Global consciousness, complex thinking and the concept of the community of inquiry

We live in an era where changes are constantly taking place at an accelerated pace and globalisation is in full flow. Our world has become smaller and intercultural contact is omnipresent. There is no doubt that the so-called modern societies are currently undergoing a process of enormous upheaval.The rapid change of our present ways of life is related to the fast changes in the scientific and technological world and it′s frequent innovations. This sometimes leads to enormous disorientation especially with children and adolescents who have to cope with all new problems. Problems arise in the area of relationships between parting generations and in the field of complications resulting from national and transnational communication and socialization. Personal life including school, learning, work and leisure time, are affected, too. This global change leaves no aspect of life unaltered.This paper focuses on the need of new educational strategies to cope with the great challenges raised by contemporary developments.