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The phrase "meeting the demands of the 21st century" is practically ubiquitous in education. Here's an example I ran across today. aei.org/publication/re… 
A couple thoughts about the "demands of the 21st century." 1. I don't think humankind has changed so much that the demands of this century are so different. We still want connection, love, security. Students are not some radically different creatures than before.
The problems in education are more rooted in a failure to address the needs of the present, rather than in preparing students and teachers for some indefinite and unknowable future. The notion that we could future-proof education has already led us down some bad paths.
What teachers and students need has nothing to do with the demands of the 21st century. They need what they've always needed, but haven't had for a long time. Freedom, agency, support, a privileging of curiosity and growth over compliance and "performance" on assessments.
Using the future unknown as a cudgel to control teachers and education has been a a staple of the school reform crowd forever. Even as they're backing away from their own previous stances, they're using the same tools to maintain control.
2nd point about "demands of the 21st century." One of the things education should be doing is help students decide if they don't care for what the 21st century seems to be demanding from them and allow them space to challenge those demands.
In the link, they're still focused on "attracting and retaining talent" as opposed to developing all of the people who enter into the education space. They can't conceive of school as a place where humans change and develop. It's a place where they're judged and certified.
I don't have much hope for the future until we start challenging "demands of the 21st century" rhetoric. Anyone who continues to parrot the language isn't thinking deeply enough about education.
