PARTNERSHIP FOR 21ST CENTURY SKILLS 21st CENTURY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS INTRODUCTION This white paper has been created to provide an overview of research and e expert pin ion on 21st century lea vironments four support systems in the Partnership's Century s Framework.Its purpose is to offer a descriptive view of the places, tools,people,and policies that make up 21st century learning environments and,we hope,inspire its readers to work towards their To further guide schools and communities in designing weth of information on this and otherFram 21 ng envi the Partne ip's Resource 1 elements at http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/. What is a 21st century learning environment? The term"learning environment"suggests place and space a school, a classroom,a library.And indeed,much 21st century learning takes place in physical locations like these.But in today's interconnected and technology-driven world,a learning environment can be virtual,online, remote;in other better way to wodoesn't have to be a place at all Perhaps a o think cen ry learr ents as the support systems that organize the condition in which humans learn best-systems that accommodate the unique learning needs of every learner and support the positive human relationships needed for effective learnina.learnina environments are the structures.tools and communities that inspire students and educators to attain the knowledge and skills the 21st century demands of us all. Experts say 21st century learning must take place in contexts that "promote interaction and a sense of community [that]enable formal and informal learning."Thus,this paper will address the relationship of physical spaces and techn ological systems to learning,but more importantly,it will also consid r how those resources support t positive human relationships that matter most to learning.And while technology,space,time,culture,and policy will be discussed separately,it is important to remember that their power is cumulative 3 21st CENTURY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS INTRODUCTION This white paper has been created to provide an overview of research and expert opinion on 21st century learning environments, one of the four support systems in the Partnership‟s 21st Century Skills Framework. Its purpose is to offer a descriptive view of the places, tools, people, and policies that make up 21st century learning environments and, we hope, inspire its readers to work towards their realization. To further guide schools and communities in designing dynamic 21st learning environments, the Partnership‟s Resource 21 site provides a wealth of information on this and other Framework elements at http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/. What is a 21st century learning environment? The term “learning environment” suggests place and space – a school, a classroom, a library. And indeed, much 21st century learning takes place in physical locations like these. But in today‟s interconnected and technology-driven world, a learning environment can be virtual, online, remote; in other words, it doesn‟t have to be a place at all. Perhaps a better way to think of 21st century learning environments is as the support systems that organize the condition in which humans learn best – systems that accommodate the unique learning needs of every learner and support the positive human relationships needed for effective learning. Learning environments are the structures, tools, and communities that inspire students and educators to attain the knowledge and skills the 21st century demands of us all. Experts say 21st century learning must take place in contexts that “promote interaction and a sense of community [that] enable formal and informal learning.”i Thus, this paper will address the relationship of physical spaces and technological systems to learning, but more importantly, it will also consider how those resources support the positive human relationships that matter most to learning. And while technology, space, time, culture, and policy will be discussed separately, it is important to remember that their power is cumulative