What is Good Teaching?

Good teaching is collaborative partnership between educators and students. As Andreas Schleicher notes, "Education is no longer about teaching students something alone; it is more important to be teaching them to develop a reliable compass and the navigation tools to find their own way in a world that is increasingly complex, volatile and uncertain" (OECD, 2019). Effective teachers facilitate learning by working alongside students as co-investigators, embracing what Niederhauser describes as "learning with technology" where learners use technology as tools for analyzing, organizing, and constructing knowledge rather than passive recipients of information. In this collaborative model, teachers guide students through the Anticipation-Action-Reflection cycle, helping them become informed, take responsible action, and continuously improve their thinking.

What is Good Learning?

Good learning occurs when students are genuinely engaged with authentic problems and actively search for solutions. Project-Based Learning exemplifies this approach, where "learners pursue knowledge by asking questions that have piqued their natural curiosity" (Bell, 2010). This aligns with the OECD's vision of transformative competencies—creating new value, reconciling tensions and dilemmas, and taking responsibility. Good learning requires what Bell describes as "active learning" that "takes students' various learning styles and preferences into account," allowing them to use diverse tools and demonstrate understanding through multiple modalities.

What is Worth Knowing?

Worth knowing are the tools, skills, and competencies that enable students to present themselves professionally and succeed in life's meaningful endeavors. The OECD Learning Compass 2030 identifies essential knowledge as disciplinary, interdisciplinary, epistemic, and procedural, supported by cognitive, social-emotional, and practical skills. Technology integration through the SAMR model ensures students develop both technical fluency and the critical thinking necessary to use these tools purposefully. Students must learn to navigate information responsibly, collaborate effectively, and apply their learning to real-world challenges that matter to their communities and futures.

Who is the Educated Person?

The educated person is one who can competently perform tasks worth doing—tasks that contribute to individual, societal, and environmental well-being. Drawing from the OECD framework, this person possesses "student agency"—the capacity to set goals, reflect, and act responsibly to effect positive change. They demonstrate what Niederhauser calls "computational thinking," approaching problems systematically while maintaining ethical judgment. The educated person moves beyond mere knowledge consumption to become what Jonassen describes as an "active constructor of knowledge," capable of creating solutions to previously inconceivable challenges.

What is the Purpose of School?

School's purpose extends beyond academic achievement to foster complete human development—growing students intellectually, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. As Bell observes, Project-Based Learning "teaches curriculum concepts" while simultaneously developing "responsibility, independence, and discipline." Schools must prepare students for the OECD's vision of 2030, where graduates can "thrive in and shape the future for better lives and for individual and societal well-being." This holistic growth occurs through authentic learning experiences that honor students' natural curiosity while building character, resilience, and purpose.

Technology as Essential Infrastructure

Technology serves as the essential infrastructure enabling this educational vision. Moving beyond the traditional "tutor" model, technology becomes what Jonassen calls "Mindtools"—cognitive partners that amplify human thinking and creativity. Through thoughtful integration progressing from substitution to redefinition in the SAMR model, technology transforms learning from passive consumption to active creation. Students use technology not merely as consumers but as "producers, creators, and innovators" who own their learning process and contribute meaningfully to their global community.

This philosophy aligns with ISTE Standards by emphasizing learner-centered approaches, fostering digital citizenship, encouraging innovative design, and promoting collaborative leadership in educational transformation.

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References

-Bell, S. (2010). Project-based learning for the 21st century: Skills for the future. The Clearing House, 83(2), 39-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098650903505415

-Gorman, M. (2013). The SAMR model of technology integration. 21st Century Educational Technology and Learning. http://21centuryedtech.wordpress.com

-Niederhauser, D. S. (2013). Learning from technology or learning with technology: Theoretical perspectives on the nature of using technology in the classroom. In M. Clough, J. Olson, & D. Niederhauser (Eds.), The nature of technology: Implications for learning and teaching (pp. 249-267). Sense Publishing.

-OECD. (2019). OECD future of education and skills 2030: Project background. OECD Publishing.