News

New Nationwide Poll Reveals 21st Century Skills Are A Must

October 26th, 2009

A new nationwide poll of registered voters conducted by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills revealed 99% say teaching students a wide range of 21st century skills (including critical thinking and problem solving skills, computer and technology skills, and communication and self direction skills) is important to our country's future economic success.    This consensus cut across all socioeconomic classes, age groups, and political affiliations of respondents. Among those polled, 88% said schools should incorporate 21st century skills into their curriculum while 74% believe schools should place an equal emphasis on 21st century skills and basic skills.  Eighty percent believe that the skills students need to learn to be prepared for 21st century jobs is different from what they needed 20 years ago.   

According to the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, "It is rare in a poll of voters attitudes to discover an issue upon which virtually all Americans agree."  This poll revealed undivided support for incorporating 21st century skills into teaching and learning in the nations schools yet fails to identify the specific skills needed to bring about this change. Making this possible will require the transformation of classroom and district-wide practice, so that students learn to apply critical thinking skills in the context of all subjects and subject matter.    

Educational theorist, Dr. Derek Cabrera, describes the problem with 21st century skills, "While there is widespread support for these skills, implementation is lacking because there is no method that helps teachers to teach them explicitly in the classroom. Teachers today are left waiting for a miracle--that somehow, someway our children will learn the skills they need to meet the demands of the 21st century. We don't need a miracle, we need a method. The Patterns of Thinking Method provides teachers with practical insight into how to teach 21st century skills; ThinkBlocks enhances this method by giving teachers tangible tools to use."

The Patterns of Thinking Method is comprised of four elements (Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, Perspectives, DSRP) that are universal--they are used to think any thought on any topic and to construct mental models while developing deep understanding of content knowledge, make decisions, innovate, problem solve, and interact with others.

It is also unclear what exactly 2 1st century skills include. Dr. Cabrera explains, "The demands of the 21st Century point to the need for a kind of 'amphibious' thinker. Someone who is: as cognitive as they are emotionally capable, as analytical as they are creative, and as specialized as they are interdisciplinary. Specifically, the 21st Century requires proficiency in seven areas - content knowledge and six types of thinking skills:

  1. Deep and broad content knowledge in various subject areas 
  2. Critical Thinking: to analyze, deconstruct, and evaluate ideas,
  3. Creative Thinking: to construct new ideas and lines of thought,
  4. Systems Thinking: to understand complex patterns in context,
  5. Scientific Thinking: to observe, hypothesize, predict,and validate with evidence,
  6. Interdisciplinary Thinking: to unify, transfer, synthesize, and integrate, and
  7. Prosocial Thinking: to build team relationships through conflict resolution, negotiation, compassion, concern, and shared experience.

Cabrera writes, "The Patterns of Thinking Method (DSRP) is a single method for teaching deep content knowledge and all six of these thinking skills at the same time."

Detailed information about how to implement The Patterns of Thinking Method can be found the book Thinking At Every Desk. Thinking at Every Desk is the culmination of over two decades of research in educational theory and application.  The book provides a detailed method for teaching 21st century skills (both content knowledge and thinking skills).

Other resources:

  • Thinking at Every Desk can be found here.  
  • The 3R's article is available on-line.        
  • Blog post about interdisciplinary thinking: a 21st century skill   
  • Blog post about interdisciplinary thinking: a 21st century skill  
  • Another blog post on creative thinking: a 21st century skill