This commencement address reflects on what students should learn in a core curriculum, what good learning environments should be like, and what quality teaching will look like in the future. It examines changes in education over the years, discussing the transformation in teaching and learning brought about by information technology. In this information-laden world, it is essential for teachers to prepare students with tools to interpret information and manage its meaning in their technology-driven lifestyles. Ultimately, instruction should be designed to help students understand how they learn best, allowing them to experiment with numerous learning strategies. Successful students should be able to demonstrate they have learned and understood the processes involved in establishing a long memory, associating information with previous knowledge, and using mnemonic devices to stimulate memory. Mentoring and guiding individuals as they enhance their learning strategies becomes the focus of teaching. With today's communication tools, teachers should be able to construct learning contexts that appeal to the learning styles of 21st-century students. Communications technologies are the catalyst for a paradigm shift in the delivery of education that is inextricably linked to the political, technological, social, and economic context of American education. (SM)