21st+Century+Skills

==21st Century Skills   == ==Iowa Core Curriculum   ==

21st Century Skills

As each Iowa student is provided access to essential concepts and meaningful learning experiences in the core academic content areas, it is imperative that we also look to 21st century skills to build capacity in students so they are prepared to lead productive, satisfying lives. According to Ken Kay, president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the 21st century skills set “is the ticket to economic upward mobility in the new economy” (Gewertz, 2007). Business and industry is providing a very clear message that students need the skills to “work comfortably with people from other cultures, solve problems creatively, write and speak well, think in a multidisciplinary way, and evaluate information critically. And they need to be punctual, dependable, and industrious.” (Gewertz, 2007).

The Framework for 21st Century Learning stated, “We believe schools must move beyond a focus on basic competency in core subjects to promoting understanding of academic content at much higher levels by weaving 21st century interdisciplinary themes into core subjects” (2007). 21st century skills bridge the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of students from the core academic areas to real life application.

“The primary aim of education is not to enable students to do well in school, but to help them do well in the lives they lead outside of the school.” -Ray McNulty, ICLE Iowa High School Summit, December 10, 2007

Descriptions of the new global reality are plentiful, and the need for new, 21st century skills in an increasingly complex environment is well documented. In one form or another, authors cite (1) the globalization of economics; (2) the explosion of scientific and technological knowledge; (3) the increasingly international dimensions of the issues we face, i.e. global warming and pandemic diseases; and (4) changing demographic as the major trends that have resulted in a future world much different from the one that many of us faced when we graduated from high school (Friedman, 2005 and Stewart, 2007). The trends are very clear that each Iowa students will need essential 21st century skills to lead satisfying lives in this current reality.

Descriptions of what constitute essential 21st century skills are plentiful as well. In the 2007 session, the Iowa Legislature established the Iowa 21st century framework as: 1. employability skills 2. financial literacy 3. health literacy 4. technology literacy

Within this 21st century skill framework are the common strands of learning and innovation; communication, information, and technology; and, life and career skills.

The development of the Iowa 21st century essential concepts and skills was a collaborative process engaging the expertise of p – 16 educators, business, and industry representatives. Sources used for this work included the 1991 SCANS report, What Work Requires of Schools, and Framework for 21st Century Learning, from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. The committee surveyed the literature and endeavored to bring together the common elements of these frameworks. The members have outlined the concepts, dispositions and habits of mind believed essential for success in the 21st century.

The reality of building capacity for the 21st century is that we do not know what the work of the future will be like (Darling-Hammond, 2007) or how technology will influence health and financial issues. The challenge is to prepare students to think critically, to engage in mental activity, or habits of mind, that “…use facts to plan, order, and work toward an end; seek meaning or explanations; are self-reflective; and use reason to question claims and make judgments…” (Noddings, 2008). It may be that our task is not only to prepare students to “fit into the future” but to shape it. “…If the complex questions of the future are to be determined… by human beings…making one choice rather than another, we should educate youths - all of them - to join in the conversation about those choices and to influence that future…” (Meier, 2008)

Primary Elementary Grades – Being Developed Intermediate Elementary Grades - Being Developed Middle School Level - Being Developed

High School

Financial Literacy
 * Demonstrate financial responsibility and planning skills to achieve financial goals for a lifetime of financial health
 * Manage money effectively by developing spending plans and selecting appropriate financial instruments to maintain positive cash flow
 * Make informed and responsible decisions about incurring and repaying debt to remain both creditworthy and financially secure
 * Evaluate and identify appropriate risk management options, including types of insurance, non-insurance, and identity protection
 * Assess the value, features, and planning processes associated with savings, investing, and asset building, and apply this knowledge to achieve long-term financial security withpersonal and entrepreneurial goals in a global market
 * Understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to financial literacy, and practice legal and ethical behavior

Health Literacy
 * Demonstrate functional health literacy skills to obtain, interpret, understand and use basic health concepts to enhance personal, family, and community health
 * Synthesize interactive literacy and social skills to establish and monitor personal, family and community goals related to all aspects of health
 * Apply critical literacy/thinking skills related to personal, family and community wellness
 * Use media literacy skills to analyze media and other influences to effectively manage health risk situations and advocate for self and others
 * Demonstrate behaviors that foster healthy, active lifestyles for individuals and the benefitof society

Technology Literacy
 * Demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology
 * Use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others
 * Apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information
 * Demonstrate critical thinking skills using appropriate tools and resources to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions
 * Understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology, and practice legal and ethical behavior
 * Demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations

Employability
 * Communicate and work productively with others, incorporating different perspectives and cross cultural understanding, to increase innovation and the quality of work
 * Adapt to various roles and responsibilities and work flexibly in climates of ambiguity and changing priorities
 * Demonstrate leadership skills, integrity, ethical behavior, and social responsibility while collaborating to achieve common goals
 * Demonstrate initiative and self-direction through high achievement and lifelong learning while exploring the ways individual talents and skills can be used for productive outcomes in personal and professional life
 * Demonstrate productivity and accountability by meeting high expectations