The document discusses the skills and themes needed for 21st century education. It advocates for education that leverages new technologies, better pedagogies, and recognizes different types of learners. Core subjects are important but must be taught with 21st century interdisciplinary themes like global awareness, financial literacy, civic literacy, health literacy, and environmental literacy. 21st century skills include learning and innovation skills like creativity, problem solving, communication and collaboration. They also include information and technology skills and life/career skills like social skills, productivity, leadership, and responsibility. Support systems for developing these skills include standards, assessments, curriculum/instruction, and professional development.

1. Essential
21st Century Skills

2. 21st
Century Education
• revolves around the notion that schooling as we
have known it for the last 150 years is a 19th
century invention that must change to keep pace
with the demands of the new economy
• learning must leverage the affordances of new
technologies, employ better pedagogies based
on recent research on how people learn, and be
cognizant of the characteristics of a new breed
of learners

4. Core Subjects
• English, reading or language arts
• World languages
• Arts
• Mathematics
• Economics
• Science
• Geography
• History
• Government and Civics

5. Schools must move to include not only a
focus on mastery of core subjects, but also
promote understanding of academic
content at much higher levels by weaving
21st century interdisciplinary themes
into core subjects.

6. 21st
Century Themes
Global Awareness
• Using 21st century skills to understand and address
global issues
• Learning from and working collaboratively with
individuals representing diverse cultures, religions and
lifestyles in a spirit of mutual respect and open dialogue
in personal, work and community contexts
• Understanding other nations and cultures, including the
use of non-English languages

7. 21st
Century Themes
Financial, Economic, Business and
Entrepreneurial Literacy
• Knowing how to make appropriate personal economic
choices
• Understanding the role of the economy in society
• Using entrepreneurial skills to enhance workplace
productivity and career options

8. 21st
Century Themes
Civic Literacy
• Participating effectively in civic life through knowing how
to stay informed and understanding governmental
processes
• Exercising the rights and obligations of citizenship at
local, state, national and global levels
• Understanding the local and global implications of civic
decisions

9. 21st
Century Themes
Health Literacy
• Obtaining, interpreting and understanding basic health information
and services and using such information and services in ways that
enhance health
• Understanding preventive physical and mental health measures
• Using available information to make appropriate health-related
decisions
• Establishing and monitoring personal and family health goals
• Understanding national and international public health and safety
issues

10. 21st
Century Themes
Environmental Literacy
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the environment and
the circumstances and conditions affecting it, particularly as relates
to air, climate, land, food, energy, water and ecosystems
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of society’s impact on
the natural world (e.g., population growth, population development,
resource consumption rate, etc.)
• Investigate and analyze environmental issues, and make accurate
conclusions about effective solutions
• Take individual and collective action towards addressing
environmental challenges (e.g., participating in global actions,
designing solutions that inspire action on environmental issues)

11. 21ST
CENTURY SKILLS

12. Learning and Innovation Skills
Creativity and Innovation
- demonstrating
originality and
inventiveness in work
- being open and
responsive to new and
diverse perspectives

13. Learning and Innovation Skills
Critical Thinking and
Problem Solving
- exercising sound reasoning
in understanding
- framing, analyzing, and
synthesizing information in
order to solve problems and
answer questions

14. Learning and Innovation Skills
Communication and Collaboration
- articulating thoughts and ideas
clearly and effectively through
speaking and writing
- demonstrating ability to work
effectively with diverse teams

15. Information, Media and
Technology Skills
Information Literacy
- accessing info efficiently and
effectively, evaluating info critically
and competently and using info
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

16. Information, Media and
Technology Skills
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

17. Information, Media and
Technology Skills
ICT Literacy
- using digital technology,
communication tools and / or
networks appropriately
- possess a fundamental
understanding of the ethical /
legal issues surrounding the
access and use of information

18. Life and Career Skills
Flexibility and Adaptability
- adapting to varied
roles and
responsibilities
- working effectively in a
climate of ambiguity and
changing priorities

19. Life and Career Skills
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
- utilizing time efficiently and managing
workload
- demonstrating commitment to
learning as a lifelong process

20. Life and Career Skills
Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
- working appropriately and
productively with others
- bridging cultural differences
and using differing
perspectives to increase
innovation and the quality of
work

21. Life and Career Skills
Productivity and
Accountability
- setting and meeting high
standards and goals for
delivering quality work on
time
- demonstrating diligence
and a positive work ethic

22. Life and Career Skills
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

23. 21st
Century Support Systems
• 21st
Century Standards
• Assessment of 21st
Century Skills
• 21st
Century Curriculum and Instruction
• 21st
Century Professional Development