New Learning Environments for the 21st Century

Or a subtitle might be (from one of the document pages): Life in the Digital Age ~ Tinkering, Learning And Sharing.

A pdf article via Educause that is FUN to go through (graphic, interesting) and makes some excellent observations and suggestions. I'd like to quote the whole thing here! But start with this --

"Modern’ kids from the global world growing up with mobile phones and internet. Do We Understand Them? What creates meaning for them? How do they learn and do they like to learn?"

The author lists the "Skills of a Guild Master" (as in 'gaming')

• Creates a vision and a set of values that attracts.
  
• Finds, evaluates and then recruits players that have a set of diverse skills and with fit with your norms.
  
• Creates a platform for apprenticeship - newbies
  
• Orchestrates group strategy and governance
  
• Creates, sells and adheres to the governance principles for the guild and adjudicates disputes.
  

"Hmmm, getting students to think critically about what they find on the web - an important 21st century skill especially for our 21st century democracy. And re-contextualizing the role of the teacher now as mentor to critical thinking."