21st Century Learning Institute brings knowledge economy skills to schools worldwide

Teachers from the UK and Italy were among those attending the first 21st Century Learning Institute, created by the Oracle Education Foundation to help primary and secondary school educators to teach vital new 'soft' skills to students.

As the developed world moves further into a globalised, knowledge economy, school-leavers with knowledge-working skills will enjoy an advantage in the employment market. This philosophy has led the Oracle Education Foundation (OEF) to launch a global program to help educators to teach these skills in the context of existing classroom activities, in order to give students a head start in their future careers.

The first 21st Century Learning Institute was being held on November 5-8 in the San Francisco Bay Area, bringing together 80 educators from 14 countries including the UK and Italy. Over four days, teachers learned to design and implement online learning projects that help students develop vital new ‘soft’ skills like critical thinking, creativity, cross-cultural understanding and teamwork.

Participating teachers complete a 60-hour professional development program that includes four weeks of online, virtual training; four days of in-class training with project learning experts; and the successful implementation of a planned project in their school. The course uses the Oracle Education Foundation’s global educational programs, Think.com and ThinkQuest, to showcase exceptional project-learning examples and to help teachers produce projects as a part of their training experience.

Mr Qamar Riaz, Head of Humanities at one of the participating UK schools, Shirelands Collegiate Academy, said, "Collaborating with other teachers at this institute has helped me further understand and deal with the challenges of integrating project based learning and ICT skills in the classroom. This institute has given me a lot of ideas of how to further encourage these programs in my school."

"Many primary and secondary teachers are challenged with how to implement project-based technology learning while still linking to curriculum and standards," said Clare Dolan, Vice President, Oracle Education Initiatives. "The 21st Century Learning Institute provides a structured approach to preparing and implementing learning projects in ways that engage students in learning and develop their 21st century skills."

With its Think.com and ThinkQuest programs, the OEF has already demonstrated itself to be a strong proponent and leader in the 21st Century skill development movement. Upon the successful completion of this event, the OEF plans to replicate the 21st Century Institute across Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

For more information about the Oracle Education Foundation and the 21st Century Learning Institute, visit http://www.oraclefoundation.org.