Contents



Preface

Today's modern world is undergoing rapid reinvention with unparalleled outreach and speed. The world is not just changing, the world is changing at an explosive pace. Nations and cultures are being reinvented as technology transforms all aspects of life. Old ways of doing and acting are no longer appropriate as new ways of doing and acting emerge from the creative genius of a broad array of global perspectives. Practice that was once isolated is now widely circulated. Transformational solutions now emerge from new sources of inspiration to empower and renovate current practice. As the remnants of the Industrial Revolution yield to the mandates of the age of information, our world has become more interconnected and mutually dependent. In fact, all aspects of life are undergoing incomparable change. Education is not immune. In fact, education struggles to empower mankind and guide the utilization of these new methodologies, social morays, and cultural perspectives. The preparation of tomorrow's global society and modern workforce places education and educators squarely at the crossroads of globalization and technology. The real

The discussion of twenty-first-century workplace skill sets is already two decades old. Today's educators struggle to prepare students for jobs that do not even exist yet. Not only are yesterday's skill sets obsolete, but today's skill sets are also no longer sufficient. Educators are required to train students today for jobs that may emerge tomorrow and then vanish as quickly as they appeared. Preparing students for career flexibility has become the norm rather than the exception. A clarion call has gone forth demanding vision and foresight to meet the yet unseen needs of our emerging world. Education cannot lag behind other disciplines, rather it must chart the course for the vessels that follow. Mankind must adapt. Even the process of

One cannot grasp the needs of the present and the future without an understanding

of the past. Today's world did not just happen. Our modern world was born through the travail of countless discoveries and myriads of associated challenges. Globalization is often described as the interaction between peoples within a shrinking, interconnected world. Globalization began when the first human decided to look over the next ridge and continues to reel beneath the expanding impact of communication and transportation technology. Grandchildren speak to grandparents on the other side of the world just as readily as travelers greet each other while walking through the local mall. The barriers of language and distance no longer constrain interactions, creating an explosion of opportunity for the astute. International trade is fueled by the fertility of the human mind and the rich exchange of ideas. In this environment, the educated mind remains the guardian

changing must change. These are exciting times to be an educator!

genius of possibility. Education becomes the highway to a better life.

Change is not always bad. In fact, water that quits changing becomes stagnate and deadly. Fresh ideas and novel thinking serve to enliven the waters of human endeavor. Education has always been important; however, the role of education is more important now than in any previous time in human history. Educators are the heralds of opportunity and stand upon the shoulders of giants who walked before

question is, "Where do we go from here?"
