Paradigm shift towards the 3rd wave learning

In response to the challenges of globalization, technology breakthrough, and economic competition, many countries have already started to change their education systems from its traditional models towards new ones for enhancing the future competitiveness and development of their students and societies. In particular, preparing for huge impacts of new technologies and related transformations, this article aims to advocate paradigm shifts in learning from the traditional site bounded paradigms of 1^st wave and 2^nd wave towards the future paradigm of 3^rd wave. It provides a worldwide perspective to illustrate how the paradigms shape the major characteristics of education and its policy agendas in fundamental but different ways. It also explains how the 3^rd wave paradigm characterized by initiatives of triplization (including individualization, localization, and globalization), contextualized multiple thinking (CMT), creativity, ICT application and ecosystem in learning can create unlimited learning opportunities for students to develop their lifelong capacity for sustainable development in the 21^st century. In this article, the theory of CMT (including technological, economic, social, political, cultural and learning thinking) and creativity, and the theory of self-learning in a networked human and technological environment are also introduced for re-conceptualizing the nature and scope of learning in the era of digital transformation. It is hoped that the proposed theories can provide a new framework to facilitate a paradigm shift towards the 3^rd wave in policies and practices of learning, teaching and curriculum reform and broaden the possibilities and approaches in developing CMT and creativity of students in the new era. Copyright © 2019 authors.