“New Century” Skills for “New Century” Students
The changing global landscape and the elevated modes of communication and exchange across markets, cultures, and nations require leaders, workers, and citizens who are fluent with respect to multiple languages and cultures, are able to process data and transactions at a faster pace, can apply textbook knowledge to real life situations, can communicate their thoughts verbally and in writing, and can think coherently about multidimensional effects of unique sets of information and knowledge. Critical thinking and analytical skills have become more important as organizations, companies, and governments operate beyond their traditional boundaries. Our contemporary times call for elementary and secondary schooling that prepares the upcoming generation to apply classroom knowledge in ways that extend beyond memorization and recitation of data and lists. The complexities and uncertainty of our integrated and globalized world landscape underscore the need for a comprehensive reevaluation of the skills and competencies deemed foundational for all K-12 education.
The traditional teaching and learning paradigm employs student exercises that tend to be more mechanical than analytical. Our nation’s students are not being encouraged to think beyond what’s in front of them in textbooks or what’s fed to them instructionally. In many cases, answers to homework assignments are largely attainable by means that require minimal amounts of inquiry and effort. The goal is not to apply inordinate amounts of academic pressure upon our children, but to expose their creativity and intelligence in ways that respond to our new world existence. While we want to be careful about how fast or hard we push our young people in classrooms, we certainly want to be sure that we are stimulating their intellects and motivating them to create and define in “new century” ways. Individual schools as well as education policymakers will have to determine what identifiable skills they deem important for success in this “new century” paradigm and how to adapt curriculums and teaching methods to produce students who can become proficient and excellent in using the skills. The challenges and opportunities of this century cannot be addressed without making sure that
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