1. What is a 21st Century Learner?
Core Subjects and Themes
Plus
Life and Career skills, learning and innovation skills and Information, media, and technology skills

2. Future-Ready Graduates

3. The 21st century high school graduate is….
Science savvy
Financially literate
Technologically clever
Health focused
Multi-lingual
A proficient reader
A skilled mathematician
A consumer of media

4. And is…. A critical thinker Curious Creative A great communicator
Self-directed
A relationship builder
A strong team member
A knowledgeable global citizen

5. 21st century student outcomes
The partnership for 21st Century Skills developed a collective vision for what American high school graduates would need to be successful in this century.

6. The 21st Century Rainbow

7. The Foundation of the Rainbow
21st century skills are developed to enhance the Common Core curricula. At the base/foundation of the rainbow lay the State Standards and Assessments.
The Curriculum and Instruction are also the basis or foundation for learning 21st century skills. Thus, they are also lay at the base of the rainbow.
Professional Development is at the foundation to illustrate the importance to teachers’ continued growth and knowledge in their content area(s) and pedagogy.
The final base of the rainbow is the learning environment, emphasizing that without appropriate classroom ethos, learning is not maximized.

8. Now think about the rainbow itself….

9. Core Curriculum and 21st Century Themes
In North Carolina, that translates to the Common Core and the Essential Standards.
“Mastery or core subjects and 21st century themes is essential for students in the 21st century. Core subjects include English, reading or language arts, world languages, mathematics, economics, science, geography, history, government, and civics.” (

10. Beyond the core subjects are the 21st century themes…
Global Awareness
Financial, Economic, Business, and Entrepreneurial Literacy
Civic Literacy
Health Literacy
Environmental Literacy
Where is this on the rainbow? Why?

11. Look at the 21st century Themes
1. Global Awareness

12. 2. Financial, Economic, Business, and Entrepreneurial Literacy

13. 3. Civic Literacy

14. 4. Health Literacy

15. 5. Environmental Literacy

16. The Top of the Rainbow
The top of the rainbow consists of three themes:
Life and Career Skills
Learning and Innovation Skills
Information, Media, and Technology Skills

17. LEARNING AND INNOVATION SKILLS
“Learning and innovation skills increasingly are being recognized as those that separate students who are prepared for a more and more complex life and work environments in the 21st century, and those who are not. A focus on creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration is essential to prepare students for the future”. (page 3)

18. Learning and Innovation include that ability to ….
1. Think creatively
Work Creatively with others
Implement Innovations

19. 2. Think Critically Reason effectively Use Systems Thinking
Make Judgments and Decisions
Solve Problems

20. Learning and Innovation Skills also include the ability to…
3. Communicate
Communicate clearly
Collaborate with others

21. Information, Media, and Technology Skills
Where is this on the rainbow?
“People in the 21st century live in a technology and media-suffused environment, marked by various characteristics, including: 1) access to an abundance of information, 2) rapid changes in technology tools, and 3) the ability to collaborate and make individual
contributions on an unprecedented scale. To be effective in the 21st century, citizens and workers must be able to exhibit a range of functional and critical thinking skills related to information, media and technology.”
Page 5

22. Information, Media, and Technology Skills include..
Information Literacy
Media Literacy
Information, Communications, and Technology Literacy

23. The final section of the rainbow: Life and Career Skills
Today’s life and work environments require far more than thinking skills and content knowledge. The ability to navigate the complex life and work environments in the globally competitive information age requires students to pay rigorous attention to developing adequate life and career skills. Page 6.

24. Life and Career Skills focus on…
Flexibility and Adaptability:
Adapting to change
Being Flexible
Initiative and Self-Direction:
Managing Goals and Time
Working Independently
Being Self-Directed
Social and Cross-Cultural Skills
Interacting Effectively with others
Working Effectively with Diverse Populations

25. It also emphasizes .. Leadership and Responsibility
Guiding and Leading Others
Being Responsible to Others

26. The 21st Century Rainbow

27. Look at the Rainbow Explain the foundation.
Explain why the Core subjects are the basis for the rainbow.
Explain how you can apply Life and Career Skills, Learning and Innovation Skills, Information, Media and Technology Skills into the Core subjects and 21st century themes you teach.