Learning Material no.

21st Century Skills Categories

Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify the 21st century skills
2. Apply the 21st century skills in preparing, planning, and delivering a lesson.
3. Cite ways on how to enhance the 21 st century skills learners
4. Explain how 21st century skills be integrated in the teaching-learning process.
5. Cite implications of 21st century skills to educators and to pre-service teacher
preparation.
6. Draw relevant life lessons and significant values from the personal experience
in attaining 21st century skills.
7. Analyze research abstract on 21st century skills and its implications on the
teaching- learning process.
8. Craft a curriculum plan matrix imbued with 21 st learning outcomes.

Introduction:
21st Century skills refer to a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and
character traits that are deemed necessary in coping with today’s world and future
careers and workplaces. Thus, it can be applied in all academic subject areas and
educational settings throughout a student’s life.
The 21st Century Skills
The 21st Century skills may include the following: (1) critical thinking, problem
solving, reasoning, analysis, interpretation, synthesizing information; (2) research
skills and practices, interrogative questioning; (3) creativity, artistry, curiosity,
imagination, innovation, personal expression; (4) perseverance, self- direction,
planning, self-discipline, adaptability, initiative; (5) oral and written communication,
public speaking and presenting, listening; (6) leadership, teamwork, collaboration,
cooperation, facility in using virtual workspaces; (7) information and communication
technology (ICT) literacy, media and internet literacy, data interpretation and analysis,
computer programming; (8) civic, ethical, and social justice literacy; (9)
economic and financial literacy, entrepreneurialism; (10) global awareness,
multicultural literacy, humanitarianism; (11) scientific literacy and reasoning, the
scientific method; (12) environmental and conversation literacy, ecosystem
understanding; (13) health and wellness literacy, including nutrition, diet, exercise,
and public health and safety (http://thoughtfullearning.com/resources/what-are-21st-
century-skills)
Frameworks for 21st Century
According to the Partnership for 21st century Skills, this concept encompasses
a wide array of a body of knowledge and skills that have to be categorized. Moreover,
this concept has been interconnected with applied skills, cross-curricular skills, cross-
disciplinary skills, interdisciplinary skills, transferable skills, transversal skills, non-
cognitive skills and soft skills.
The 21st Century skills concept is grounded on the belief that students must be
educated is a more relevant, useful, in demand and universally applicable manner.
The idea simply lies in the fact that students need to be taught different skills and
reflect on the specific demands that will be placed upon them in a complex,
competitive, knowledge-based, information-age and technology-driven society.
Therefore, 21st century education addresses the whole child or the whole person (
AACTE, 2010).
Hence, the curriculum should be designed to be interdisciplinary, integrated and
project-based. Tony Wagner (2010), in his book “The Global Achievement Gap”,
advocated the seven survival skills, namely; (1) critical thinking and problem-solving;
(2) collaboration across networks and leading by influence; (3) agility and adaptability;
(4) initiative and entrepreneurialism; (5) effective oral and written communication; (6)
accessing and analyzing information; (7) curiosity and imagination.
The term “21st Century skills” refers to certain core competencies, such a
collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving that School need to
teach the students for them to thrive in today’s world.
The partnership for 21st century skills present the following sets of skills that are
categorized accordingly with different strands of expected outcomes.

Learning and Innovation Skills

These are the primary skills orchestrated in the 21st Century. They are attributes
that differentiate students who are prepared for a complex life and work environment
from those who are not. Therefore, there is a need to stress on creativity, critical
thinking, communication and collaboration in preparing learners for the future.
A. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. These may include effectively analyzing
and evaluating evidence, arguments, claims and belief; and solving different kinds
of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways.
Skills Sub-skills
1.Work together Establish clear definition and agreements on the roles of
effectively in team partners in the collaboration process
Keep communication open within teams to carry out tasks
Carefully identify obstacles and address problems
cooperatively
 Skills Sub-skills
Use various types of reasoning(inductive, deductive, etc.) as
a appreciate to the situation
2.Reason
Use systems thinking
Effectively
Analyze how parts of a whole interacts with each other to
produce overall outcomes in complex system
Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, argument, claims
and belief
Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view

3. Make judgements Synthesize and make connections between information and

and decisions arguments
Interpret in formation and draw conclusion based on the best
analysis
Reflect critically on learning experience and processes

Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both

conventional and innovative ways
4.Solve Problems
Identify and ask significant question that clarify various point
of view and lead to better solutions

B. Communication. This pertains to articulating thoughts and ideas effectively using

oral and written communications skills in a variety forms and contexts.

Skills Sub-skills
Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and
non- verbal communication skills in a variety of forms and
contexts
Listen effectively to decipher meaning, including knowledge
values, attitudes and intentions
Use communication for a range of purposes(e.g. to inform,
instruct, motivate and persuade)
Utilize multiple media and technologies, and judge their
effectiveness a priori, as well as assess their impact
1.Communicate Communicate effectively in diverse environments ( including
clearly multi-lingual)
Use technology as a tool research, organize, evaluate and
communicate information
Use digital technologies ( computers, PDAs, media players,
GPS, etc), communication\networking tools and social networks
appropriately to access
Exercise flexibility and willingness in making necessary
compromises to accomplish a common goal
Assume shared responsibility for collaborated work, and value
the individual contributions made by each team members
C. Collaboration. It entails demonstrating ability to work effectively and respectfully
with diverse teams.

Skills Sub-skills
1.Work together Establishments clear definition and agreements on the roles
in team of partners in the collaborative process
Keep communication open within teams to carry out tasks
Carefully identify obstacles and address problems
cooperatively

D. Creativity and Innovation. It denotes use of wide range of idea creation

technique to create new and worthwhile ideas.

Skills Sub-skills
Use a wide range of idea creation technique, such as
brainstorming
1.Think Create new and worthwhile ideas ( both incremental and radical
Creatively concepts)
Elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate their own ideas in order
to improve and maximize efforts
Develop, implement and communicate new ideas to others
effectively

Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives;

2.Work creatively incorporate group input and feedback into the work
with others Demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work and
understand the real world limits to adopting new ideas
View failure as an opportunity to learn; understand that creatively
and innovation is a long-term, cyclical process of small successes
and frequent mistakes
3.Implementary Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution
innovation to the field in which the innovation will occur

Information, Media and Technology skills

People in the 21st century live in a technology and media –saturated environment
marked by the following; (1) access to an abundance of information; (2) rapid changes
in technology tools; and (3) the ability to collaborate and make individuals contributions
on an unprecedented scale.
Therefore, to be effective in the 21 st century, everyone must be able to exhibit a
range of functional and critical thinking skills related to information, media and
technology (AACTE, 2010).
A. Information Literacy. It refers to accessing, evaluating information critically
and competently, and managing the flow of information from a wide variety of
sources.
 Skills Sub-skills
1.Access and Access information efficiently (time) and effectively ( sources)
evaluate information Evaluate information critically and competently
2.Use and manage Use information accurately and creatively for the issue or
information problem at hand
Manage the flow of information from a wide variety of sources
Apply a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal

B. Media Literacy. It underscores understanding both how and why media

messages are constructed; creating media products by understanding and
utilizing the most appropriate media creation tools, characteristic and
conventions.
Skills Sub-skills
1.Analyze Understand both how and why media messages are constructed
media and for what purposes
Examine how individuals interpret messages differently, how
values and points of view are included or excluded, and how media
can influence belief and behaviors
Apply a Fundamental understand of the ethical/legal issue
surrounding the access and use of media
2.Create media Understand and utilize the most appropriate media creation tools
products characteristic and conventions
Understand and effectively utilize the most appropriate
expressions and interpretations in diverse, multi-cultural
environments

C. Technology Literacy. It pertains to the use of technology as tools to research,

organize, evaluate and communicate information.
Skills Sub-skills
1.Apply Use technology as a tools to research, organize, evaluate and
technology communicate information
effectively Use digital technologies (computers, PDAs, media players, GPS,
etc), communication/networking tools and social networks
appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate and create
information to successfully function in a knowledge economy

Apply a fundamental understanding of the ethic/legal issues

surrounding the access and use of information technologies

D. Life and Career Skills. Today’s life work environments both require more than
thinking skills and content knowledge. Cultivating the ability to navigate the
complex life require student to develop the following life and career skills; (1)
flexibility and adaptability;(2) initiative and self-direction; (3) social and cross-
cultural skills;(4) productivity and accountability; and (5) leadership and
responsibility (AACTA, 2010)
 Skills Sub-skills
3.Be self- Go beyond basic mastery of skills and/or curriculum to explore and
directed expand one’s own learning and opportunities to gain expertise
learner Demonstrate initiative to advance skill levels towards professional
level
Demonstrate commitment to learning as a lifelong process
Demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior in using influence and
power

Flexibility and Adaptability

Skills Sub-skills
Adapt to varied roles, job responsibilities, schedules, and contexts
1.Adapt to change
Work effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities
Incorporate feedback effectively
Deal positively with praise, setbacks, and criticism
2.Be flexible Understand, negative and balance diverse view and belief to
reach workable solutions, particularly in multi-cultural
environment

Initiative and Self-direction

Skills Sub-skills
1.Manage Set goals with tangible and intangible success criteria
goals and time Balance tactical (short-term) and strategic (long-term) goals
Utilize time and manage workload efficiently
2.Work Monitor, define, prioritize and complete tasks without direct
independently oversight

Social and Cross- Cultural Skills

Skill Sub-skills
Know when it is appropriate to listen and when to
speak
1. Interact effectively with others
Conduct one’s self in a respectable, professional
manner.
Respect cultural differences and work effectively
with people from a range of social and cultural
backgrounds
2. Work effectively
Leverage social and cultural differences to create
new ideas and increase both innovation and
quality of work.
st
(Partnership for 21 Century Skills, 2006)
Productivity and Accountability
Skill
1. Manage Projects
2. Produce results
st
(Partnership for 21 Century Skills, 2008)
Leadership and Responsibility
Skill
1. Guide and lead others
2. Be responsible to others
st
(Partnership for 21 Century Skills, 2008)
Sub-skills
Set and meet goals in the face of obstacles and
competing pressures
Prioritize, plan and manage work to achieve the
intended result
Demonstrate additional attributes associated with
producing high quality products, including the
abilities to:
 Work positively and ethically
 Manage time and projects effectively
 Multi-task
 Participate actively, as well as be reliable
and punctual
 Present oneself professionally and with
teams
 Collaborate and cooperate effectively with
teams
 Respect and appreciate team diversity
 Be accountable for results
Sub-skills
Use interpersonal and problem-solving skills to
influence and guide others toward a goal
Leverage strengths of others to accomplish a
common goal
Inspire others to reach their very best via
example and self-lessness
Demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior in
using influence and power
Act responsibly with the interest of the larger
community in mind.