21st Century Skills

In addition to the framework that was distributed during our meeting that identifies the four core areas (employability skills, financial literacy, health literacy, and technology literacy), here are some of the other key ideas that were presented at the HS Summit in Des Moines:

"Business and industry are 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."

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

"The challenge is to prepare students to think critically, to engage in mental activity, or habit 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."

SO...

How do we meet these needs of our students in a manner that is both in the context of our discipline and relevant and beneficial to the worlds they live in?