21 Century Skills

With technology advancing so fast, and having information right at our very fingertips the needs of learners are changing. Education has to adapt to the skills required of today's students with the goal to educate students how to use technology to support and enhance learning. 21st century learners require essential skills that transcend across all industries and are not job specific. These are skills that can can be applied from entry level positions to executive positions. Cotton (2001) states employability skills include basic skills such as communication, collaboration, problem solving, decision making, and affective skills and traits such as dependability, adaptability and responsibility. Essential skills also include a positive attitude, interpersonal skills such as cooperation and teamwork, self-discipline and the ability to work without or with minimal supervision (Cassidy, 2006). Most employers are seeking those with employability skills as a requirement rather than a desirable and value these skills over specific technical skills (Cotton, 2001).The primary aim of any graduate is to ultimately become employed. Cotton’s (2001) review identifies a need to implement specific educational practices to the development of employability. Research suggests there are multiple ways to successfully teach employable skills. These can include teacher characteristics, instructional methods, learning goals, student involvement and most importantly utilizing technology in the classroom to support and enhance learning (Cassidy, 2006).

Here is just one explainer video discussing how to use technology to enhance learning in the classroom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv02p3i2YP0

Amanda Cannon

References:
Cassidy, S. (2006). Developing employability skills: Peer assessment in higher education.
Education + Training, 48(7), 508-517. doi:10.1108/00400910610705890

Cotton, K. (2001), Developing Employability Skills, Northwest Regional Educational Research
Laboratory, Portland, OR, available at: www.nwrel.org/scpd/sirs/8/c015.html (accessed July
2006).

How can we use technology to enhance learning? (LEARNING FUTURES - NITA'S STORY)
[Video file]. (2014, October 4). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watchv=Bv02p3i2YP0