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"The illiterate of the twenty-first century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn."
- Alvin Toffler, writer and futurist
The educational landscape in the United States has changed dramatically in the past twenty years. A variety of factors, particularly rapid technological developments, economic challenges, and growing global influences, demands that we redefine our concept of what students need to be prepared for life in the 2 1st Century Rather than providing children with the facts, data, and strategies they need to perform well on standardized tests, schools must help students develop lifelong skills essential for becoming contributing members of society
How does this new approach to education impact school libraries? Are libraries in danger of extinction - or are they on the verge of a renaissance?
Admittedly, the present situation presents some daunting challenges, but I am very optimistic about the future of school libraries. I believe they offer a unique, irreplaceable service at an unprecedented time in the history of our country's educational system. Most importantly, I believe this is an unmatched opportunity for a resurgence of our school libraries.
Changing Landscape
In 2004, Richard Riley, former U. S. Secretary of Education, said, "None of the top ten jobs that will exist in 20 1 0 exist today" (Gunderson, Jones, and Scanland 2004). Many educators echo Karl Fisch's provocative question from his Did You Know? presentation: "How do we prepare students for jobs that don't yet exist, using technologies that haven't yet been invented, in order to solve problems that we don't even know are problems yet?" (http://thefischbo wl. blogspot. com/) . The authors of The Jobs Revolution: Changing How America Works argue that "rather than focusing on specific technologies or specific problems, we need to equip students with those concepts that are common to all problems, all technologies, all skills, ranging from workplace engineering to ethics to entrepreneurship" (Gunderson, Jones, and Scanland 2004). The issues inherent in No Child Left Behind (NCLB), with its emphasis on student achievement on standardized tests, also point to a discontent with curricula designed merely to give students factual knowledge.
21st-century Skills
So what skills do students need to be successful for life and work in the 21st...