Inquiry into 21st century learning environments and digital literacy

We are aware that the education sector is changing significantly as a result of new

technologies and access to the Internet. This is an area of rapid change. We considered it

necessary to examine the full implications of this rapid development for our education

sector, and so resolved to initiate this inquiry. In this report, we use the term �21st century

learning� to mean the changes to teaching and learning in schools that result from digital

technology. However we acknowledge that many of our recommendations may be

applicable beyond schools, in the wider education sector.

The term �learning environment� suggests traditional places of learning such as schools,

classrooms, or libraries. However, while much of 21st century learning takes place in

dedicated physical locations, in today�s technology-driven world a learning environment

can also be virtual, online, or remote.

The purpose of this inquiry is to investigate and to make recommendations on the best

structures, tools, and communities, in both rural and urban New Zealand, for enabling

students and educators to attain the knowledge and skills, such as digital literacy, that the

21st century demands of us all.

For the full report visit Parliament New Zealand