Thursday, November 24, 2011

21st Century Skills

As the world changes, we all need to change with it.  The technology advances are having a bigger effect on everyday life than I think most people thought.  It is changing the workforce and the education system.  Students need to learn more than just reading, writing and math.  Students need to learn skills that are going to help them be successful in their future.  They need to learn how to collaborate and problem solve.  The students of today, the future of our society, have to prepare for a world that may be completely different from the world we live in today.  This is where The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (http://www.p21.org/) comes into the picture.  They are working towards collaboration between businesses, education and the government to help move students towards being ready for their life in the 21st century workforce.


This image can help you to see the framework for 21st century learning created by The Partnership for 21st Century Skills.  The core subjects such as reading, writing, mathematics, science, government, etc. is just the foundation of the rainbow.  On top of that foundation are the life and career skills, learning and innovation skills, and technology skills.  It is like we need to continue to build the foundation for our students, but we need to take it a step farther to extend their knowledge.  The skills and learning that needs to take place in the school system has become more than what it has ever been.

I like the visual they have created.  It can show in a split second how much the education system is changing.  Then you can read about it farther to learn its implications.  As I continue to learn about the skills that my students will be required to possess to be successful in their "college, career and life", I hope to learn more about what I can do to help them become successful.

Reference:
Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2011). Partnership for 21st Century Skills. In A Framework for 21st Century Learning. Retrieved November 22, 2011, from http://www.p21.org/index.php.

3 comments:

  1. Melissa,
    I like the visual, too, because it really brings everything together and places the foundation on the 3 Rs. As a an advocate of problem-based learning, I need to do a better job on the 3 Rs as students move through a project. What do you do in your classroom to teach the 21st-century skills? Have you gotten any ideas from our course?

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  2. I agree that the visual is the key component. If we all focus on bringing this idea to our classrooms, then all of our students will essentially be more prepared for the skills necessary to enter the workforce as they grow older. These skills will also help them with their daily lives inside the classroom. Technology is truly what makes our world go around.

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  3. Hi Melissa,
    Thoughtful posting--I think you raise many excellent points--I agree--we as teachers can incorporate into our content areas, those skills that are needed in a 21st century landscape. A minor tweak to a lesson can transform it into a 21st century experience--for example, assigning a problem-based project where students collaborate to solve the problem. The content covered remains the same but the approach changes to encourage inquiry and self-directed problem solving.

    Thank you for posting to your blog.

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