|
|
 |
 
The 21st Century Skills
Brochure
Full Document -
Continua
Digital Age Literacy-Today's Basics
- Basic, Scientific, and Technological Literacies
As society changes, the skills that citizens need to negotiate the complexities
of life also change. In the early 1900s, a person who had acquired simple
reading, writing, and calculating skills was considered literate. In
recent years, we've come to expect that all students will be able to
read critically, write persuasively, think and reason logically, and
solve complex problems.
- Visual and Information Literacy
The graphic user interface of the World Wide Web, advances such as digital
cameras, graphics packages, and streaming video, and the convergence
of voice, video, and data into a common digital format have increased
the use of visual imagery dramatically. Students need good visualization
skills to be able to decipher, interpret, detect patterns, and communicate
using this imagery. In addition, they need to be able to access information
efficiently, evaluate it critically, and use it accurately.
- Cultural Literacy and Global Awareness
The world is rapidly becoming wired, and the resulting globalization
of commerce has increased the need for cultural literacy. In such a
global economy, the ability to know, understand, and appreciate other
cultural formations - including those established by technological society,
such as virtual realities - is key to a competitive edge.
Inventive Thinking-Intellectual Capital
- Adaptability/Managing Complexity
The interconnectedness of today's world brings with it unprecedented
complexity. Interaction in such an environment requires individuals
able to plan, design and manage in new ways. Such individuals can handle
contingencies, anticipate changes, and understand interdependencies
among systems.
- Curiosity, Creativity and Risk-Taking
Researchers now understand how the very structure of the brain can be
changed through intellectual pursuits-"there is a corresponding relationship
between the amount of experience in a complex environment and the amount
of structural change in the brain-in other words, learning organizes
and reorganizes the brain." Curiosity fuels lifelong learning just as
it contributes to quality of life and to the intellectual capital of
a country. Equally important is risk taking-without which there would
be few quantum leaps in discoveries, inventions, and learning.
- Higher Order Thinking and Sound Reasoning
For decades, research has called for higher order thinking and sound
reasoning in P-12 curricula. Thinking skills have been defined as the
ability to think creatively, make decisions, solve problems, and see
things in the mind's eye, whereas sound reasoning enables students to
plan, design, execute, and evaluate solutions. These processes are often
carried out more effectively using technology.
Interactive Communication-Social and Personal Skills
- Teaming and Collaboration
The rapid pace of today's society has caused a downward shift in the
level of decision-making. At the same time, the complexity of the 21st
century requires a high degree of specialization by decision-makers-hence
the need for the teaming of specialists to accomplish tasks efficiently,
effectively and in a timely manner. Information technology such as email,
faxes, voice mail, audio and videoconferencing, chat rooms, shared documents,
and virtual workspaces, can facilitate and enhance collaboration.
- Personal and Social Responsibility
Emerging technologies often present ethical dilemmas. As complexity
increases, society needs new values to guide the application of science
and technology and to manage the use of powerful new tools at the personal,
community, and governmental levels. It is important for students to
grasp this responsibility and contribute as informed citizens.
- Interactive Communication
In this digital age, it is imperative that students understand how to
communicate using technology. This includes asynchronous and synchronous
communication, such as person-to-person email interactions, listservs,
group interactions in virtual learning spaces, chat rooms, MOOs, MUDs,
interactive videoconferencing, phone/audio interactions, and interactions
through simulations and models. These technologies add new dimensions
to communication that must be mastered, including etiquette unique to
particular environments, scheduling over time zones, and cultural/language
issues.
Quality, State-of-the-Art Results
- Prioritizing, Planning, and Managing for Results
High levels of complexity require careful planning, managing, and anticipating
contingencies. This means more than simply concentrating on reaching
the main goals of a project or keeping an eye on project outcomes; it
requires the flexibility, creativity, and the ability to anticipate
unexpected outcomes as well.
- Effective Use of Real-World Tools
Doug Henton describes three types of knowledge important to today's
economy: Know-what, Know-how, and Know-who. Choosing appropriate tools
for a task and applying them to real-world situations in ways that add
significant value results in increased collaboration, promotion of creativity,
and the development of useful, high quality products.
- High Quality Results with Real-World Application
Researchers are finding learning benefits for students who build authentic
products with tools-whether they be sand castles, computer programs,
documents, graphs, LEGO constructions, or musical compositions. Such
experiences provide students with deep insights into whatever domain
of knowledge and whatever tools they use.
|
