5. BACKGROUND READING: 21st Century Skills

Essential 21st Century Skills

Learning and Innovation Skills

Creativity and Innovation
• Demonstrating originality and inventiveness in work
• Developing, implementing and communicating new ideas to others
• Being open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives
• Acting on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution to the domain in which the innovation occurs

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

• Exercising sound reasoning in understanding
• Making complex choices and decisions
• Understanding the interconnections among systems
• Identifying and asking significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions
• Framing, analyzing and synthesizing information in order to solve problems and answer questions

Communication and Collaboration
• Articulating thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively through speaking and writing
• Demonstrating ability to work effectively with diverse teams
• Exercising flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal
• Assuming shared responsibility for collaborative work

Information, Media and Technology Skills

Information Literacy
• Accessing information efficiently and effectively, evaluating information critically and competently and using information accurately and creatively for the issue or problem at hand
• Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

Media Literacy
• Understanding how media messages are constructed, for what purposes and using which tools, characteristics and conventions.
• Examining how individuals interpret messages differently, how values and points of view are included or excluded and how media can influence beliefs and behaviors.
• Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

ICT (Information, Communications and Technology) Literacy
• Using digital technology, communication tools and/or networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information in order to function in a knowledge economy
• Using technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information, and the possession of a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information

Life and Career Skills

Flexibility and Adaptability
• Adapting to varied roles and responsibilities
• Working effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities

Initiative and Self-Direction
• Monitoring one’s own understanding and learning needs
• Going beyond basic mastery of skills and/or curriculum to explore and expand one’s own learning and opportunities to gain expertise
• Demonstrating initiative to advance skill levels towards a professional level
• Defining, prioritizing and completing tasks without direct oversight
• Utilizing time efficiently and managing workload
• Demonstrating commitment to learning as a lifelong process

Productivity and Accountability
• Setting and meeting high standards and goals for delivering quality work on time
• Demonstrating diligence and a positive work ethic (e.g., being punctual and reliable)
Leadership and Responsibility
• Using interpersonal and problem-solving skills to influence and guide others toward a goal
• Leveraging strengths of others to accomplish a common goal
• Demonstrating integrity and ethical behavior
• Acting responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind

Source: Partnership for 21st Century Skills (www.21stcenturyskills.org). Used with permission.