The document summarizes 17 key findings from research on 21st century skills and ICT usage in Nordic education systems. Some of the main findings are: 1) There is no single agreed upon definition of 21st century skills. 2) 21st century skills are integrated across subjects rather than taught as separate subjects. 3) ICT skills are also integrated across subjects and there are typically no formal exams that assess students' ICT competence except in some countries. 4) Autonomy is emphasized in decentralized Nordic education systems, with teachers responsible for choosing methods to develop students' skills.

1. Ole Sejer Iversen & Mikkel Ask Rasmussen, Aarhus University, January 2016
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17 key findings from the desk research, questionnaire, best cases,
expert interviews and qualitative studies* conducted as part of the
Nordic@Bett survey:
21st
Century Skills
1. There does not seem to be one, clear agreed upon definition of 21st Century skills. ‘21st
Century skills’ is an ambiguous term.
2. The term ‘21st Century skills’ is not used in the regulations and guidelines in the Nordic
countries.
3. In the Nordic countries, 21st Century skills (or skills like real world problem solving
and ICT usage) are integrated in a cross-curricular way. They are not subjects on their
own.
4. Targets for students’ 21st Century skills are set and defined as part of the goals for each
subject in all Nordic countries.
5. There is no formal, organized exam or assessment focused on assessing the students’
skills and competences in real world problem solving or any other of the 21st Century
skills. An exception might be Denmark (projektopgave 9th grade) and Norway
(National ICT test of ICT and Digital Skills 4th&8th grade).
The Nordic countries
6. All Nordic education systems are decentralized. Responsibilities are shared between
state, municipalities, schools and teachers. Autonomy is emphasized.
7. All curricula are goal-oriented. The goals define what the student should learn.
8. All curricula define: Overall purpose and goals, subjects, min. lesson hours pr. subject
and learning goals for each subject.
9. Defining content, choosing teaching methods and facilitating educational activities
through which children develop 21st Century skills are the teacher’s responsibility.
10. There is no general assessment framework for teachers’ ICT competences. An
exception might be found in Norway (‘lærermentor’).

2. Ole Sejer Iversen & Mikkel Ask Rasmussen, Aarhus University, January 2016
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ICT usage
11. In the Nordic countries, ICT is integrated in a cross-curricular way. ICT is not a subject
of it’s own.
12. Targets for students ICT competences are set and defined as part of the goals for each
subject in the Nordic countries.
13. Students’ ICT competences are developed in the context of the subject on the schedule
14. There is no formal, general exam or assessment focused on the assessment of students’
ICT competence or digital skills. An exception might be found in Norway, where
national (voluntary) tests are in place for 4th and 8th grade.
15. Students’ ICT competences or skills are assessed as part of the subject based
assessment locally and by the teachers.
16. There does not seem to be one, clear agreed upon definition of ICT although the term
‘ICT’ is integrated in national curricula.
17. Impediments for using ICT for complex real-world problem solving in a teacher
perspective are: Lack of authority, lack of control, lack of knowledge in relation to ICT
and creative processes.
*) Qualitative studies conducted as part of the fablab@school.dk research program in Denmark, 2014-2015.