A genealogy of the ‘future’: antipodean trajectories and travels of the ‘21^st century learner’

Abstract

In this paper, from the particular positioning of educational researchers working in Australia, we unpack the figure of the ‘21^st century learner’ from both broad and specific perspectives. The paper begins with a policy genealogy that traces this figure through networks of documents, events and bodies that transcend borders and hemispheres. We suggest that although there appear to be multiple origins for current Australian policies on educational innovation, they are intricately entangled and interdependent. We identify the steady ‘economisation’ of the learner, and a concomitant corporatisation of educational innovation. The second section of the paper presents a discursive analysis of an extract from a recent book that frames up educational innovation through technology in order to further trace the operations of these regimes of thought. Our analysis here indicates the kind of critical work that needs to be done to interrogate and deconstruct aspects of current education policy.

Keywords:

• Australian curriculum
• policy genealogy
• 21^st century learner
• corporatisation
• ICT

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr Robert Stevens, an adjunct associate professor of the University of Western Sydney, for reading and responding to early drafts of this paper. We are also indebted to our anonymous reviewers who pointed out some logical flaws in our initial arguments and kindly directed us to further sources.

Notes

1. The Melbourne Declaration was the agreement signed by all state Ministers of Education as the foundation for the new national Australian curriculum.

2. Until 2012, curricula in Australia were a matter for state jurisdictions.

3. A Google search with the parameters from 1990 to 1995 revealed 3 appearances of ‘21^st century learner’; 1996, 7; 1997, 10; 1998, 13; 1999, 14; 2000, 28; 2001, 159; 2002, 230; 2003, 304.

4. The Australian Council for Educational Research is also providing technical support and personnel to the ATC21S™ project (Griffin, McGaw, and Care 2012).

5. The Adelaide Declaration also included personal, interpersonal, ethical, and civic capabilities.

6. Note that the generic, employment-related ‘general capabilities’ appear on (13) of the Melbourne Declaration, and are a separate listing to Goal 2 of the Melbourne Declaration. For a listing of the employability skills, see ACCI/BCA (2002).

7. See Yates (2006, 2007).

8. In addition to the kinds of work-related capabilities that would soon also appear in the Mayer Key Competencies, the Hobart Declaration aimed for schooling to develop in students self-confidence, optimism, high self-esteem, respect for others and achievement of personal excellence, a capacity to exercise judgement in matters of morality, ethics and social justice, and capacities relating to being an active and informed citizen. While these capabilities have been carried forward and elaborated in subsequent Declarations and the Australian Curriculum, new ones have also been added along the way e.g. the entrepreneurial skills previously noted.

9. http://www.e-luminategroup.com/. Oddly, although the e-luminate Group locates itself in Washington, the 21st Century Skills component of the organisation lists an address in Tucson, Arizona.

10. For example, http://www.p21.org and http://www.21stcenturyskills.org.

11. ‘Retooling’ itself, of course, is an interesting choice of word in the context.

12. A comprehensive report on the West Virginia collaboration with the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, is available at http://www.static.k12.wv.us/tt/2011/WV-Global-21-Chronicl-2010.pdf.