Game-Based Learning Programs to Enhance 21st Century Skills
Game based learning and 21st century skills in elementary school
Creating successful curriculums is harder today than in decades past due to the technological advances that has made the world a very small place, no matter where you live. The current and future needs of our workforce requires certain innate skills that students are just expected to graduate school having mastered them. These skills are collectively referred to as 21st Century Skills. These 21st century skills include technology use, collaboration skills, communication skills, critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities and global awareness. The need for these skills begin at the earliest levels of education. Many elementary school students lack the required 21st century skills required to succeed in high school, vocational programs, college, trade school and beyond.* Once upon a time, people summed up the main purpose of schooling as learning the "3Rs" of "Readin', Writin', and 'Rithmetic." But we have vastly greater expectations for today's students. In order to take their places in the workforce of the future, we need them to engage in a complex range of experiences and strategies that have been labelled as 21st Century Skills.
purpose
This resource could be used by teachers to choose specific game-based learning programs to use to help enhance students specific 21st century skills. To use this resource, please select on the appropriate page to access the different 21st century skills and the rationale behind why this resource was created. Each skill page has three game based learning resources. There is a a link to each program, a description of the purpose of the program, how it is best used in a classroom, the grades it is best suited for and a short video that highlights the program.