21st Century Skills

The 21st Century Skills that educators and students alike should strive for:

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
Communication
Collaboration
Creativity
Innovation
Information Literacy
Media Literacy
Information, Communication, and Technology Literacy
Flexibility and Adaptability
Initiative and Self-direction
Social and Cross-cultural Skills
Productivity and Accountability
Leadership and Responsibility
Global Awareness
Financial, Economic, Business, and Entrepreneurial Literacy
Civic Literacy
Health Literacy
Environmental Literacy

The 21st Century Skills require a rethinking of the way we teach. In order to be prepared for the workforce and/or college, students need a different skills set than what most schools are currently providing. Society has evolved, and education is evolving with it. Throughout past year, the concept of digital learners has been a recurring theme in my classroom. Students not only learn differently than what we did, the professions that they will be in will require most, if not all, of the 21st Century Skills. Students need to be able to take tools/concepts that they learn and apply them to new situations. That's what we as educators need to do to challenge them - present them with situations where they are stretched. Failure is a result of Trying. Success is a result of Failing/Trying until you Succeed.

- John: excerpt from Personal Learning Networks and 21st Century Skills