THE NEW “BELIEFS DIVIDE”

From 20th C. Beliefs to 21st C. Beliefs

By Marc Prensky, Founder, The Two Billion Kids Project

    We all care about the so-called “Digital Divide” between the haves and have-nots. But there is a new divide emerging between the generations that is even more important: the “Beliefs Divide.” Our beliefs—also known as our mindsets, or lenses—determine everything we do—or don’t do. It is the outdated beliefs of too many 20th century adults about kids that keep us us from doing what we need to do, and that stand in the way of our kids’ future.

    Our deepest beliefs form, when we are young, from a combination of what adults tell us and what we observe to be true about the world. Once formed, they last—typically unchanged—our whole life, filtering all our actions. Beliefs are incredibly hard to change from the outside—people die for them—and everyone is convinced their beliefs are right.

    Curiously, our deep beliefs are hardly ever examined, or even talked about, outside of religion (where they are often fiercely fought over.) Changing religious beliefs is rare but changing our other beliefs—when they no longer serve us well—can be very useful. This is already happening in our changing times. Carol Dweck recently highlighted the benefits to kids of changing their beliefs to a “Growth Mindset.” Beliefs are now changing generationally, according to cultural anthropologist Genevieve Bell, regarding education, technology, privacy, property, personal relationships, sexuality, race, security, power, kids, work and jobs, empathy, violence and abuse, God and religion, justice and injustice, money love, government, and even time and space.

Most adults—especially those connected to children—are completely unprepared. For example, most pre-Internet adults believe that:

o  Kids have little power

o  Kids need specific knowledge and skills from adults

o  Education—as we know and do it—is important and necessary

o  Learning must precede accomplishment

o  Technology is just a tool (optional and removable)

o  Your own Individual work matters most

o  Kids need “motivation” from parents and teachers

o  In-person is always better than virtual if you can get it

All these things may have been true in the 20th century. But NONE of the above beliefs is valid today—or even useful—and few are believed by 21st c kids (unless we have forced our beliefs on them.) 21st century kids believe—or are starting to believe—that:

o  Kids are powerful

o  What kids need from adults is more empowerment

o  Education and school are no longer be the best way to raise most kids

o  Technology is now a new part of our bodies

o  Networking and collaboration are the keys to success

o  Accomplishment precedes and leads to learning (i.e. to learning that that matters)

o  The only motivation that counts is self-motivation

o  Online and in-person are equal, which is best is always situational

    As the world changes rapidly, chances are you are already on the old side of the beliefs divide. I published a free, online book for kids last year called Beliefs for 21st c. Kids. You can find it online here.  It takes less than a minute to read. Here are its first few pages:

• “I am, first, a member of the human race and a citizen of the world—before my many other identities.” 
• “I have a unique set of dreams, passions, strengths, and capabilities that no other human has.”
• “I have the power to create positive change as an individual, and even more powerfully in teams.”
• “I can and will take my own dreams as seriously as I want to.”

    I urge you to read the whole book (https://bit.ly/2AGR2Uk) and see how many of these 21st century beliefs for kids you believe in. If you don’t, watch out—changes are coming!

And keep this in mind as well: Although changing beliefs, once formed, is incredibly hard from the outside, all we need to change our beliefs from the inside is an “aha” moment. Only a week ago a well-known consultant said to me: “I recently had an epiphany. Today is not going to be changed by old people. It is going to be changed by young people.” I strongly suggest you, too, reexamine all your deepest beliefs about kids and the world to see if they still apply in the 21st century. Ending up on the wrong side of the beliefs divide will not help our kids!

Marc Prensky is an internationally-acclaimed keynote speaker in over 40 countries, and the award-winning author of 8 books, including “Beliefs for 21st c. Kids” and "Education to Better Their World.” Through his Two Billion Kids Project—devoted to ensuring that every young person betters their world in some way—Marc currently spearheads the movement to Empower the Humans of the Future.  Marc is the coiner of the globally-recognized term “digital native” and the founder of The Global Future Education Foundation. He has taught at all levels, from elementary to college. Marc's upcoming book is "Empower Them Now!” in which he speaks of the 4 new elements of empowerment: New, empowering beliefs, World-improving projects, Applied Uniqueness, and Symbiosis with Technology and Teams (including AI) . Marc’s many talks, writings, interviews and videos can be found at www.marcprensky.com and marcrenskyarchive.com. Marc can be contacted at [email protected]