Challenges in Teaching and Learning

The tradional modeling of schooling with the teacher choosing what is to be learned and then serving as the source of knowledge as the student acts as the receiver of that knowledge is not adequate for the 21st Century world-class eduation. Roles of teacher and learner must continue to change. In the Digital Age the sheer volume of information means that Texas students cannot be passive recipients of instruction; rather, Texas students must become active participants in the learning process. It is vitally important that students know how to be sure that their sources are credible. It is important that students gain skills for collaboratively constructing, using, and communicating the knowledge they need for a chosen task, project, or other learning pursuit. Learning and teaching must focus on connecting to students' lives and reflect what research reveals about how people learn.

Information and communications technologies empower learners to undertake authentic projects for learning and productivity even in early grades. These technolgies make possible collaboration of diverse work and learning groups and provide access to rich resources and expertise previously unavailable. Indeed, these technologies enable us to learning and student productivity that extend far beyond the walls of the classroom and far beyond the rigidity of traditional school schedules. Our challenge in teaching and learning is to move from the traditional teacher-led learning model to a student-centered collaborative model in order to empower our young citizens to succeed in a global and digital world of information. This transformation is not a simple undertaking, but it is one that must occur if we are to prepare young Texans for their future lives.