New 21st Century Skills

Cooperative interaction between two or more individuals working together to solve problems, create novel products, or learn and master content

The ability to read and manage the emotions, motivations, and behaviors of oneself and others during social interactions or in a social-interactive context

Depth and currency of knowledge about legal and ethical issues related to technology, combined with one’s ability to apply this knowledge to achieve balance, integrity, and quality of life as a citizen, a family and community member, a learner, and a worker

The ability to manage technology and govern its use in a way that promotes public good and protects society, the environment, and democratic ideals

The generation of meaning through exchanges using a range of contemporary tools, transmissions, and processes

The ability to modify one’s thinking, attitude, or behavior to be better suited to current or future environments, as well as the ability to handle multiple goals, tasks, and inputs, while understanding and adhering to constraints of time, resources, and systems (e.g., organizational, technological)

The ability to set goals related to learning, plan for the achievement of those goals, independently manage time and effort, and independently assess the quality of learning and any products that result from the learning experience

The desire to know or a spark of interest that leads to inquiry

The act of bringing something into existence that is genuinely new and original, whether personally (original only to the individual) or culturally (where the work adds significantly to a domain of culture as recognized by experts)

The willingness to make mistakes, advocate unconventional or unpopular positions, or tackle extremely challenging problems without obvious solutions, such that one’s personal growth, integrity, or accomplishments are enhanced

Include the cognitive processes of analysis, comparison, inference/interpretation, evaluation, and synthesis applied to a range of academic domains and problem-solving contexts

Language proficiency (in English) and numeracy at levels necessary to function on the job and in society to achieve one’s goals, and develop one’s knowledge and potential in this Digital Age.

Knowledge and understanding of the scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision-making, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity

The ability to identify economic problems, alternatives, costs, and benefits; analyze the incentives at work in economic situations; examine the consequences of changes in economic conditions and public policies; collect and organize economic evidence; and weigh costs against benefits

Knowledge about what technology is, how it works, what purposes it can serve, and how it can be used efficiently and effectively to achieve specific goals

The ability to interpret, use, appreciate, and create images and video using both conventional and 21st century media in ways that advance thinking, decision-making, communication, and learning

The ability to evaluate information across a range of media; recognize when information is needed; locate, synthesize, and use information effectively; and accomplish these functions using technology, communication networks, and electronic resources

The ability to understand and appreciate the similarities and differences in the customs, values, and beliefs of one’s own culture and the cultures of others

The recognition and understanding of interrelationships among international organizations, nation-states, public and private economic entities, socio-cultural groups, and individuals across the globe

The ability to organize to efficiently achieve the goals of a specific project or problem

Effective use of these tools – the hardware, software, networking, and peripheral devices used by Information Technology (IT) workers to accomplish 21st century work – means using these tools to communicate, collaborate, solve problems, and accomplish tasks

Intellectual, informational, or material products that serve authentic purposes and occur as a result of students using real-world tools to solve or communicate about real-world problems. These products include persuasive communications in any media (print, video, the Web, verbal presentation), synthesis of resources into more useable forms (databases, graphics, simulations), or refinement of questions that build upon what is known to advance one’s own and others’ understanding