Partnership for 21st Century Skills

Without a doubt, as we progress into the 21st century, the technological advances being made are changing the way we live, communicate, learn and teach. The implications that new technologies have on the way we teach is being recogized and there are many publications and websites that address 21 century skills. The website, Partnership for 21st Century Skills http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/ is a great resource for educators who want to stay on the "cutting edge" of applying 21st century skills in the classroom. As described on the site, 21st century skills include: information and communication skills, thinking and problem solving, interpersonal and self direction skills, global awareness, financial, economic and business literacy, entrepreneurial skills and civic literacy.

For teachers who are new to the concept of 21st century skills, this site offers a plethora of information that can serve as a great resource. One resource that I found particularly useful was the Framework for 21st Century Learning. The framework outlines the specific skills that students should be taught in the 21 century. In addition, teachers can access links to sites that promote these skills, that are specific to their content areas. In addition, Route 21, an online database on the site, allows users to browse resources by support system, skill or knowledge.

One thing that surprised me as I browsed this site is that it only features state initiatives for 13 states. It is surprising less than 15% of the states in our country have developed iniatives to address 21st century skills. Especially considering the fact that we want our students to be able to compete globally. I hope that my own state, Connecticut, follows in the steps of states that have already established initiatives to teach these skills.

I think that this site has many implications for educators and students alike. First, it serves as a great resource for educators to share and access information about 21st century skills. However, districts must recognize the need to incorporate these skills into the curriculum. Many districts are so focused on making AYP (especially low performing districs) that they lose site of focusing on skills that our students will need to succeed and compete nationally and globally in the 21st century. As the world changes, we must change our pedagogy to reflect the new skills that our students need to learn. As a contemporary educator, I recognize the fact that the way that I was taught, and what I was taught a few decades ago, does not always apply to todays classroom. There are so many new innovations in our world and many media sources constantly refer to the fact that the world is becoming "flatter". With the world wide web and all that it has to offer, it is surprising that so many schools, including my own, has not made technology integration a priority. As I work 21st century skills into my own teaching, I will absolutely use this site as a way to obtain up to date information and resources.