#14 21st Century Skills: Why They Matter, What They Are, and How We Get There

    The article describes how the world around us is changing. Technology has advanced in so many different ways and is taking over manual labor and routine task. The authors proclaims that without learning the 21st century skills people will not succeed. Schools have not switched over to this change yet and students are not getting the proper education to make it in the real world. These 21st century skills consist of critical thinking and problem solving and these skills power out economy. Other countries are figuring out the 21st century skills and are catching up on our dominance in technology. The Partnership for 21st Century Learning has developed frameworks for a new educational system that will teach students to compete and use appropriate skills. These frameworks focus on the outcomes. The article states that students will be prepared in the skills to think, learn, work, solve problems, communicate, collaborate, contribute throughout their lives. Also students are going to be expected to learn these new skills: creativity and innovation, flexibility and adaptability, and leadership and cross cultural skills. Students will be expected to do more in school and almost learn on their own. Some states have instilled the 21st century skills into their educational systems while others are still waiting.
     I think the article holds a lot of truth! Technology and the way things are being run in our world today are changing and education needs to change also. Students need to learn the new 21st century skills in order to do well in the work field. Systems aren't as plain and simple as they used to be. Now students are having to do a lot of thinking themselves. Not only do students need to be aware of these skills, but the teachers who are teaching students of the 21st century need to know exactly what those skills are and be knowledgeable of how to teach them to their students. As much as we want the government, economy, and education systems to stay the same, they just aren't going to. New things will be invented and more people will be coming up with ideas to better run these systems. It is up to the educational professionals, states, school staff, and teachers to stay on top of these changes and new skills in order to keep the American education system caught up with the rest of the world so that students will not be behind or confused when they get into the real world.