A Parent's Guide to 21ST-CENTURY LEARNING- Part 1- SKILLS FOR TOMORROW
To prepare for university, careers, and citizenship, it's no longer enough to just master academics. Students also need to acquire a set of other skills that will last for a lifetime. To be able to solve problems in our complex, fast-changing world, students must become quick, creative thinkers who can work well with others. (an IBM 2010 global study of chief executive officers revealed that — more than any other skill — creativity is considered the most important skill for succeeding in today's world.)
These competencies — known as the 21st-century skills — are summed up as the "4Cs" by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. They include the following:
Collaboration: Students are able to work effectively with diverse groups and exercise flexibility and make compromises to achieve common goals.
Creativity: Students are able to generate and improve on original ideas and also work creatively with others.
Communications: Students are able to communicate effectively across multiple media using different styles and for various purposes.
Critical thinking: Students are able to analyze, evaluate, and understand complex systems, and know and can apply thinking strategies to solve problems.
The 4Cs don't replace the more traditional skills of reading, writing and maths. Students still need to become good readers and writers, even though they may be reading, writing and publishing in new and different ways. Using mathematics to solve problems, and seeing the world through the lens of the scientist remain essential skills for today's learners. Students still need to also draw their own findings from history's lessons.
The job of the school is to integrate 21st-century skills with rigorous core content so that students will master the 4Cs and the three traditional skills.
Through project-based learning, students can investigate real-world problems and design their own solutions. Students can use technology not just to access valuable content but also to create it. By working collaboratively, students can tackle big issues — in their community and the larger world. Through effective teamwork, they're also learn important social skills, learn to respect different viewpoints and to resolve conflicts peacefully.