Education in the 21st Century.

Prensky (2001, p. 1) advised me that I am a "Digital Immigrant", however the children within our classrooms today are "Digital Natives" and are all "Native speakers" of the digital language of computers, video games and the Internet. To be an effective Learning Manager in the 21st century we need to embrace E-Learning and learn to talk the talk, walk the walk and effectively learn to speak the same language as the "Digital Native".

Researching for another assignment I came across an article published in the Curriculum Corporation - Winter 2006. Susan Mann wrote how sceptical an 'education official' was in providing technology for schools describing it as an "expensive fad".

Mann (2006, p. 3) writes "In its defence, and recognising that an essential component of facilitating learning is being able to understand the learners, I outlined my fourteen-year-old son's relationship with technology. In Year 9, his life is characterised by immediate communication via instant messenger, mobile phone, phone conversations or text messaging. He has no trouble watching television while simultaneously browsing the Internet, listening to music on his Ipod and communicating with friends, much to the amazement of his technically challenged parents. He plays computer games, sleeps with his mobile phone and recently was found in a neighbour's house tapping into the wireless network as our Internet cable wasn't working. For me, the bicycle was a symbol of my childhood independence. For him, it is the Internet. And my son is no different from his peers. Raised on a steady diet of digital technologies, their notions of literacy, intelligence and friendship are being shaped by technology. When they go to school, they expect the same technology-rich environment as they encounter at home."

To "Engage and Enrage" (Prensky, 2005) students, for me, it is not just a matter of introducing new technology into the classroom but rather reform is needed into Curriculum, pedagogy, organisational structures and technology for our schools in the 21st century.

Presently, we have new research into how and what makes children learn. This together with refined Learning Frameworks and theories of learning by the following: have Learning Managers today the tricks and tools of the trade to engage our 21st century learners:

• Kearsley & Schneiderman (1999) - "Engagement Theory: A framework for technologically-based teaching and learning; and
• Cronje (2009) - "Towards Integrating Objectivism and Constructivism"

Combined with brain research, effective frameworks and theories give Learning Managers the tricks and tools required to engage our 21st century learners.