21st Century learning means that students master content while producing, synthesizing, and evaluating information from a wide variety of subjects and sources with an understanding of and respect for diverse cultures. Students demonstrate the Four Rs, but also the Four Cs: creativity, Critical Thinking, communication, and collaboration. They demonstrate digital literacy as well as civic responsibility. Virtual tools and open-source software create borderless learning territories for students of all ages, anytime and anywhere.

Definitely, there is a gap between what skills young people need in the future and what the community can provide in any youth development programme.  The need for a better and more interesting education programme  and learning environment that suits the need of the future is therefore paramount. 
Witnessing the significant attention that young people pay presently to social development, including teamwork, interpersonal relationships, and self-awareness  as well as their excitement at being able to access learning through on-line social media, science/engineering workshop or festivals and networks of science/technology centres gives rise to cautious optimism. We need to seize the ample opportunities that informal learning can offer. 

In order to generate the graduate profile stated earlier, a proper learning environment is needed.  In the past, a learning environment suggests a physical location, a school, a classroom, a library. However, in 21st century learning the process can and will take place in various contexts. In today's interconnected and technology-driven world, a learning environment can be virtual, online, and remote; in other words, it doesn't have to be a place at all. Such an environment fosters learning tailored to the needs and wants of the individual.

Salman Khan provided an excellent example of what modern learning environment can be like. He recorded and uploaded his learning materials onto the viral so anybody can make use of them.  It brought an entirely new learning environment and a workaround to help students better. Many students were finding it easy to learn at their own pace, revisiting the materials many times. Salman Khan managed to get students’ attention and got them interested in what they are learning.  He is able to educate millions, many of whom do not have the luxury to learn properly. Currently, Khan Academy host over 4,000 educational videos and interactive computer quizzes covering a wide range of topics of learning for free.   Over 955,000 subscribers have registered to this site and its videos have been viewed over 265 million times since 2009.

This sort of learning occurs anytime and anyplace, when and where the learner desires. It takes place in a context of relevance, “just in time,” rather than “just in case.” And such learning offers “just what I need” – that is, the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills through learning strategies that are personalized and adapted to the learner's own learning styles and preferences

 

 

Islamic School Massive Interactive Learning Environment, I SMILE  is a cloud digital Platform of learning that emphasises on Creation, Creativity, Autonomy and Collaboration on Social networking.  It is a learning environment for any young people, anytime, anywhere to learn in an interactive, fun and contextual way. It can be either integrated into an established school as semester-based virtual (synchronous) teacher-facilitated courses, or used to provide access of the learning materials to fully independent self-paced (asynchronous) individuals who are not registered to any school. It  promotes interaction and a sense of community that enables both formal and informal learning to take place.

 

The ISMILE aims to  be a platform of learning environment as suggested by Partnership 21 Century Skills :

1. Creates learning practices, human support and physical environments that will support the teaching and learning of 21st century skills;
2. Supports professional learning communities that enable educators to collaborate, share best practices and integrate 21st century skills into classroom practices;
3. Enables students to learn in relevant, real world 21st century contexts (e.g., through project-based or other applied work);
4. Allows equitable access to quality learning tools, technologies and resources;
5. Provides 21st century architectural and interior designs for group, team and individual learning;
6. Supports expanded community and international involvement in learning, both face-to-face and online.