
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a mission to get students to master the skills necessary to be successful in the 21st Century. If you have not checked out the website, you should. The vision has skills necessary for students to be successful in the 21st century, but also the support systems that are necessary.
I was surprised to find that my state, New Jersey, is part of this initiative since I have not heard anything about it. From browsing the website I found that New Jersey is incorporating some 21st Century knowledge and skills into their revised standards and using these revised standards to then review their standardized state test to ensure that these tests are also supporting and promoting the proper skills.
One thing that I would like to see as part of the 21st Century Skills is some idea of when things are supposed to be stressed. I would think that most of the core skills and knowledge would be in the elementary school with just a sprinkling of the other skills (Life and Career Skills, Learning and Innovation Skills, and Information,Media, and Technology Skills) in grades K-5. Then in middle grades 6-8 it would be more of a balance between the core skills and the more 21st century skills. Lastly, high school would be focused on those 21st century skills under the assumption that most of the core skills have been learned and you're just building upon those.
I do think that even without the individual state initiatives, these skills are come to the forefront in education simply because of the way the working world has changed. There is so much more technology and therefore there's more technology in schools. Since there's more technology, people are working, problem-solving, and thinking critically on a more individual basis and therefore those skills need to be improved. So, whether or not a state is pushing these skills, it's hard to avoid them as a teacher in this day and age.
I agree that there should be some grade orientation to where the skills should be met by. It seems like some skills build upon others. This would also give teachers more guidance on what to focus on rather than attempting to meet them all.
ReplyDeleteI like your implementation idea. Elementary educators can begin to teach the rudimentary skills needed for the more complex skills of our older students. I agree that even if our state did not accept these ideas, our school districts need to develop a plan that incorporates the skills listed on the web site.
ReplyDeleteExcellent suggestion about when we should teach what skills. In high school we could focus on what business leaders are currently training their employees about. I like the fact that business is so involved with the 21st century efforts. I think this coul be even more effect if local business take on roles in their local schools.
ReplyDeleteI was equally surprised when I found out that my state, Ohio, had a program called 21st Century Readiness Initiatives and also had a revised standard that is due for implementation on June 30,2010.My point is that the state education boards should give this program more attention than they are doing now.Our education planners sholud design curricula that provide for the stressing of certain skills at different grades or levels.The curricula should also be flexible enough to make room for the introduction of new technologies as they emerge and become popular.
ReplyDeleteHi Emma-
ReplyDeleteDo you wonder why you did not know about New Jersey's involvment? Do you think it has to do with the state wanting to take ownership or just poor advertising? Do you think the state should be doing more than aligning their curriculum and testing requirements?
Is your school participating in any of the initiatives?
I have wondered why I do not know about New Jersey's involvement but I can assume its just poor advertising.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, my school is not participating in any of the initiatives. Someone said their school had a taskforce and we do not have anything like that so I was going to bring that up at our upcoming in-service day.