The term “21st century” has become the central part of educational thinking and planning for future. Administrators and Teachers are actively searching for ways to prepare students for the future, and the educational system has been evolving faster than ever before.

Globalization has opened up the world and allowed people to connect in new and exciting ways. We blend traditions and create unique belief systems that are not taught in any classroom, but are developed through our life experiences and passions.

1. INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE STUDENT –ENTERED

STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED IN THE 21ST CENTURY, THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE TEACHER CAN NEVER GIVE A LECTURE. EDUCATION IS NO LONGER ABOUT LISTENING TO THE TEACHER TALK AND ABSORBING THE INFORMATION.

In order to prepare the students to play their role in the 21st century society we are apart, the following can be considered when deciding how education will look in our schools and classrooms.

2.EDUCATION SHOULD BE COLLABORATIVEStudents must learn how to collaborate with others.

Society today has people collaborating across the globe.

3. LEARNING SHOULD HAVE CONTEXTStudent-centered does not mean that the teacher gives up

all control of the classroom. While students are encouraged to learn in different ways, the teacher still provides the guidance as to the skills that need to be acquired. The teacher can make a point in helping students to understand how the skills they are building can be applied in their lives.

3 Broad Areas in Integrating Technology as a Fundamental Building Block

Use technology comprehensively to develop proficiency in 21st century skills.- knowledge of core content is necessary, but no longer sufficient, for success in a competitive world.

Use technology comprehensively to support innovative teaching and learning.- to keep pace with a changing world, schools need to offer more rigorous, relevant and engaging opportunities for students to learn-and to apply their knowledge and skills in meaningful ways.

Use technology comprehensively to create robust education support systems.- to be effective in schools and classrooms, teachers and administrators need training, tools and proficiency in 21st century skills for themselves.

IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY1. Improvement of Teaching

- educational technology analyses the process of teaching thoroughly.

2. Analysis of the Teaching-Learning Process- educational technology aims at analyzing the process of teaching-learning thoroughly.

3. Improvement of Teaching- educational technology analyses the process of learning and related the theories. It facilitates more and more of learning in less time.

4. Enhancing Goals of Education - the objectives of education are being reviewed

and revised with the passage of time.

5. Training to Teachers- the changed type of environment with new curriculum and new materials is to be handled by the teachers.

6. Development of Curriculum- curriculum is the total-learning environment, which has to be modified and remolded in the light of latest thoughts.

7. Development of Teaching-Learning Material- teaching-learning materials are also as important as anything else in the teaching learning process.

8. Teaching-Learning Strategies:- the strategy has to be the right one, which should be according to the materials and is able to bring about effective teaching learning.

9. Development of Audio-Visual Aids:- the software aids, the hardware aids, the computer and other such appliances, equipment etc., have “to be used in the present type of teaching-learning environment.

10. Help in Overall Improvement- educational technology helps in locating the problems in the different areas of education.

11. Identification of Needs of the Community:- it helps in providing equal education opportunities to backward people, disadvantaged students and deprived sections of the society.