21st Century Skills

Partnership for 21st Century Skills, or P21, is a national group interested in helping to advocate or promote 21^st century skills for United States students.  The group has been tasked with helping to bridge or close the “profound gap <that> exists between the knowledge and skills most students learn in school and the knowledge and skills they need for success in their communities and workplaces.” 

The organization has created a framework that illustrates and explains each of the student outcomes it feels crucial for student success. Those outcomes  fall into the categories of core subjects and 21st century skills, learning and innovation skills, information, media, and technology skills, and life and career skills. The framework also includes the support systems that are needed to help students obtain those skills. The supports include standards and assessments, curriculum and instruction, professional development, and learning environments.  As with any structure, strong supports need to be in place to keep the framework intact.  This framework is no different and includes the resources needed to provide that support.

As I ventured through this website, I encountered many resource links containing information further explaining the rationale behind the group and its missions. There were video clips, blog links, and educator resources.   Not only did the site share the objectives or outcome that it feels needed to be met, it also gave examples of schools and other organizations that had been successful in implementing the strategies.  Corresponding contact information for each of the ‘pilot’ organizations was also provided.   A frequently asked questions, or FAQ, section proved to also be helpful.

As a model of the strategies and outcomes it is promoting, the P21 group prepared a video illustrating the “4C’s” from the learning and innovation skills category—creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.  The video, entitled Above and Beyond, gives credence to the process.  In the video clip, the characters represent the need for thinking creatively, with the results taking them “above and beyond” the normal expectations.  The video was another example of how students could or should be engaged to produce and think beyond their normal parameters.

One of the features of the site was the inclusion of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) map examples prepared for the 4th, 8th, and 12th grade levels in the subjects of Social Studies, English, and Math.  Each map contains lessons/activities and lists of corresponding resources needed for implementing the lessons.  A similar format was used additionally for creating maps for the 21^st century skills in the areas of math, world languages, arts, geography, science, social studies, and English.  These maps help teachers take the guess work out of deciding how to implement the process within the classroom.  As an educator, I appreciate having examples by which to guide the process.

As I toured the site, I did not really find anything with which I disagreed.  The site seemed to be developed in accordance with data revealed in other research I have read on the topic of 21st century learners.  One item that did serve to be disappointing was that my state, Virginia, was not included as one of the fifteen states classified as a 21st century state. 

With the amount of information and examples provided on the pages of the  Partnership for 21st Century Skills site, educators now have a point of reference, examples, and contact information to guide their students into becoming 21st century learners.