21st century skills

 “21st Century Skills” is a term I hear ever so often. Go to any conference, so called educational workshop, session or meet anyone who knows an ounce about education and they go on and on about 21st century skills. I did a random google search and this is what Google threw up on the topic. 21st century skills encompass: - Critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, analysis, interpretation, synthesizing information. Research skills and practices, interrogative questioning. Creativity, artistry, curiosity, imagination, innovation, personal expression. Perseverance, self-direction, planning, self-discipline, adaptability, initiative. How different are these from what happened in the 20th century? It is no rocket science – Look at your parents & grandparents if they are still around or find out about them. You will be surprised. They were no country bumkins. They were no rudderless sailors on a choppy sea not knowing where they were headed to. They were focused, smart thinkers, solved problems that they were faced with, reasoned out, analysed, and interpreted with ease. They were curious, artistic, imaginative, and persevering. They were team players to the core. They were self-disciplined, adaptable and always took the initiative. They read, wrote and spoke with a fluency worthy of emulation Supposedly, these 21st-century skills are far more important to students now than ever before because, they not only provide a framework for successful learning in the classroom but ensure students can thrive in a world where change is constant and learning never stops. Seriously? These intrinsic skills have always been useful in the classroom and learning has never slowed down or stopped . Yes – Technology is truly a 21st century skill but we need to remember that Information cannot be equated with knowledge. As for most of the others – I would love a debate. No harm in thinking is there?