4 C's
The 4 C's for 21st-Century Learning are communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. They are part of the framework for 21st Century Learning and are designed to support student learning in today’s world and are skills students can use in college and career.
Collaboration
Collaboration is the ability to perform effectively with others. It is a practice whereby individuals work together for a common purpose to achieve a common benefit. Collaboration enables individuals to work together to achieve a defined and common purpose. It exists in two forms:
Synchronous, where everyone interacts in real-time, as in online meetings, through instant messaging or Google Meet
Asynchronous, where the interaction can be time-shifted, as when uploading documents or annotations to shared workspaces or making contributions to a Google Drive file.
Communication
Effective communication skills are fundamental to success in many aspects of life. Many jobs require effective communication skills.
Whether students are working individually or with partners, it is most effective when they experience a critical aspect of communication by sharing with an authentic audience where all voices should be heard and respected.
Critical Thinking
The link between critical thinking and education is obvious: one cannot learn well without thinking well. Teaching critical thinking and problem solving effectively in the classroom is vital for students. Learning critical thinking leads students to develop other skills, such as a higher level of concentration, deeper analytical abilities, and improved thought processing.
Today’s citizens must be active critical thinkers if they are to compare evidence, evaluate competing claims, and make sensible decisions. Today’s 21st-century families must sift through a vast array of information regarding financial, health, civic, and even leisure activities to formulate plausible plans of action. The solutions to international problems, such as global warming, require highly developed critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Creativity
Creativity is the act of turning new and imaginative ideas into reality. Creativity is characterized by the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find hidden patterns, to make connections between unrelated phenomena, and to generate solutions. Creativity involves two processes: thinking, then producing.