The document discusses the skills needed for the 21st century. It states that the intellectual capital of citizens will be the driving force this century, so developing students' intellectual potential now is crucial. It also notes that what and how students learn is changing. There is an urgency for developing workers' skills to meet 21st century needs, as seen in reports calling for action. The document then lists 21st century skills compiled from various sources to serve as common definitions across sectors, including digital literacy, inventive thinking, interactive communication, and managing quality results with real-world application.
3. The driving force for the 21st century is the intellectual capital of citizens.
Political, social, and economic advances during this millennium will be possible only if
the intellectual potential of youth is developed now. It should be no surprise that what
students learn—as well as how they learn it and how often
they must refresh these skills sets—is changing.
The urgency for building the capacity of workers to meet the needs of the 21st century is
readily apparent in the number of high profile groups publishing reports as calls for
action.
This list of 21st century skills has been compiled from the many excellent works
published in the 1990’s, as well as from contemporary literature, emerging
research and the voice of representatives from education, business and industry.
It is intended to serve as a bridge across public, business, industry, and
education sectors through common definitions, and contexts for the skills most
needed by students and workers in the emerging digital age.
4. 1. Digital Age Literacy—Today’s Basics
2. Inventive Thinking—Intellectual Capital
3. Interactive Communication—Social and Personal Skills
4. Quality, State-of- the -Art Results
8. Prioritizing, Planning, and Managing for Results
Effective Use of Real-World Tools
High Quality Results with Real-World Application
9. Research shows that to survive and indeed thrive in the 21st
century, people must not only master content standards but also
possess technical/technological and employability skills and
abilities that reach beyond traditional academic disciplines.
These competencies would include such things as oral and
written communication skills, self-direction, social responsibility,
mastery of technology and the ability to work in teams.
Research also shows that when students are engaged in 21st
century learning, including rigorous courses that incorporate
critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, collaboration,
contextual learning and information technology, they are more
likely to graduate and transition to postsecondary education and
careers.”
