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Global student advertising competition deadline May 25, 2009

"This timeline takes you through the progress of sustainable development from the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring in 1962 to the present day." IISD 2009 www.iisd.org

Looking at daily life in foreign lands reveals a colorful spectrum of inspiring metaphors for the shifts we need to make in education. Often what we may find initially chaotic, disorienting and strange in other countries can actually spark new ways of thinking about teaching and learning. Through the voices of teachers and students from around the world, we'll examine the unique aptitudes which allow successful expats to thrive in any environment. These are exactly the skills that future students and teachers will need to confidently enter the digital, global, converging, collaborative world of tomorrow - wherever they might be physically located.

It wasn't the weightiest observation, but it connected theory with the real world, which is exactly what "21st-century skills" -- this year's educational buzz phrase -- is all about, and why Manassas is trying to make it the core of its curriculum. President-elect Barack Obama (D) called for a "21st-century education system" in naming his new education secretary last month. The phrase "21st-century skills" gets 232,000 hits on Google. Problem is, not everyone is sure what the phrase means.

what's new at Google

This is quite near to how I see Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0.

"Teachers-take your students on a journey across the Americas, from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, with Geography Action! Mapping the Americas. Get the whole school involved in creating a jumbo-sized map of the Americas that's so big it can cover the side of a school building or the floor of the cafeteria. Map builders will learn about the cultures, climates, landmarks, and critical issues found in the diverse countries of the Americas."