FAQ

=21st Century Learning Resources= =FAQ= P21 is a national organization that advocates for 21st century readiness for every student. As the United States continues to compete in a global economy that demands innovation, P21 and its members provide tools and resources to help the U.S. education system keep up by fusing the three Rs and four Cs (critical thinking and problem solving, communication, collaboration, and creativity and innovation). While leading districts and schools are already doing this, P21 advocates for local, state and federal policies that support this approach for every school.
 * What is the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21)?**

Read more about the framework we are using to build our program [|here.]
 * What are 21st Century Skills?**

Every child in America needs to be ready for today’s and tomorrow’s world. A profound gap exists between the knowledge and skills most students learn in school and the knowledge and skills they need for success in their communities and workplaces. To successfully face rigorous higher education coursework, career challenges and a globally competitive workforce, U.S. schools must align classroom environments with real world environments by fusing the three Rs and four Cs.
 * Why do students need 21st century skills?**

P21’s framework for learning in the 21st century is based on the essential skills that our children need to succeed as citizens and workers in the 21st century. We have identified six key elements of a 21st century education, which are described below. An overview of the framework and P21 can be downloaded [|here].
 * What is the Framework for Learning in the 21st Century?**
 * 1. Core Subjects.** The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, identifies the core subjects as English, reading or language arts; mathematics; science; foreign languages; civics; government; economics; arts; history; and geography.
 * 2.** **21st Century Content.** Several significant, emerging content areas are critical to success in communities and workplaces. These content areas typically are not emphasized in schools today:
 * Global awareness
 * Financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy
 * Civic literacy
 * Health and wellness awareness
 * Environmental literacy
 * 3.** **Learning and Thinking Skills.** As much as students need to learn academic content, they also need to know how to keep learning — and make effective and innovative use of what they know — throughout their lives. Learning and Thinking Skills are comprised of:
 * Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills
 * Communication Skills
 * Creativity and Innovation Skills
 * Collaboration Skills
 * Information and Media Literacy Skills
 * Contextual Learning Skills
 * 4. ICT Literacy.** Information and communications technology (ICT) literacy is the ability to use technology to develop 21st century content knowledge and skills in support of 21st century teaching and learning.
 * 5.** **Life Skills.** Good teachers have always incorporated life skills into their pedagogy. The challenge today is to incorporate these essential skills into schools deliberately, strategically and broadly. Life skills include:
 * Leadership
 * Ethics
 * Accountability
 * Adaptability
 * Personal Productivity
 * Personal Responsibility
 * People Skills
 * Self Direction
 * Social Responsibility
 * 6.** **21st Century Assessments.** Authentic 21st century assessments are the essential foundation of a 21st century education. Assessments must measure all five results that matter: core subjects; 21st century content; learning skills; ICT literacy; and life skills. To be effective, sustainable and affordable, assessments must use modern technologies to increase efficiency and timeliness. Standardized tests alone can measure only a few of the important skills and knowledge students should learn. A balance of assessments, including high-quality standardized testing, along with effective classroom assessments, offer students a powerful way to master the content and skills central to success.