In a changing world, education has to keep up. The Portage la Prairie School Division presented the concept of a 21st-century education to the Portage Rotary Club luncheon this week. Superintendent Todd Cuddington says it's comprised of the 6 C's.

"Education is changing to meet the times," he says. "We want to focus on some of those elements that I talked about -- the creativity, the collaboration and the connectivity. Those are really critical right now."

Thinking critically, communicating clearly, and embracing culture are the other three C's. Cuddington explains kids can work in small groups, and communicate with a school somewhere else and will develop some cultural understanding in those exchanges they won't get at home.

He says the teacher facilitates the learning, but not in front of the class where they engage in direct instruction. It's more from the side, so to speak. Students take more ownership to their learning, with an emphasis on technology. Cuddington says pen and paper notes are transitioning to handheld devices. Instruction delivery may not occur form the start to the finish of the day, but teachers will put assignments on a website the students can access, and communicate through social media. He says posting their completed work may not be on a bulletin board but a digital presentation. Cuddington says it's incorporating the connection between students to develop communication skills and using technology and creativity in it all.

Cuddington adds the old model was more industrial and this is more of a technological one.