Preparing education for the information society: curricular challenges

Abstract

21st century skills become increasingly important in the information society. This article elaborates on the curricular challenges faced when 21st century skills are integrated into the school curriculum. It starts with a summary of the KSAVE model presented in the first article (Plomp, forthcoming), and then presents the various appearances of the curriculum (e.g., intended curriculum, implemented curriculum, and attained curriculum) at different levels with an emphasis on two key aspects of the curriculum at the school and classroom level. These key aspects include the interactive character of teaching and learning processes and the interdependent components of a curriculum. Both aspects would affect the integration of 21st century skills into the process of teaching and learning. Next, this article describes the emerging pedagogical practices that are suitable for the information society and some thoughts about using ICT as a lever for educational change.