The concept of the 21st century knowledge and skills is a term that is fast gaining a lot of currency among education reformers in the recent past. Generally, when education experts talk of the 21st century skills and knowledge, they are simply referring to the essential skills that children need in this age and era in order to succeed as citizens and even workers.
The 21st century skills have therefore been noted to include, but not limited to global awareness, civic literacy, team building, problem solving and critical thinking, technology, environmental literacy, health literacy, and a host of other skills that are not always taught in the traditional conventional educational curriculum.
Although it’s a very critical concept, recent research shows that it’s not necessarily understood, appreciated and by the public and the relevant educational bodies. It’s important that this concept is understood and communicated to these other players and public who seem not to support these important education policies. Some of the issues that have come in the way of the understanding and support of these 21st century skills include;
A narrow definition of the 21st century makes the public to think that its solely about computers in the class and not a complete set of important that are necessary for the demanding environment of the 21st century. The term 21st century leads the public to believe that the basics will be overlooked which leads to the discussion on what’s important and or valuable instead of concentrating on how the understanding of how the content skills can be taught and braided together.
These problems can therefore easily be overcome by a better framing of the discussion of the 21st century skills. The value of any future preparation can be infused with the notion that we need to update our ideas about what we will have to lean and also do in order to survive in the 21st century. This means that we have to pay attention to the kinds of skills that reformers are trying to highlight. These new skills must be therefore inculcated in our educations reforms agenda so that it can be workable in the future. The use of the terms’ basic plus’, would probably endear the public into understanding that its not that the basics are being thrown out of the window, they are just being enhanced for a more inclusive and informed society that is ready for the challenges of the 21st century and beyond\
Objectives
- Define environmental literacy
- Identify the objects that form his/her immediate environments
- Understand their obligation in the preservation of the environment
- Understand the causes of environmental degradation
Activities- taking short notes
- Reading
- Listening
- Touring the environment around them
Materials- computers and internet
- Reading newspapers, textbooks and magazines
Lesson development
Objectives
- Define health literacy
- Suggest the methods of improving their health
- Understand the negative effects of poor health habits
- Appreciate the importance of health information
Activities- taking short notes
- Reading
- Listening
- Answering questions
Materials- computers and internet
- Reading newspapers, textbooks and magazines
Lesson development
Objectives
- Define global awareness
- Understand the interaction between their country and the rest of the world
- Understand the importance of Global awareness
- Understand the factors leading to increased global awareness
Lesson development
