By Dr. David Freitas and Dr. Janet Buckenmeyer

How has the world of the child changed in the last 150 years? It's hard to imagine any way in which it hasn't changed . . . they're immersed in all kinds of stuff that was unheard of 150 years ago, and yet if you look at schools today versus 100 years ago, they are more similar than dissimilar.  - Peter Senge

Beam me up, Bernie!

A new book by Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel reflexively triggered (with apologies to Scotty) this iconic catch-phrase linked to the pop culture television series Star Trek.

21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our Times offers a viable transporter to effectively catapult learners’ skills from the present to the future.

The rationale for adopting 21st century student learning skills is convincingly reasoned in Chapter 1. The authors begin by describing how society’s educational goals for learners changed from the Agrarian Age through the Industrial Age. Next, they successfully argue why learner goals need to change again given our current technologically enriched society. They identify this new period as the Knowledge Age - an era where “brainpower replaces brawnpower, and mechanical horsepower gives way to electronic hertzpower.”

The authors further claim that, “The world has changed so fundamentally in the last few decades that the roles of learning and education in day-to-day living have also changed forever.” Learning will be altered in irrevocable ways - “from teacher-directed to learner-centered; from basic skills to applied skills; from theory to practice; from time-slotted to on-demand; from classroom to global; and from learning for school to learning for life.” We enthusiastically agree!

Because technology already permeates virtually every aspect of our lives (ironically except for most schools), it matters little whether these conceptual transformations are sanctioned by the educational establishment. Self-empowered learners will never forfeit their inalienable freedom to knowledge. They will always learn despite (and in spite of) government run schools.

Like the preceding Agrarian and Industrial ages, our society’s expectations will eventually force substantive and systemic changes in schools. It’s just a matter of time. 

What are the skills learners need to acquire to be successful in the Knowledge Age (a.k.a. 21st Century)? The authors identify the following three areas coupled with affiliated sub-categories. 

1.    Learning and Innovation Skills
•    Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
•    Communication and Collaboration
•    Creativity and Innovation

2.    Information, Media, and Technology Skills
•    Information Literacy
•    Media Literacy
•    Information, Communications, and Technology Literacy

3.    Life and Career Skills
•    Flexibility and Adaptability
•    Initiative and Self-Direction
•    Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
•    Productivity and Accountability
•    Leadership and Responsibility

An extensive array of student competencies (students will . . . ) further define and clarify measurable expectations for each sub-category. We encourage you to view them in this book.

These skills and affiliated student competencies were conceived and designed by professionals from various stakeholder groups, including policy-makers, educators, and business leaders. This collaboration has led to wide-spread support as evidenced by numerous endorsements listed in this book.

There is a remarkable similarity between these learner skills and ISTE’s “National Educational Standards and Performance Indicators for Students” as detailed in the chart below. This alignment affirms general consensus.

*http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007_Standards.pdf

This book contains exceptional companion resources. Recommended online sites for each

chapter, for example, are listed in an appendix.
  
Each book also includes a DVD presenting how 21st century skills are authentically applied in various educational settings. These nine professionally produced vignettes bring the enumerated skills to life. One describes how six students from four continents collaborated to create an award winning project on SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).  Another features insights from students and faculty from High Tech High in San Diego hosted by their “Emperor of Rigor”.

“Ideas without actions are worthless,” according to Helen Keller. Unfortunately, most education books espousing change are chock full of ideas with few (if any) credible, grass-root strategies to implement them. Failing to answer the question, what next, is often a fatal flaw. (How many books do we have in our shelves gathering dust?) This initiative is the exception.

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), founded in 2002, “is designed to serve as a catalyst to infuse 21st century skills throughout primary and secondary schools by building collaborative partnerships among education, business, community, and government leaders.”

Their “Framework for 21st Century Learning” is central to this mission. The Framework includes three primary components: the 21st Century Skills detailed above;  core subjects (English, reading or language arts, world languages, arts, mathematics, economics, science, geography, history, government and civics); and interdisciplinary themes weaved into these core subjects (Global Awareness; Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurial Literacy; Civic Literacy; Health Literacy; and Environmental Literacy). Together, they “describe the skills, knowledge and expertise students must master to succeed in work and life” in the 21st Century.

P21 is an influential, proactive organization supporting this meritorious movement. P21 will certainly facilitate implementation across our nation. Be sure to view their website (http://www.21stcenturyskills.org) for more information about their efforts and significant successes.

We can look forward to a time when a powerful global learning network of 21st century schools and online learning services will provide opportunities for all children, no matter where they live, to have a quality 21st century education, and to acquire the 21st century skills and expertise needed for a successful work life, a happy family life, an active community life, and a lifetime of enjoyable learning. 
- Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel, 21st Century Skills

By the way, the line “Beam me up, Scotty!” was never spoken in any Star Trek movie or TV episode according to Wikipedia. Hopefully, the 21st Century Learning Framework will avoid becoming irrelevant folklore too - may it “Live Long and Prosper!”

David Freitas' email is dfreitas@iusb.edu



 
Dr. David Freitas has served in a number of leadership positions throughout his career including College Dean at three Universities, Tenured University Professor, University Vice Provost, Public School Teacher/Administrator, State of Illinois Teacher Certification Board Member, State Department of Education Official, and Elected City School Board Member. He is a frequent national and international author and presenter.
 
Janet Buckenmeyer, Ph.D., a former elementary school teacher, is currently a tenured Associate Professor and Chair of the Masters of Instructional Technology Program at Purdue University Calumet. She has published and presented nationally and internationally about various topics, with a primary focus on instructional technology and design.