What are 21st Century Skills? What are 21st Century Skills?
21st Century skills are focused around the idea that students need to develop particular skills in order to be productive and contributing members of the workplace. These include skills ranging from financial, heath, civic, and technological literacy to employability skills. Within these categories, there are common themes that include: learning and innovation; communication, information, and technology; and, life and career skills. Some of the more technical categories are included in the image to the right. Purely based on the number of skills included within the Iowa CORE, it would be nearly impossible to create a learning experience that can encompass all of these skills at once; however, throughout the course of the school year, students will be exposed to each of the different 21st Century skills. Why are 21st Century Skills Important? As a whole, the goal of introducing 21st Century skills at the high school level is to provide students life experiences that can carry over to their day-to-day adult lives. By allowing students the opportunity to work with individuals who are different than themselves, think critically about information provided to them, write/speak to communicate information, and solve problems in creative ways, they are able to develop skills business and industry leaders have deemed necessary for success in the workforce. As a teacher, my goal is to not only set students up for success in my classroom but also in their future endeavors. The inclusion of 21st Centry skills in the high school classroom directly supports that goal. How are 21st Century Skills Addressed in My Classroom? In my classroom, students spend much of their time engaged in activities that allow them to take part in scientific practices. The activities are designed in such a manner that I am able to introduce students to 21st Century skills while also teaching scientific concepts. Students are required to work collaboratively with other individuals, use technology to complete investigations, and be accountable for their learning throughout the various activities. While 21st Century skills are not necessarily assessed directly every time they are used in the classroom, a student's ability to be on time, responsible for their actions, self-motivated, and respectful of other individuals will impact the learning environment and their overall success in the classroom. One example of a 21st Century skill that is integrated into the Earth Science curriculum is the ability to use digital tools to create a presentation and communicate information that benefits the learning of the individual as well as others. When discussing Geologic Time and Fossils, the students demonstrate their understanding of the content by creating a technology-based review game that their fellow students can then use to test their knowledge. This activity not only allows students to review scientific content, but also allows them to use various forms of digital media such as PowerPoint, Kahoot, and Quia, in addition to many others. For more infomation and a list of the skills, feel free to visit the 21st Century skills webpage from the Iowa Department of Education. CREATE A FREE WEBSITE |