Governments are structuring frameworks designed to provide holistic education with the hopes of equipping learners with the relevant 21st century skills generally marked by critical thinking skills, creativity in problem solving, digital literacy, and career and life skills[1]. The SPN21 or the 21st Century National Curriculum framework and model recently implemented by Brunei Darussalam is intended to provide students with content within the context of the 21st century skills[2]. In a press release last year dated March 9th, the Ministry of Education in Singapore also commented on the implementation of a new framework to enhance the development of 21st century competencies in their students[3].
The pedagogical approaches stipulated in the Curriculum Framework for SPN21 calls for teachers to take on an integrated/thematic/topical/inclusion/context-based/specialized approach. This may seem rather broad and lacking in clear direction, and while most of the schools in Brunei still lack the resources and facilities required to achieve the Ministry's mission, teachers must strive to minimise this gap by equipping themselves with the knowledge and skills needed to be effective in developing 21st century skills in our learners.
Jor’s (1999:25) quote of Clifford’s prophecy at a TESOL conference: ‘Computers will never replace teachers... But teachers who use computers will replace those who don’t’ (McGrath, 2002, p. 132) paints an inevitable truth; one which we must take seriously in order to remain relevant and effective in this profession.
‘If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow.”
~John DeweyReferences:
[1] Referring to Trilling, B. and Fadel, C. http://www.21stcenturyskillsbook.com/excerpts.php
[2] Extracted from http://www.vnseameo.org/downloads/MALAYSIA.pdf
[3] Extracted from http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2010/03/moe-to-enhance-learning-of-21s.php
McGrath, I. (2002). Materials Evaluation and Design fro Language Teaching. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
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