Learning in the Real World of Tomorrow

"The phrase '21st-century skills' gets 232,000 hits on Google," notes Jay Mathews of the Washington Post. "Problem is, not everyone is sure what the phrase means."

The proponents of 21^st century skills are quick to say it goes beyond using an iPhone to download homework podcasts or learning how to use technology effectively. One writer with a definition is Stacy Teicher Khadaroo. In a Christian Science Monitor article, Khadaroo writes: "In a knowledge economy, the reasoning goes, the ability to articulate and solve problems, to generate original ideas, and to work collaboratively across cultural boundaries is growing exponentially in importance. The challenge for schools is to find ways to shift from traditional rote learning and teach these skills, while still doing due diligence to the three R's."

The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills (P21) means to help. The Arizona-based initiative has assembled its membership from over three dozen of the country's most influential organizations – including Adobe Systems, Discovery Education, Ford Motor Company and Gale – to produce a Framework for 21^st Century Learning, and help schools implement new processes to bring clarity to the concept and results to the classroom.

President Obama made clear his advocacy for having today's K-12 students develop the skills that will help them – and the country – compete on a global stage. In the view of P21, reaching such a goal depends on integrating new skills with existing ones. "What has made the Partnership unique is that our work reflects the common vision of the education and business communities," says Ken Kay, president of the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills.

This powerful combination is apparent in our definition of 21^st century skills, which include learning and innovation skills, core subjects and 21^st century themes, life and career skills and information, media and technology skills. To that end, P21 has designed the Framework, which describes the skills, knowledge and expertise students must master to succeed in work and life. The Framework also defines the 21^st century skills that represent the necessary student outcomes for the 21^st century:

• Core Subjects and 21^st Century Themes that focus not only on the mastery of English, math, science, geography, history, government and the arts, but also on tying these subjects into themes of global awareness, entrepreneurial literacy, civic literacy and health literacy;
• Learning and Innovation Skills that are designed to prepare students for a work/life environment very different from that of their parents and grandparents. Creativity, innovation, critical thinking, communication and collaboration are key to this effort;
• Information, Media and Technology Skills that speak to the ever-changing electronic environment into which today's students must acclimate and thrive. To be effective in the 21^st century, says P21, tomorrow's citizens must exhibit not only expertise in technical tools but also the insight to shape and change those tools; and
• Life and Career Skills that prepare students to accept challenges at work and at home by focusing on flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction, leadership and more.

Some critics, including Jay Mathews, wonder about the priority of learning new skills when many students still struggle with basic literacy and math proficiency. But to Elena Silva, a senior policy analyst at the Education Sector in Washington D.C., what's important is the evolving research on how people learn. Teachers were long taught to cover content first and wait for children to get older before having them apply it, she writes, but now research shows that "people learn best by learning content at the same time they are acquiring [and applying] new skills."

"The powerful combination of both the business and education community has been a major factor in the Partnership's success," said Ken Kay. "We are grateful that Cengage has been such a committed partner to this business/education partnership at both the national and state levels."

Next month: States are getting on board with P21 to foster the skills needed for the future. Meet one state representative who reveals the strategy behind a statewide adoption.

Gale, part of Cengage Learning, is a board member of the Partnership for 21^st Century Skills. "As an educational organization, we recognize the value of 21^st century skills," says Dave Schroeter, Gale representative for P21. For instance, "we've always known that health knowledge was important. But today we must take more ownership of our health. If the U.S. is to be competitive in a global economy, we need to keep health costs under control" using all the creative and technological skills at our disposal.

What's more, "our customers in library media programs have been teaching and advocating for 21^st century skills for years, we just didn't define them as such" says Schroeter. "Librarians have long been at the forefront of instructing around collaboration, critical thinking and media literacy, skills that have become even more important if today's students are going to thrive in the workplace." Finally, as an employer, "we at Gale want to meet people who are creative and innovative, flexible and adaptable. So promoting 21^st century skills is something we do for our own future, as well as the nation's future."