It was a week long in-person summer professional development workshop held by CSforMA, a Massachusetts Computer Science institute offering "train-the-trainer courses in emerging technologies," where I learned about the 4 Cs to 21st Century Skills. I had  previously been following Rita King, the executive vice president of Science House and senior fellow at a NASA think tank, and was inspired by an interview in which she spoke of an age of imagination being this major economic shift, and how our education system is failing to prepare students for this shift.

King spoke of a transition from an age of information--which uses industrial manufacturing and technology to facilitate an information economy--to an age of imagination that's already underway. And the skills needed most to thrive in this age of imagination? Creative problem-solving, resilience, the ability to improvise, risk-taking, pursuing curiosity, and I would say the two most important skills: effective communication and collaboration.

So this became my vision for a library and media program, and where this age of information intersects with this age of imagination students must:

1. Develop a love for literature which:

   • Builds self-awareness, respect for oneself

   • Builds social and cultural awareness, respect for others

   • Develops a foundation of knowledge

   • Exposes problems

   • Exposes how solutions are formed including ideas for improvisation

   • Inspires the imagination

2. Explore and stay persistent in their quest for knowledge, embracing and encouraging their curiosity through sustained inquiry.

Research is not linear. It bounces around from idea to idea, from question to question, from answer to, well, more questions! Like the universe, it expands as new information is acquired, and, consequently, as new questions are formed. While all learning must be active, this continuous activity can be tiresome, even frustrating, when questions can't be answered, when information isn't organized, when resources on a subject are scarce or information is conflicting or inaccurate, and when there's no clear path for formulating one's own ideas. A guided inquiry approach to teaching and developing research skills and strategies enables students to explore and stay persistent in their own quest for knowledge, and embrace and encourage their own curious minds.

3. Responsibly and ethically engage with technology and the information that they find and use.

You know there was a time when we viewed technology as separate from us, as a tool, like say a hammer. But now it’s very much integrated within us. Technology has become a part of who we are, especially when it comes to expression. So where this age of information intersects with this age of imagination students must responsibly and ethically engage with technology and the information they find, use, create, and share.

4. Treat learning as a social responsibility where students learn from and teach each other as they work together to solve problems.

While individualism dominated the western educational approach to teaching and learning during the industrial age, as our global economy shifts, collectivism is the learning model for the here and now, and for the future. The portrait of a student who meets the standards set out in the Massachusetts English Language Arts and Literacy Framework actually exceeds the standards when they are able to communicate and collaborate with others. Learning is a social responsibility. In our classroom, everyone is a student, and everyone is a teacher.

So, where am I going with this? Well, during this week long workshop, a library and media specialist teacher at another school started to talk about the 4 Cs to 21st century skills with another participant. And there it was! Everything I had envisioned, but with a catchy title! So, what are the 4 Cs to 21st Century Skills?

Communication: Students need to be able to share their thoughts, questions, ideas, and solutions.

Collaboration: Students need to be able to work together to reach a goal while putting their talent, expertise, and knowledge in action.

Critical Thinking: Students need to be able to look at problems in new ways and link learning across subject areas. (And, I will add, students need to be able to think deeply about the quality and truthfulness of something.)

Creativity: Students need to be willing to try new approaches to get things done. This leads to innovation and invention. 

So, what guides my teaching practice? Developing in students the ability to communicate, collaborate, think critically, and be creative, in order for them to fully participate in today’s global community.

To learn more about Rita King's ideas, listen to the Business Model Sandbox Podcast: Rita J. King: Harnessing Your Imagination to Create a Better Future

To learn more about the 4 Cs to 21st century skills, check out this document provided by You for Youth in participation with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education: The 4Cs to 21st Century Skills