that goes beyond rote learning. 
2. Blended learning:  Often people assume that the 21st century learning is all about online classes. But nothing could be further from the truth. The 21st teaching and learning is a blend of the both the worlds --- traditional learning and digital learning. Through our blended learning model, schools use interactive and skill-building textbooks along with digital activities such as quizzes, gamified activities and animated videos to ensure that students are actively engaged in the learning process. 
3. Different learning needs: Different children have different learning styles and some students are visual learners, while others are auditory and some are kinesthetic. A 21st-century classroom accommodates different learning needs to  achieve the best results possible. Blended learning helps schools and teachers to club different learning styles to cater to the diverse needs of learners. An ideal 21st century classroom with the help of technology creates an adaptable learning environment. For instance, teachers use digitised content such as infographics, charts, audios and animated videos to make learning more effective and engaging. 
4. Continuous assessment: Earlier,  once evaluation tests were graded, the marks would be put on the report cards. There would be no effort on the part of students to revisit the paper or see which specific topic they are lagging behind. The learning methods of today are changing this. Today, the learning management system is helping teachers and students with continuous assessment. Quizzes and evaluation tests help highlight where individual students are lagging behind. They also help teachers highlight topics that may need to be revised for the whole class. 
5. Efficient teaching:  One of the key features of 21st century learning and teaching is the focus on quality. An ideal 21st century classroom has all the learning materials organised on an LMS portal. It integrates teaching, learning and evaluation to one platform, bringing the learning experience and teaching efficiency to a whole different level. 
6. Collaboration: The 21st century teaching and learning are not restricted to classroom activities. Rather they go beyond. Students can collaborate with their peers and teachers when they are not in the classroom. They work  on PowerPoint presentations and projects on the LMS portal, encouraging not just self-learning but teamwork --- a skill that is very much needed to succeed in the 21st century workplace.

Want to introduce 21st century teaching and learning in your school? 

Structured on 21st century pedagogy, Chrysalis Thinkroom Programme is designed to raise the teaching practices in your school to be on par with global standards. To know how our Chrysalis Thinkroom Programme can help your school, schedule an appointment.