21st Century Skills – to over come the work life challenges of today

The nature of our economy has changed over the years and so has the skillset that is required in a professional. We must equip our kids to take on the work/life challenges of the 21st century and hence must provide them with skills that will take them ahead.

These skills of the 21st century are defined as 21st century skills.

Brainwiz is using the existing categorization of these skills, as defined by Partnership for 21st Century Learning to prepare the youth of today to take on the challenges of tomorrow.

Learning and Innovation Skills

Creativity	Think creatively	Use wide range of idea creation techniques Create new and worthwhile ideas Elaborate, refine, analyze and evaluate their own ideas
	Work creatively with others	Develop, implement and communicate new ideas to others Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives Understand the real world Limits to adopting new ideas View failure as an opportunity to learn
	Implement innovations	Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving	Reason effectively	Use various types of reasoning
	Use systems thinking	Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other
	Make judgements and decision	Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs Make connections between information and arguments Draw conclusions based on the best analysis Reflect critically on learning experiences
	Solve problems	Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions
Communication	Communicate clearly	Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively Listen effectively to decipher meaning Use communication for a range of purposes Communicate effectively in diverse environments
Communication	Collaborate with others	Work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams Flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal Value the individual contributions made by each team member

Information Media and Technology Literacy

Information Literacy	Access and evaluate information	Access information efficiently (time) and effectively (sources) Evaluate information critically and competently
Information Literacy	Use and manage information	Use information accurately and creatively for the issue or problem at hand Manage the flow of information from a wide variety of sources Ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information
Media Literacy	Analyse media	How and why media messages are constructed, and for what purposes How media can influence beliefs and behaviors
Media Literacy	Create media products	Utilize the most appropriate media creation tools, characteristics and conventions Utilize the most appropriate expressions and interpretations in diverse, multi-cultural environments

Life and Career Skills

Adaptability	Adapt to change	Adapt to varied roles, jobs responsibilities, schedules and contexts Work effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities
Adaptability	Be flexible	Incorporate feedback effectively Deal positively with praise, setbacks and criticism Understand, negotiate and balance diverse views and beliefs to reach workable solutions Limits to adopting new ideas View failure as an opportunity to learn
Initiative and Self Direction	Manage goals and time	Set goals with tangible and intangible success criteria Balance tactical (short-term) and strategic (long-term) goals Utilize time and manage workload efficiently
	Work independently	Monitor, define, prioritize and complete tasks without direct oversight
	Be self directed learners	Explore and expand one‘s own learning and opportunities to gain expertise Demonstrate initiative to advance skill levels towards a professional level Demonstrate commitment to learning as a lifelong process Reflect critically on past experiences in order to inform future progress
Social and Cross Cultural Skills	Interact effectively with others	Know when it is appropriate to listen and when to speak Conduct themselves in a respectable, professional manner
Social and Cross Cultural Skills	Work effectively in diverse teams	Respect cultural differences & work effectively with people from a range of social/cultural backgrounds Respond open-mindedly to different ideas and values Leverage social/cultural differences to create new ideas & increase both innovation & quality of work
Accountability	Manage projects	Set and meet goals Prioritize, plan and manage work to achieve the intended result
Accountability	Produce results	Work positively and ethically Manage time and projects effectively Multi-task Participate actively, as well as be reliable and punctual Be accountable for results
Leadership	Guide and lead others	Use interpersonal and problem-solving skills to influence and guide others toward a goal Leverage strengths of others to accomplish a common goal Inspire others to reach their very best Demonstrate integrity and ethical behavior in using influence and power
Leadership	Be responsible to others	Act responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind

21st Century Skill

Are our schools doing enough to prepare these kids to compete in a world that is still unknown to them?

Learning and Innovation Skills

Information Media and Technology Literacy

Life and Career Skills

Want to know our take on education for the 21 st century?
Give this a read!

21st Century Skill

Are our schools doing enough to prepare these kids to compete in a world that is still unknown to them?

Learning and Innovation Skills

Information Media and Technology Literacy

Life and Career Skills

Want to know our take on education for the 21 st century? Give this a read!

Want to know our take on education for the 21 st century?
Give this a read!