Learner centered instruction, that in which the students are active learners, appears to be the future of education.  Long gone are the days of teachers talking at students and memorization and recitation as the method of assessment.  While teaching style is shifting to develop critical thinking which prepares students for success in the real world, it seems that national and state standards are becoming more rigid.  It seems that these two are at odds as the standardized tests have difficulty in assessing creativity and collaboration.

Critical thinking development via the use of online learning environments can develop skills in creativity, strategy, and problem solving.  In order for an online environment or game to be effective, it must be immersive.  As students are exposed to a variety of media, the more immersive, the more it seems to thrive.  The same should be applied to educational media.  One should feel as if solving the problem has meaning.  The same principles that make games successful should be applied to educational tools.

Digital, media, and visual literacy are increasingly important as we shift teaching into the digital age. It is necessary for students to decipher and create visual learning materials.  Furthermore, it is imperative that students can think critically and apply what they have learned into their own material.  This type of learning along with the benefit of access to technology, promotes creativity.