Republic of the Philippines

President Ramon Magsaysay State University

Masinloc Campus

Name : Rosemarie Ann Silvano

Instructor : Mr. Armando E. Eclarinal Jr.

Module 2 : 21st CENTURY SKILL CATEGORIES

LEARNING OUTCOMES

[Link] the categories of 21st Century skills.

[Link] the 21st in preparing, planning and delivering a lesson.

[Link] ways on how to enhance the 21st century skills of learning.

[Link] how 21st century skills be integrated in the teaching-learning process.

[Link] implications of 21st Century skills to educators and to pre-service teacher preparation.

[Link] relevant life lessons and significant values from the personal experience in attaining
21st century skills.

[Link] research abstract on 21st century skills and its implications on the teaching learning
process.

[Link] a curriculum plan matrix imbued with 21st century learning outcomes.

INTERACTIVE PRESENTATION

Group Mapping Activity : This is a strategy where members of the class present their prior
knowledge on the topic 21st Century skill categories through group drawing /illustration.

Procedure

[Link] the students into 4 or 5 depending on the class size.

[Link] each group topic on 21st Century skill categories to brainstorm about.
[Link] group will synthesize their consolidated ideas and present in a form of illustration or
drawing in a cartolina or manila paper using medium of their choice.

[Link] group will be given a chance to present the synthesis in class.

[Link] class will find time for a brief reflection of the activity.

Topics to be assigned to the groups :

[Link] and Career Skills

[Link], Media and Technology Skills

[Link] and innovation skills

[Link] and Cross-cultural Skills

[Link] and Productivity

CONCEPT EXPLORATION

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 career and
workplaces. Thus, it can be applied in all academic subject area 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, 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, team
work, collaboration, cooperation, facility in using virtual workspaces ; (7) information and
communication technology (ICT) literacy, Media and internet literary, data interpretation and
analysis, computer programming ; civic, ethical, and social justice literary ; (9) economic and
financial literacy, entrepreneurialism; (10) global awareness, multicultural literacy,
humanitarianism; (11) scientific literacy and reasoning, the scientific method ; (12)
environmental and wellness literacy, ecosystem understanding ; and (13) health and wellness
literacy, including nutrition, diet, exercise, and public health and safety
([Link]

Framework for 21st Century

According to the partnership for the 21st Century Skills, this concept encompasses a wide array
of a body to be categorized. Moreover, this concept has been interconnected with applied
skills, interdisciplinary skills, transferable skills, transversal skills, no cognitive skills and soft
skills.

The 21st century skills concept is grounded on the belief that students must be educated in 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 as
collaboration, digital literacy, critical thinking and problem solving that schools need to teach
the students for them to thrive in today’s world.

The partnership for 21st Century skills presents 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.
[Link] Thinking and Problem solving. These may include effectively analyzing and evaluating
evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs ; and solving different kinds of non-familiar problems in
both conventional and innovative ways.

SKILL SUB-SKILL

[Link] together effectively in team.  Establish clear definitions and

agreementson the roles of partners in
the collaborative process.
 Keep communication open within
teams to carry out tasks.
 arefully identify obstacles and address
problems cooperatively.

2. Reason effectively  Use various type of reasoning

(inductive, deductive, etc.) as
appropriate to the situation.
 Use systems thinking.
 Analyze how parts of a whole interact
with each other to produce overall
outcomes in complex systems.

3. Make judgments and decisions  Effectively analyze and evaluate

evidence, arguments, claims, and
beliefs.
 Analyze and evaluate major alternative
points of view.
 Synthesize and make connections
between information and arguments.
 Reflect critically on learning
experiences and process.

4. Solve problems  Solve different kinds of non-familiar

problems in both conventional and
innovative.
 Identify and ask significant questions
that clarify various points of view and
lead to better solutions.
B. COMMUNICATION. This pertains to articulating thoughts and ideas effectively using
oral and written communication skills in a variety of forms and context.

SKILL SUB-SKILL

1. Communicate clearly  Articulate thoughts and ideas

effectively using oral and written and
nonverbal 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.
 Communicate effectively in diverse
environments (including multi-lingual)
 Use technology as a tool to 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
collaborative work, and value the
 individual contributions made by each
team member.

C. COLLABORATION. It entails demonstrating ability to work effectively and respectfully

with diverse teams.

SKILL SUB-SKILL

[Link] together effectively in team  Establish clear definitions and

agreements on the roles 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

techniques to create a new and worthwhile

SKILL SUB-SKILL

1. Think creatively  Use a wide range of idea creation

techniques, such as brainstorming
 Create new and worthwhile ideas
( both incremental and redical
concepts)
 Elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate
their own ideas in order to improve
and maximize creative efforts.

2. Work creatively with others  Develop, implement, and

communicate new ideas to others
effectively
 Be open and responsive to new and
diverse perspectives ;incorporate
 group input and feedback into the
work.
 Demonstrates originality and
inventiveness in work and understand
the real world limits to adopting new
ideas.
 View failure as an opportunity to
learn ; understand that creativity and
innovation is a long term, cyclical
process of small success and frequent
mistakes.

Implement innovations  Act on creative ideas to make a

tangible and useful contribution 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 individual contributions on an
unprecedented scale.

Therefore, to be effective in the 21st 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 and evaluating information critically and

competently and managing the flow of information from ba wide variety of sources.

SKILL SUB-SKILL

1. Access and evaluate information  Access information efficiently (time)

and effectively (source)
 Evaluate information critically and
competently

2. Use and manage information  Use information accurately and

 creatively for the issue or problem at
hand
 Manage the flow of information from a
wide variety of sources
 Apply a fundamental understanding of
the ethical/legal issues surrounding the
access and conventions.

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, characteristics and conventions.

SKILL SUB-SKILL

1. Analyze media  Understand both how

and why media
messages are
conducted, and for
what purposes.
 Examine how
individuals interpret
messages differently
how values and points
of view are included or
excluded, and how
media can be influence
beliefs and behaviors
 Apply fundamental
understanding of the
ethical/legal issues
surrounding the access
and use of media

2. Create media products  Understand and utilize

the most appropriate
media creation tools,
characteristics and
conventions
  Understand and
effectively utilize the
most appropriate
expressions and
interpretation in
diverse, multi-culural
environments

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

organize, evaluate, and communicate information.

SKILL SUB-SKILL

1. Apply technology effectively  Use technology as a tool to research,

organize, evaluate, and communicate
information
 Use technologies ( computers, PDA's
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 ethical /legal issues surrounding to
access and use of information
technologies.

D. Life and Career Skills. Today's life and work environment both require more than
thinking skills and Content Knowledge. Cultivating the ability to navigate the complex life
requires students 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 ; responsibility (AACTTA, 2010).

Flexibility and Adaptability

 SKILL SUB-SKILL

1. Adapt to change  Adapt to varied roles, job

responsibilities, schedules and
contexts.
 Work effectively in a ambiguity and
changing priorities.

2. Be flexible  Incorporate feedback effectively

 Deal positively with praise, setbacks
and criticism
 Understand, negotiate and balance
diverse views and beliefs to research
workable solutions, particularly in
multi-cultural environments.

INTIATIVE AND SELF-DIRECTION

SKILL SUB-SKILLS

1. Manage goals and time  Set goals, with tangible and intangible
success criteria
 Balance tactical (short-term) and
strategic (long-term) goals
 Utilize time and manage workload
efficiently

2. Work independently  Monitor, define, prioritize and

complete tasks without direct
oversight

3. Be self-directed learner  Go beyond basic mastery of skills

and/or curriculum to explore and
expand one's own learning and
opportunities to gain expertise.
 Demonstrate initiative to advance skill
levels towards a professional level.
 Demonstrate commitment to learning
as a lifelong process.
 Demonstrate integrity and ethical
 behavior in using influence and power.

4. Be responsible to others  Act responsibility with the interests of

the larger community in mind
 Consider others ideas and view points
 Look for others welfare and safety in all
circumstances
 Assist others in times of their downfalls
and setbacks.

SOCIAL AND CROSS-CULTURAL SKILLS

SKILL SUB-SKILL

1. Interact effectively with others  Know when it is appropriate to listen

and when to speak
 Conduct one's self in a respectable,
professional manner

2. Work effectively in diverse teams  Respect cultural differences and work

effectively with people from a range of
social and cultural backgrounds
 Respond open-mindedly to different
ideas and and values
 Leverage social and cultural differences
to create new ideas and increase both
innovation and quality of work.

PRODUCTIVITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

SKILL SUB-SKILL

1. Manage projects  Set and meet goals, even in the face

 obstacles and competing pressures
 Prioritize, plan and manage work to
achieve the intended result

2. Produce results  Demonstrate additional attributes

associated with producing the high
quality, including the abilities to:
 Work positively and ethnically
 Manage time and projects effectively
 Multi-task
 Participate actively, as well as be
reliable and punctual
 Present oneself professionally and with
proper etiquette
 Collaborate and cooperate effectively
with teams
 Respect and appreciate team diversity
 Be accountable for results

LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY

SKILL SUB-SKILL

1. Guide and lead others  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 selflessness
 Demonstrate integrity and ethical
behavior in using influence and power

2. Be responsible to others  Act responsibly with the interests of

the larger community in mind.

Integrating 21st Century Skills in Teaching-learning Process

The 21st Century supports systems. The following elements are the critical system
necessary to ensure student mastery of 21st Century skills: (1) 21st Century Standards ; (2)
assessments ; (3) curriculum and instruction ; (4) professional development ; and (5) learning
environments. These must be aligned to a support system that produces 21st Century
outcomes for today's students ( Partnership for 21st century Century Skills, 2008).

1. 21st Century Standards

1.1 Focus on 21st century skills, content knowledge and expertise.

1.2 Build understanding across and among core subjects, as well as 21st Century
interdisciplinary themes.

1.3 Emphasize deep understanding rather than shallow knowledge.

1.4 Engage students with the real-world data, tools and experts they will encounter in
college, on the job, and in life; students learn best when actively engaged in solving the
meaningful problems.

1.5 Allow for multiple measures and mastery.

2. Assessment of 21st Century skills

2.1 Supports a balance of assessments, including high quality standardized testing along with
effective formative and summative classroom assessments.

2.2 Emphasizes useful feedback on student performance that is embedded into everyday
learning.

2.3 Requires a balance of technology-enhanced, formative and summative that measure

student mastery of 21st Century skills.

2.4 Enables development of portions of student work that demonstrate mastery of 21st
Century skills to educators and prospective employers.

2.5 Enables a balanced portfolio of measures to assess the educational systems effectiveness
in reaching higher levels of student Competency in 21st century skills ( AACTE, 2010).

3. 21st Century Curriculum and Instruction

3.1 Teaches 21st Century skills discretely in the context of core subjects and 21st Century
interdisciplinary themes.
 3.2 Focuses on providing opportunities for applying 21st century skills across content areas
and for a Competency based approach to learning

3.3 Enables innovative learning that integrate the use of supportive technologies, inquiry and
problem- based approaches and higher-order thinking skills.

3. 4 Encourages the integration of community resources beyond school walls (AACTE, 2010)

4. The 21st Century Professional Development

4.1 Highlights ways teachers can seize opportunities for integrating 21st century skills, tools
and teaching strategies into their classroom practice and help them identify what activities
they can be replace/de-emphasize.

4.2 Balance direct instruction with project-oriented teaching methods.

4.3 Illustrates how a deeper understanding of subject matter can enhance problem solving,
critical thinking, and other 21 Century skills.

4.4 Enables 21st century professionals learning communities for teachers that model the
kinds of classroom learning that best promotes 21st Century skills to students.

4.5 Cultivates teachers ability to identify students particular learning styles, intelligences,
strengths and weaknesses.

4.6 Helps teachers to develop their abilities to use various strategies ( such as formative
assessments) to reach diverse students and create environments that support differentiated
teaching and learning.

4. 7 Supports the continuous evaluation of students 21st Century skills development.

4.8 Encourages knowledge sharing among communities of practitioners using face to face,
virtual and blended communications.

4.9 Uses a scalable and sustainable model of professional development (AACTE, 2010)

5. The 21st Century Learning Environments

5.1 Create learning practices, human support and physical environments that will support the
teaching and learning of 21st Century skills outcomes.

5.2 Support professional learning communities that enable educators to collaborate, share
best practices and integrate 21st Century skills into classroom practice.
 5.3 Enable students to learn in relevant, real world 21st century contexts ( e.g., through
project-based or other applied work).

5.4 Allow equitable access to quality learning tools, technologies and resources.

5.5 Provide 21st century architectural and interior designs for group, team and individual
learning.

5.6 Support expanded community and international involvement in learning, both face to
face and online (AACTE, 2010).

Implications to Educators

The advent of 21st Century skill enhancement among learners bring the following
implications to educators in :

1. Successfully complementing technologies to content and pedagogy and developing the

ability to creativily use technologies to meet specific learning needs.
2. Aligning instruction with standards, particularly those that embody 21st century
knowledge and.
3. Balancing direct instruction strategically with project oriented teaching methods.
4. Applying child and adolescent development knowledge to educator preparation and
education policy.
5. NiUsing a range of assessment strae to evaluate student performance and differentiate
instruction ( including but not limited to formative, portfolio-based, curriculum
embedded and summative).
6. Participating actively in learning communities, tapping the expertise within a school or
district through coaching, mentoring, knowledge sharing and team teaching.
7. Acting as mentor and peer coaches with fellow educators.
8. Using a range of strategies (such as formative assessments) to reach diverse students
and to create environments that support differentiate teaching and learning.
9. Pursuing continuous learning opportunities and embracing career-long learning as
professional ethics ( AACTE, 2010).
10. Establishing a conducive learning environment where learners can freely express
themselves and explore their potentials and capacities.
Implications to Pre-service Teacher Preparation
There is a need to understand the key elements of optimum curricula that help pre-
service teachers develop the dispositions, habits of mind and confidence to enable
students to develop 21st Century skills in a range of core academic subject areas.
 Since schools get rid of a on-site-fits-all system, therefore, pre-service teachers are
expected to play an active role in developing and organizing content and instruction
for their students.
AACTE (2010) asserts that a 21st Century approach to Curriculum is about more than
just adding an extra course or extra class time in the curriculum. Thus, pre-service
teachers benefit from the ability to fully explore and understand how to develop and
use curriculum for deep understanding and mastery of academic subjects knowledge
and 21st Century skills.
As a starting point, a teacher education program can be aligned with student and
teacher standards in ways that blend thinking and innovation skills, ICT literacy; and life
career skills in the context of all academic subjects and across interdisciplinary themes.
An effective 21st Century skills approach to Curriculum, in other words, is designed for
understanding ( McTighe and Wiggins, 2005 in AACTE, 2010). The program's curriculum
will be most beneficial to pre-service teachers if it is designed to produce deep
understanding and authentic application of 21st Century skills in all subject areas.
Instructional models. Instructional models are an important component of any
teacher preparation program. AACTE (2010) pointed out that the integration of
innovative and research-proven teaching strategies, modern learning technologies
and real-world resources and contexts are all imperative in:
1. Integrating " teach for understanding" principles. When pre-service
teachers can prepare and present lessons that can develop student's
essential concepts and skills with the integration of technologies, the latter
can be reciprocally demonstrate critical thinking and problem solving in class.
2. Creating rich practice teaching experiences. Strong practice teaching
experience allow pre-service teachers to connect theory and practice.
3. IICreating dynamic learning communities and peer mentoring networks.
Pre-service teachers benefit greatly from service-learning as part of their
experiential learning courses. It provides time to reflect on relevant
pedagogic strategies that enhance 21st Century skills in classroom practice.
4. Examining the role of content, Pedagogy and technologies in developing
higher order thinking sskills. The ability to teach for content mastery is a
challenging task for most pre-service teachers. Teaching for content mastery
(1) supports o range of high quality standardized testing along formative and
summative assessments ; (2) emphasizes useful feedback on student
performance ; (3) requires balanced technology-enhanced, formative and
summative assessments ; (4) enables development of student portfolios that
demonstrate mastery of 21st Century knowledge and skills ; (5) enables
balanced score card to assess the educational systems effectiveness.
Teacher preparation program can play a vital role in developing education leaders who
understands and can influence current trends in assessment-through : (1) research and
evaluation test for innovative approaches ; (2) 21st Century knowledge and skills
assessment strategies ; and (3) mastery of a whole range of student assessment method.

Learning environment. The learning environment within the teacher preparation program
is a key component of any systemic reform initiative. Determining the enabling structures,
policies and strategies that can best support 21st Century skills acquisition among pre-
service teachers is a step towards creating a kind of environment that will promote 21st
Century learning.

The following are initiatives in creating 21st Century teacher education learning
environment : (1) Establish a 21st Century vision for learning environments in the
program and the university ; (2) Ensure that the physical infrastructure supports 21st
Century knowledge and skills ; (3) Practice flexibility in time for project-based work and
competency-based assessment ; (4) Ensure technical infrastructure that sufficiently
supports learning ; and (5) Strengthen networking engagement in the learning
environment.

Partnerships. Partnerships are extraordinary important in the work transforming 21st

Century teacher preparation programs. Along the line, team work within the program
and the institution is operative for sustainability and development, The partnership
forged with community leaders, business industry, professional associations,
institutions, partners, other stakeholders and the community creates high impact
outcome.

The partnerships are created through strong collaboration towards enabling

innovation in the teachin and learning for the 21st Century.

Continuous improvement. Continuous improvement represents willingness to commit

to revisiting the process over time. For AACTE (2010), any implementation effort should
include continuous improvement steps, to wit :(1) Clearly identify measurable goals ; (2)
Track progress regularly against these goals ; (3) Communicate progress to all
stakeholders ; and (4) Engage all participants in refining and improving success over time
(AACTE, 2010)

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Describe the categories of 21st Century skills.

 2. How can the attainment of 21st Century skill contribute to the realization of
educational goals.
3. How can you prepare, plan and deliver a lesson with an end goal of a attaining the
21st Century Skills?
4. How can you integrate 21st Century skills in the teaching-learning process?
5. What activities can help learners enhance their 21st Century skills?

RESEARCH ANALYSIS AND IMPLICATION

Direction: Analyze the following research abstract and cite its implication to teaching-
learning. You may download the full paper of this research on the website given below.

Twenty-first century skills: A needs assessment of school-based agricultural education

teachers

Weeks (2019)

Preparing students to be Career-and-work ready is a concern of educators and schools

nationwide. Twenty-first century skills prepare students to enter the workforce or higher
education with the ability to think critically and creatively, collaborate with others, take the
initiative when approached with a task, and use technology to its fullest potential. If
students are not learning the skills needed for success, it is because educators and schools
are not teaching them. When students possess these skills, they are prepared to work in
teams, think critically and creatively about a problem, display leadership and social skills,
and communicate effectively with others. This research sought to identify school-based
agriculture education teachers perceived knowledge, importance, and ability to teach
these 21st Century skills in the classroom. Results showed that agriw teachers nationwide
find 21st century skills to be important, but they are less knowledgeable and able to teach
them. The research concluded that professional development is needed to increase
teachers knowledge of and ability to teach 21st Century skills. Professional development
will allow school-based agricultural education teachers to gain specific and applicable
strategies for implementation. With the application of 21st Century skills in the school-
based agricultural education classroom, students will become better prepared to enter the
workforce or higher education upon graduating high school.