Individualized learning for the development of strengths and aptitudes is not a fad, but a necessity. We can no longer afford the factory model of education with its waste of potential.
The school as a place of learning for life encourages learners to take responsibility for their learning and to pursue their learning path in a self-determined way.
Learning becomes a joint process in which learners and learning guides work together at eye level. Today, a lot of knowledge no longer has to take the form of “instruction”, and so space is created for personal relationships, participation and mistakes.
Digitalization has a significant impact on the learning behavior, potential, and skills of today’s learners. Therefore, learning must also evolve to reflect the developmental level, perceptions, and preferences of today’s and tomorrow’s learners.
In a networked world, rigid subject teaching is becoming a relic of a bygone era. Only those equipped with the right competencies can evaluate information across subjects, make connections, draw conclusions, and find creative solutions.
Lifelong learning is now a key competence. This applies to students as well as learning guides, who must maintain their curiosity, and constantly update their qualifications through continuing education in professional and pedagogical issues.
School is a place of social and emotional development, giving learners the skills and tools to maintain their mental and emotional well-being in an increasingly fast-paced and interconnected world.
In a dynamic environment, one-off reforms are already obsolete before they are even implemented. The education debate is becoming a continuous process, as a result of which education strategies must be constantly adapted to new social needs and scientific findings. Learning content and learning objectives must also be regularly questioned and adapted at the political and school levels.
Educational decisions must be made in a participatory manner. After all, seniority does not automatically empower people to understand the consequences of breathtaking technological progress and to anticipate future demands on today’s learners.
The future starts right now, and demands individuals who are flexible, adaptable, collaborative, creative and connected. That’s why the one-size-fits-all, standards-based, control-focused education model needs to be trashed. We need a learning culture shift that reflects the way we live, and we need it now!