21st Century Skills
Today’s students need more than core knowledge to be successful. Students must also learn the essential skills for today’s world, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, teamwork and collaboration in addition to core subjects and 21st interdisciplinary themes. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills has identified the elements described below as critical to ensure 21st century readiness for every student.
Learn how Odyssey of the Mind problems support 21st Century Skills.
Learning & Innovation Skills
Learning
and innovation skills are what separate students who are prepared for
increasingly complex life and work environments in today’s world and
those who are not. They include:
· Creativity and Innovation
· Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
· Communication and Collaboration
Information, Media & Technology Skills
Today,
we live in a technology and media-driven environment, marked by access
to an abundance of information, rapid changes in technology tools and
the ability to collaborate and make individual contributions on an
unprecedented scale. Effective citizens and workers must be able to
exhibit a range of functional and critical thinking skills, such as:
· Information Literacy
· Media Literacy
· ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy
Life & Career Skills
Today’s
life and work environments require far more than thinking skills and
content knowledge. The ability to navigate the complex life and work
environments in the globally competitive information age requires
students to pay rigorous attention to developing adequate life and
career skills, such as:
· Flexibility and Adaptability
· Initiative and Self-Direction
· Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
· Productivity and Accountability
· Leadership and Responsibility
For more information on 21st century skills, the framework, detailed outcomes and support systems, please see Partnership for 21st Century Skills at www.p21.org.
