Modern society in the age of educational challenges / edited by Zdzisława Zacłona, Ivica Radovanović, Ivana Visković

Abstract

Introduction: Modern education, school, and pupil present before the teacher a number of challenges resulting from social expectations. Focusing on students needs and understanding the dynamics of changes occurring in society clearly demonstrate the mental differences between generations and the need for rapid adaptation to new conditions; this phenomenon, in turn, is associated with the flexibility of minds and taking actions aimed at developing competences that will enable young people to function successfully on the labour market in the future. An important source of the contemporary economic competitiveness and, at the same time, a key economic resource is knowledge and the ability to use it for taking innovative actions. Therefore, human capital, intellectual resources, and striving for unconventional and innovative actions are an important area of pedagogical work in a modern school. An innovative economy will not be developed without creative thinking, creative problem solving, the ability to communicate in various multicultural groups and, most importantly, without knowledge concerning many fields of science. Striving for developing self-education skills and preparing students for lifelong learning is the primary task at all levels of education, from kindergarten to university education. However, the desired knowledge must also be enriched over time through gaining professional experience and cooperation with the social environment.