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21st Century Skills Channel

What are 21st Century Skills?

Across the nation, from voices in education, business, and government, we are hearing of the need to provide students with a different set of skills to meet the challenges of the 21st century than they needed to handle the challenges of a successful 20th century life. Reading, writing, math skills, scientific knowledge, social studies knowledge and skills, appreciation of and experience in the arts are still important - perhaps more important than ever. Other skills must be added to these, however, if our students are going to succeed in a global economy. These skills have been labeled as 21st Century Skills.

21st century skills embrace a wide variety of skills which teachers have always considered important but which are now viewed with a new focus. These include such things as the ability to think both critically and creatively, and the ability to work collaboratively both with people one knows and with people one may meet only in a virtual workspace. New ways of communication are vital, such as the skill to create and manipulate digital information in a wide variety of formats. They also encompass building character traits and personal habits that employers value, such as integrity, leadership and work ethics. All of these skills and qualities, which can be developed in the process of gaining important content-area knowledge and skills, will help students be life-long learners who have the creativity and adaptability to master the rapidly expanding knowledge base and changing job markets and of the 21st century.

netTrekker d.i. has always included these skills throughout its resources. As teachers and students focus more deliberately on developing these attributes, however, netTrekker d.i. makes it easier to find these assets in a unified area called the 21st Century Skills Channel. To access the channel, click on the channel button at the top of any page. Here users can find resources that explain more about what specific 21st century skills are, and resources for both teachers and students as they work on the development of these skills. The channel splits into three pathways:

• Life Skills
• Learning and Innovation Skills
• ICT Literacy

Life Skills

Life Skills encompass a wide range of character traits that are valued both in personal relationships and in the workplace. Teachers have always taught "character skills" by example. The difference in teaching these as 21st century skills is in making them a deliberate part of lessons and helping students see how the development of these character traits will serve them well in the world of work.

To teach or acquire practice in developing life skills, choose lessons that give opportunities for learners to demonstrate positive social interactions, to practice productive behaviors, or to show respect for the opinions of others.

Learning and Innovation Skills

Learning and innovation skills are those skills which lifelong learners have developed - the ability to think both critically and creatively, to collaborate with others to create projects and solve problems, and to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Critical thinking can be learned through puzzles and logic problems. Creativity can be encouraged through brainstorming and designing open-ended questions and projects where a "correct" answer is not expected. Communication skills can be developed through authentic speaking, writing and publishing for real audiences.

ICT Literacy

Information and communications technology literacy (ICT), also called digital literacy, is the ability to use technology as a tool to acquire and demonstrate knowledge and skills. Major areas of ICT literacy include information and Media literacies, knowing effective ways to find, synthesize, analyze, and evaluate information from all types of media.

Beyond teaching or learning how to use specific technologies, teachers and students can develop ICT literacy skills by choosing lessons that encourage or require the use of various technologies to acquire information, to learn content, and/or to show mastery of content. Then assess both understanding of content and choice and use of technology.

If you are interested in more information about the national focus on the development of 21st century skills, you may find this link to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills particularly helpful: http://www.21stcenturyskills.org