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hi this is Paul from Petri education and

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today I'm going to be speaking about

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integrated subjects which is part one of

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a continuing series on 21st century

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education integrated subjects is in an

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area of 21st century education that I'm

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particularly passionate about it's also

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an area that's not very well understood

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publicly there are various reasons for

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this firstly there are different terms

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for integrated subjects such as subject

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integration interdisciplinary studies

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and even theme based learning or project

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based learning also there are various

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levels of integration and this creates

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more complexity author Robert fogy

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presents 10 different levels of

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integration in his book how to integrate

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the curricula and we have to bear in

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mind that the average individual has

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this ingrained mentality that subjects

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should be taught separately however I

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disagree with this and I hope you do too

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as you're watching this

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video so what do I mean by integrated

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subjects well firstly this defin

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definely includes theme based learning

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there's this level of knowledge that is

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required but we don't think about this

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knowledge in terms of a specific subject

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era is this knowledge that's required to

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understand a theme or a topic then at

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some point there's a project that takes

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place and this is an exploratory project

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one which requires skills and let us not

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forget higher level thinking skills all

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of those advocated by Bloom's taxonomy

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let's look at an example of a theme a

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simple one would be sustain ility but

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actually when you start trying to apply

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this in education you realize that

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sustainability is a very very broad

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theme it encompasses everything so we

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have to look at a narrower theme within

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that uh what we could class as like a

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sub theme so we could go for something

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like resource

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sustainability when you look at the

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sustainability of Natural Resources you

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immediately start thinking about

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specific subjects we've got geography

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geology chemistry biology math and of

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course language arts whatever your theme

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is and whatever your sub theme is it

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needs to be broad enough to utilize as

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many different subject areas as possible

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does that mean that we exclude certain

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themes I have to say yes think about

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this way if the thing that you want

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children to study is only useful within

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that one subject area then what is the

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purpose of studying that one example

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would be calculus the average individual

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is highly unlikely to ever use calculus

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in real life unless they're moving into

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occupations such as economy as physics

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or

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engineering unless the students are able

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to study the higher level application of

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calculus in some form or another to make

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it relevant so for example if you were

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studying a theme related to space travel

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then you could incorporate calculus

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within that but could also incorporate

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other subject areas as well including

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history and politics as well as things

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like physics language arts again then as

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part of this theme you need the

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application and the application comes

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from creating project projects so as we

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mentioned before this project is an

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exploratory project where the students

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actually get to apply the knowledge and

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apply skills but think about it this way

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it's like a university paper with

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projects based learning you actually do

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more than that you create things you

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make things and you definitely look at

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many different subject areas as part of

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your project another theme would be

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globalization again this is a very very

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broad theme so let's look at a narrower

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example like food globalization

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immediately I start thinking about

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geography and math which would include

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economics biology chemistry so the kind

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of Earth Sciences sociology history

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politics math again but more connected

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with things like physics so applied math

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language ARS so what about something

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like art where does art come into this

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for me unless you're studying the

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history of art I don't really see how

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art should be studied as a separate

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subject art is an expression of an IDE

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idea what you want to communicate and so

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if you're studying art in isolation

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you're detaching it from what you're

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trying to express you can study the

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skills of art but it's not just about

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trying to imitate someone else's art

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form it's about finding your own way of

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expressing your ideas about that

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specific theme students should be taught

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and encouraged to use as many different

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art forms as possible this includes

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Performing Arts which again are

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expressions of ideas expressions of

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feelings emotions and ways of commun

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communicating ideas to an audience and I

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feel the same way about technology

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technology is not a separate subject

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area technology is a tool that's to be

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used to express or to be able to

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research within the theme and to be

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integrated with all those other

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different subject areas it's not

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something to be studied in isolation

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because then you detach technology from

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what it's used for and what about

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knowledge well knowledge is definitely

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necessary but at the moment it seems to

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start from birth and then just Contin

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continue forever with no transition

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whatsoever into the high level thinking

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skills that we've been talking about

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because it seems like the moment young

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people learn one thing we seem to find

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something else equally important for

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them to learn next there's never time

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given towards actually applying the

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knowledge that they learned before so

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therefore there has to be a balance

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between knowledge and application and

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there has to be a transition in this as

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well so we're not flicking a switch

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we're not saying to Educators okay today

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is your first day at high school so now

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it's time to start using higher level

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thinking skills no it's not like that at

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all we have to be able to say that when

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you first start learning that there is

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an element of application but because of

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your age and because of your knowledge

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that you're not able to apply that

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knowledge very well so therefore you

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need to put greater emphasis on learning

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facts at the younger age and then

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gradually make a transition where you

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learn less facts but you do more

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application you never eliminate fact

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learning because it's something that we

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can do forever but as this graph shows

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you see that transition where at some

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point where the application takes over

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the fact-based learning as the priority

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of

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Education now there's no specific age

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for this to take place it's based on the

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developmental ability of the child some

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children may not be capable or very good

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at applying knowledge but that doesn't

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mean to say that you eliminate this

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because of their age they should still

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be learning to apply knowledge anyway

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that wraps up today's video I hope you

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enjoyed it if you did please give us a

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rating and if you'd like to watch more

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of the like this please subscribe if you

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haven't already done so the next video

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I'll be bringing out will be about

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technology this is Paul from Petro

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education thanks for watching

Embracing Integrated Subjects in 21st Century Education

Integrated subjects are at the forefront of 21st-century education, challenging the traditional notion of teaching subjects in isolation. The term "integrated subjects" encompasses various concepts such as subject integration, interdisciplinary studies, and theme-based learning. This approach emphasizes the connection between different subject areas and encourages a holistic understanding of complex themes.

Understanding Integrated Subjects

Integrated subjects involve theme-based learning, where knowledge is applied to explore a specific theme or topic. Rather than focusing on individual subjects, students delve into interdisciplinary projects that require critical thinking and problem-solving skills. By incorporating Bloom's taxonomy, educators can guide students through different levels of integration, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Exploring Themes and Sub-themes

Themes like sustainability or globalization offer a broad spectrum of learning opportunities. By selecting sub-themes like resource sustainability or food globalization, educators can integrate various subjects such as geography, biology, economics, and math. This approach ensures that students engage with multiple disciplines, enriching their learning experience and enhancing their overall skills.

Application through Projects

Integrated subjects culminate in exploratory projects where students apply their knowledge and skills. These projects go beyond traditional learning methods by encouraging creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. By creating tangible outcomes, students gain a deeper appreciation for the subject matter and its real-world applications.

Balancing Knowledge and Application

While knowledge is essential, the application is equally crucial in integrated subjects. Educators must strike a balance between factual content and practical application, ensuring that students develop both foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills. As students progress, the emphasis shifts from rote memorization to experiential learning, preparing them for real-world challenges.

Transitioning for Effective Learning

Transitioning from knowledge acquisition to application is a gradual process that depends on the child's developmental stage. By gradually increasing the focus on application and critical thinking, educators can help students transition seamlessly from fact-based learning to practical application. This evolution reflects a student-centered approach that prioritizes understanding over memorization.

Integrated subjects pave the way for a more engaging and immersive learning experience, where students connect with knowledge on a deeper level. By embracing this holistic approach to education, we empower students to become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and innovators in an ever-changing world.

In conclusion, integrated subjects offer a transformative educational experience that transcends traditional boundaries. By uniting various disciplines, students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate complex challenges and contribute meaningfully to society. Embracing integrated subjects is not just about teaching; it's about inspiring a generation of lifelong learners who can adapt, innovate, and thrive in a rapidly evolving world.