Building 21 st Century Skills with ICTs

1. Building 21st Century Skills with ICTs What does it mean? GEORGE SCHARFFENBERGER 6 September 2006

2. Outline • The Nature of Work and Citizenship • Education Models – 20th and 21st Centuries • ICTs and 21st Century Skills • 21st Century Assessment • Conclusion and Recommendations

3. 21st Century 20th Century 1 – 2 Jobs 10 – 15 Jobs Number of Jobs: Mastery of One Field Flexibility And Adaptability Job Requirement: Subject Matter Mastery Integration of 21st Century Skills into Subject Matter Mastery Teaching Model: Subject Matter Mastery Integration of 21st Century Skills into Subject Matter Mastery Assessment Model: The Nature of Work is Changing

4. The Nature of Work is Changing • In the US, a young person will have an average of 10.2 different jobs during their careers • US corporations spend billions annually on “educating” their new employees • Globally, the world economy will produce 500 – 650 million formal sector jobs over the next decade for the 1.2 billion young people who will be looking for work

5. 20th Century Education Model

6. 21st Century Education Model

7. 21st Century Skills Framework Core Subjects - English • Reading or Language Arts • Mathematics • Science • Foreign Languages • Civics • Government • Economics • Arts • History • Geography

8. 21st Century Skills Framework Thinking and Learning Skills • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving Skills • Creativity & Innovation Skills • Communication Skills • Collaboration Skills • Contextual Learning • Information and Media Literacy

9. 21st Century Skills Framework • ICT Literacy • Information and communications technology (ICT) literacy is the ability to use technology but even more it is the ability to integrate the use of ICTs into more effective thinking and learning: • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving • Creativity & Innovation • Communication • Collaboration • Contextual Learning • Information and Media Literacy

10. 21st Century Skills Framework • Personal Skills • Ethics • Leadership • Accountability • Adaptability • Productivity • Personal Responsibility • People Skills • Self Direction • Social Responsibility

11. 21st Century Skills Framework 21st Century Content • Global Awareness • Financial, Economic, Business and Entrepreneurship Literacy • Civic Literacy • Health & Wellness Awareness

12. 21st Century Skills Framework • The “Design Specs” for 21st Century Education: • Core Subjects • Thinking & Learning Skills • ICT Literacy • Personal Skills • 21st Century Content

13. ICTs and 21st Century Skills • ICTs have tremendous potential to contribute to the development of 21st Century Skills. • Sadly, the focus is often limited to the development of a limited set of ICT skills • National organizations such as FIT-ED, global organizations such as World Links and UNESCO, and multi-national corporations such as Intel have been leaders in using technology to develop a broader range of skills. • Increased focus and more rigorous assessment are needed to enhance impact. • The challenge in resource-poor environments is to scale up such promising approaches.

14. 21st Century Assessment • Assessment standards and protocols for students, teacher and school performance significantly influence behaviors. • Assessment of success in developing 21st century skills begins with the development of a consensus on what that means in very concrete, behavioral terms • Global skill categories need to be refined based on the local economic and social context • Assessment practice should mirror the integrative nature of the 21st Century Skill Framework

15. Conclusion • Every student must be: • An analytic thinker • A problem solver • Innovative and creative • An effective communicator • An effective collaborator • Information and media literate • Globally aware • Civically engaged • Financially and economically literate

16. Recommendations • Collaborate with community organizations, businesses and higher education institutions to establish consensus on the 21st century skills needed in the nation and the community. • Create teacher training and teacher professional development strategies for 21st century skills and provide time for teachers and administrators to collaborate and participate in learning communities. • Integrate the measurement of 21st century skills into the full range of assessments, including high-stakes and classroom assessments.

17. Recommendations • Take ICT-supported project-based learning methodologies to scale. Use projects and student portfolios as methods of teaching and assessing 21st century skills. • Provide career awareness and internships that offer opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. • Consider identifying a 21st century skills teacher mentor in each district or province. • Collaborate with youth development programs on complementary strategies to support 21st century skills in both traditional school settings and out-of-school programs.

18. Building 21st Century Skills: What does it mean? Thank You

19. Contacts • George Scharffenberger (george@world-links.org) • World Links (www.world-links.org) • Partnership for 21st Century Skills (www.21stcenturyskills.org)