The 4 Cs of 21st Century Learning: Part Two
Last week’s blog post introduced the idea that students today need four critical skills to excel in the workplace—The 4 Cs of 21st Century Learning. The first two, discussed previously, are Critical Thinking and Communication. Read on to learn the final two Cs and ways to incorporate them into today’s classrooms.
Collaboration
What is it?
Collaboration entails working together with others in a team and communicating effectively to work towards a common goal. Collaboration requires diverse people to come together to come up with ideas and solutions; they learn from each other and the result is often something one individual could not have done alone.
Why should K-12 embrace it?
Collaboration is necessary today to obtain results, as most jobs require team effort and working collaboratively. Since collaboration is so important and prevalent in jobs today, students need to be learning these skills in the classroom. Group projects and class discussions will require communication and critical thinking skills as the whole comes together to be better than the one.
Apply it: 5 Strategies to Deepen Student Collaboration
Creativity
What is it?
Creativity and innovation are “key drivers in the global economy” and requirements for success today. Students should be able to think creatively, brainstorm and come up with worthwhile original ideas, and elaborate on and evaluate those ideas to improve them.
Why should K-12 embrace it?
Creativity can set one apart in a world. While students were taught to conform a century ago, today they need to be taught to express themselves and to be original in a more and more competitive world.
Apply it: 10 Ways to Teach Creativity in the Classroom
Teaching these four skills to students will prepare them for college, for full-time jobs, and even for their future families. The four Cs are skills employers look for when hiring, and they will help kids excel in more ways than one.
