School ecosystem: changing driver

Abstract

A profound change is needed in Education in order to meet 21st century demands, in particular the demand of new competences and skills made urgent and inevitable by the technological advancements. Due to these modifications,
new opportunities arise for remodeling pedagogy too, for instance providing new ways of considering learning which urge people to acquire new kinds of literacy, namely cross-cultural, ecological and IT literacy. The demands requires a shift away from focusing on engagement in school, to engagement in learning.
This paper presents an evidence analysis of the latest theoretical approaches and research results about the innovations in schooling during last 10 years, so that it will be useful in the practice of education system management.
The evidences analysis describe the background of education provision within a jurisdiction, distinguishing between formal learning and informal learning contexts. Although the study is focused on research evidences, it also depicts the structure of educational opportunities, differentiated in formal and informal learning contexts, which are ensured by public administration in compliance
with the legal requirements. Subsequently, it is demonstrated how education systems can hugely benefit by fostering either connections between formal and informal learning, or between service providers (especially schools,
principals and teachers) and service customers (especially students, families and stakeholders). Unless the schools reconsider their role and function, that is their position in the education system, the achievement of an integrated leaning ecosystem won’t be possible. Accordingly, schools won’t be considered anymore as just distributor of initial scholarship, but as up-to-date providers of learning environments suitable for present-day and future education.