After reading "Brainwashed", I was inspired to contribute. Our presentations, "Understanding the Digital Generation" and "Living on the Future Edge" are given over 200 times each year and in several countries. No industry needs change more than education—it is on the verge of collapse. If it doesn't change, private industry will innovate it out of business in the next few years.

At the same time, nearly 50% of students don't graduate. No other industry would tolerate this kind of failure rate. The fundamental question is, are we preparing our children for their future or our past? As Seth Godin points out in "Brainwashed", education is preparing cogs and factory workers.

In order to survive, let alone thrive in the culture of the 21st century. We will all need a new set of skills. Communication has moved beyond text and is moving beyond speech. Today, everyone, not just students must learn to communicate as effectively with pictures, video and sound, as we were taught to with text.

In the digital age, we have moved from being consumers to prosumers—Simultaneous producers and consumers of content.

Information is available at our fingertips. Students ask why they must memorize states and capitals, when they can Google it on the iPhone in seconds? We need to get past educational bulimia—get past memorization and regurgitation of information. Instead we all need to know how to access, analyze, authenticate, assess and apply information.

I would like to submit my presentation of what we think are essential fluencies for the digital age. As snapshot of the 21st century fluencies can be found on www.21stcenturyfluency.com

About leecrockett: | Lee Crockett is a national award-winning designer, marketing consultant, entrepreneur, artist, author, and international keynote speaker. He is the director of media for the InfoSavvy Group and the managing partner of the 21st Century Fluency Project. He has co-authored three books, "Understanding the Digital Generation", "The Digital Diet", and "Living on the Future Edge". Lee is a “just in time learner” who is constantly adapting to the new programs, languages, and technologies associated with today’s communications and marketing media. Understanding the need for balance in our increasingly digital lives, Lee has lived in Kyoto, Japan, where he studied Aikido and tea ceremony, as well as Florence, Italy, where he studied painting at the Accademia D’Arte.

Web site: http://www.21stcenturyfluency.com