Education Management in the 21st Century

In the present context of globalization of economic, political and cultural relations and
the increased pace of change in the technology base and the means of production, education has
become a strategic vector for sustainable and equitable development. In fact, the idea is generally
accepted today that education has become the greatest comparative advantage of countries and
companies when challenged by international competitiveness. In addition, level of schooling is
one of the main factors that decide the individuals employability. While education alone
certainly does not create employment, it is however essential to keep the worker in a job and to
help his/her social entry into the sphere of production.
Education becomes today an imperative of our subsistence. Postmodern society based on
science and technology considers the acquirement of new knowledges, skills and competences as
an instrument of sustainability at all levels, Education of individuals, organizations, nations and
societies on the whole, therefore gives an viable advantage in more changeable conditions of life
and work. Managing one so important developing process therefore gets its significance and
represents a scientific discipline called management in education.
Todays students are active learners rather than spectators. They view themselves as
participants in creating information and new ideas. Accordingly, twenty-first century instruction
is based on three pedagogical principles personalization, participation and productivity. This
framework allows learning through authentic real-world contexts, carrying out projects from
beginning to end, and solving problems as they arise, all of which constitute powerful learning
strategies. Forming working relationships with teachers and partners in the community, and
working collaboratively with peers will also contribute to productive learning experiences for
learners worldwide.
The current education system is fragmented and learners needs are often obscured as
learners shift from one educational level or setting to another. As people learn in a variety of
ways and may take multiple pathways to skills acquisition. Twenty-first century education will
require more personalized learning with an emphasis on supporting rather than stifling creativity.
Redecker et al. (2011) stress that personalization has implications for what, how and where we
teach. Personalization occurs through collaboration, provides for more rapid sharing of
innovation and good practice, and quickly captures information about learners aptitudes and
progress. Personalized learning is not an add-on but a different way to undertake educational
endeavors and includes peer-to-peer self-organized learning. With personalized learning,
individuals approach problems in their own way; grasp ideas at their own pace, and respond
differently to multiple forms of feedback. Effective twenty-first century teachers cultivate
learners individual sense of wonder and inspire them to explore different applications for the
knowledge and skills they have learned.

The purpose of personalized learning is to get away from the lesson by designing
project-based forms of learning. Lessons no longer have to adhere to the traditional education
approach. This approach helps individuals to invest in their learning and make it a habit, rather
than viewing it as an activity forced upon them. That is why the effective twenty-first century
teachers create regular opportunities for learners to select the types of experiences they want to
further their own learning. This cultivates greater learner autonomy and inspires individuals to
take control of their learning.
Above all, learners are more successful at acquiring new competencies when they build
strong metacognitive abilities, reflect objectively on new concepts learned, and integrate that
information with their existing knowledge and skills. The process of adapting new knowledge for
their own use and incorporating it into their existing conceptual frameworks will support further
learning. Once new learning is integrated into existing ways of knowing, this in turn nurtures
creativity and originality and establishes new cognitive habits.
For transfer to occur, individuals need to apply new learning and practice new skills in
different situations and contexts. This also means that teachers must ascertain what knowledge
individual learners have acquired, so as to decide whether to move forward with covering the
curriculum, applying the new learning or reviewing existing material in greater depth.
Curriculum coverage and learner understanding are in direct competition. Formative assessment
thus helps teachers to establish whether individual learners have had sufficient experience to
integrate and transfer new knowledge. If additional experience is required formative assessment
can also help to identify appropriate practices and applications to support learners.
The other principle is participation which is important for 21 st century education. The
Collaboration is 21st century trend that shifts learning from teacher or lecture-centered settings to
collaborative ones. Collaborative learning, the intentional grouping and pairing of learners for
the purpose of achieving a learning goal and enhance students participation and involvement of
learners.
The main goal of twenty-first century education is to build the learning capacity of
individuals and support their development into lifelong, active, independent learners, and then
teachers need to become learning coaches a role very different from that of a traditional
classroom teacher. Teachers as learning coaches will encourage students to interact with
knowledge to understand critique, manipulate, design, create and transform it. Teachers will
need to reinforce learners intellectual curiosity, problem identification and problemsolving
skills, and their capacity to construct new knowledge with others. Twenty-first century teachers
will not be proficient in every topic on the curriculum, but must become experts in figuring out,
along with their students, how to do something, how to find out something or how to use
something to do something new. A key part of their role will be to model confidence, openness,
persistence and commitment for learners in the face of uncertainty and produce globally
competitive learners.

References

Prandini M, Vervoort I; et. Al (2012). Responsible Management Education for 21 st Century

Leadership. Retrieved from cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/viewFile/33/18