EC 21st Century Skills Assessment Framework

1. EDUCATION CONNECTION
21st Century Skills Assessment
- Measuring the Six Critical Skills that Form the Foundation for 21st Century Success -
Possible Indicators
Skill Of Attainment
Assessment Considerations & Data
Process Evidence Product Evidence
• Use digital technologies as a
tool to access, research, Video/written self-reports, self-reflections Most digital products are potential sources of
organize, and apply from students (blogs, video diaries) this: websites, videos, podcasts, voice-
information efficiently threads, other media.
(time) and effectively
(sources) Comments from teachers, mentors, based on
• Manage the flow of examples of student work in progress.
Product Sample (Student Movies)
information from a wide
1. Use real-world variety of sources
digital and other All Skills Link Product Sample (Student Website)
• Evaluate information
research tools to critically and competently
access, evaluate and • Use information accurately
effectively apply and creatively for the issue
information or problem at hand
appropriate for • Applied solutions/products
authentic tasks. demonstrate a high degree
of alignment between task
and solution/product.
• Apply a fundamental
Scale, Mechanism & Data Considerations
understanding of the
ethical and legal issues Draft/Sample Research Tools Rubric
surrounding the access and
use of information. Sample Student Accumulative Data Skill Sheet
Sample Individual Student Data Skill Sheet

2. Possible Indicators
Skill Of Attainment
Assessment Considerations & Data
• Works independently when Process Evidence Product Evidence
appropriate without being
prompted and completes Video/written self-reports, self-reflections Most digital products are potential sources of
independent work from students (blogs, video diaries). this: websites, videos, podcasts, voice-
thoroughly. threads, other media.
• Listens actively and assists Collaboration Reflection 1.
individuals and the group
in achieving their goals. Collaboration Reflection 2.
• Contributes useful ideas Product Sample (Student Movies)
with authentication and Comments from teachers, mentors, based on
encourages others to use examples of student work in progress. Product Sample (Student Website)
their ideas as well.
• Responds open-mindedly to
2. Work different ideas and values All Skills Link
independently and • Applies strategies to
collaboratively to improve group efforts and
solve problems completion of group tasks.
and accomplish • Is willing to undertake a
goals. variety of group roles and
supports others in their
roles as well.
• Understand, negotiate and
balance diverse views and
beliefs to reach workable
solutions, particularly in
multi-cultural
environments Scale, Mechanism & Data Considerations
• Assume shared
responsibility for Draft/Sample Collaboration/Independent Work Tools Rubric
collaborative work, and
value the individual Sample Student Accumulative Data Skill Sheet
contributions made by each
team member. Sample Individual Student Data Skill Sheet

3. Possible Indicators
Skill Of Attainment
Assessment Considerations & Data
• Listen effectively to Process Evidence Product Evidence
decipher meaning,
including knowledge, Video/written self-reports, self-reflections Websites, podcasts, other media products
values, attitudes and from students (blogs, video diaries)
intentions A student with highly developed skills in this
• Articulate thoughts and Comments from teachers, mentors, based on area would be able to explain how the
ideas effectively using oral, examples of student work in progress choices that they made in design, expression,
written and nonverbal and presentation reflect specific
communication skills in a understandings about the audience; showing
3. Communicate variety of forms and All Skills Link an example of the same content presented in
information contexts two or more ways for specific audiences
clearly and • Utilize multiple media and would be strong evidence of this
effectively using technologies, and know
a variety of how to judge their Communication Evidence
tools/media in effectiveness a priori as
varied contexts well as assess their impact
for a variety of • Use a variety of Scale, Mechanism & Data Considerations
purposes. communication tools for a
range of purposes (e.g. to Draft/Sample Communication Skills Rubric
inform, instruct, motivate
and persuade) and there is Sample Student Accumulative Data Skill Sheet
evidence of thoughtful
selection of strategy to Sample Individual Student Data Skill Sheet
align with message,
audience, and purpose.
• Communicate effectively in
diverse environments
(including multi-lingual)

4. Possible Indicators
Skill Of Attainment
Assessment Considerations & Data
• Is aware of their own Process Evidence Product Evidence
creative process and the
environments in which Video/written self-reports, self-reflections from Thoughtful annotations within a portfolio
his/her own thinking is students (blogs, video diaries) could offer strong evidence of this; stronger
enhanced or inhibited. still if in the context of a dialogue with a
• Use a wide range of idea Comments from teachers, mentors, based on teacher or mentor about their own work
creation techniques (such examples of student work in progress over time
as brainstorming)
• Create new and worthwhile Peer Reflection Evidence
ideas (both incremental
and radical concepts)
• Elaborate, refine, analyze All Skills Link
4. Demonstrate and evaluate their own
innovation, ideas in order to improve
flexibility and and maximize creative
adaptability in efforts
thinking patterns, • Be open and responsive to
work habits, and new and diverse
working/learning perspectives; incorporate Scale, Mechanism & Data Considerations
conditions. group input and feedback
into the work Draft/Sample Innovation Rubric
• Demonstrate originality
and inventiveness in work Sample Student Accumulative Data Skill Sheet
and understand the real
Sample Individual Student Data Skill Sheet
world limits to adopting
new ideas
• View failure as an
opportunity to learn;
understand that creativity
and innovation is a long-
term, cyclical process of
small successes and
frequent mistakes

5. Possible Indicators
Skill Of Attainment
Assessment Considerations & Data
• Identify and ask significant Process Evidence Product Evidence
questions that clarify
various points of view and Journals, video blogs and other work produced Final product that is designed to illustrate
lead to better solutions during formative stages stages of the work in progress, offering the
• Analyze how parts of a student room to indicate where they made
whole interact with each changes in response to feedback
other to produce overall
outcomes in complex Conflict/Flexibility Evidence
5. Effectively systems
apply the • Effectively analyze and
analysis, evaluate evidence, All Skills Link
synthesis, and arguments, claims and
evaluative beliefs
processes that • Synthesize and make
enable connections between
productive information and arguments
problem solving. • Interpret information and
draw conclusions based on
the best analysis
• Reflect critically on learning Scale, Mechanism & Data Considerations
experiences and problem
solving processes Draft/Sample Analysis and Synthesis Rubric
• Solve different kinds of non-
familiar problems in both Sample Student Accumulative Data Skill Sheet
conventional and innovative
ways Sample Individual Student Data Skill Sheet

6. Possible Indicators
Skill Of Attainment
Assessment Considerations & Data
Process Evidence Product Evidence
• Act responsibly with the Self-reporting is perhaps the most convincing; Product evidence needs to be clear not to
interests of the larger we have managed to capture this in reflection leave anything to the viewer’s assumptions;
community in mind videos in which we ask students to reflect on that is, it is not easy to infer that a group of
• Shows respect for all the process that they went through (or are students worked in a responsible and
6. Value and members of the community currently engaged in) culturally sensitive manner simply by
• Is responsible for one’s looking at a paper that they co-wrote and
demonstrate
behavior and its effect on seeing a picture of the students that indicates
personal
the community All Skills Link that they are of different ethnic origins
responsibility,
• Demonstrates empathy for
character, cultural
others
understanding, and
• Embraces and respects all
ethical behavior. identities and cultures Scale, Mechanism & Data Considerations
• Acts consistently with
personal and community Draft/Sample Personal Responsibility Reflection Framework
values
Sample Student Accumulative Data Skill Sheet
Sample Individual Student Data Skill Sheet
* ISTE/NETS - © 2007 International Society for Technology in Education. ISTE® is a registered trademark of the International Society for Technology in Education. National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•S)
and Performance Indicators for Students.
*enGauge 21st Century Skills - Copyright © 2003 by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory and the Metiri Group. All rights reserved. This work was produced in whole or in part with funds from the Institute of
Education Sciences (IES), U.S. Department of Education, under contract number ED-01-CO-0011.
*Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 177 N. Church Avenue, Suite 305 Tucson, AZ 85701 520-623-2466 - www.21stcenturyskills.org – The Center for 21st Century Skills @ EDUCATION CONNECTION www.skills21.org
*Consensus Alignment by Jonathan Costa & Dan Cogen-Drew, Center for Digital Learning & Center for 21st Century Skills respectively @ EDUCATION CONNECTION.