AN EXAMINATION OF 21st CENTURY SKILLS (TEXT TWO)

http://www.frankfuredi.com/index.php/news/article/371/ A 5-year programme...

http://users.accesscomm.ca/vendra/EDU%20530/21st.htm An examination of 21. C Skills

By: Dean Vendramin, University College of Cape Breton; Published: February 19, 2004

Level of difficulty: ***

Thanks are due to my friend and colleague Füsun Savcı for finding this brilliant text. Read the teacher’s notes for my suggestions concerning exploitation.

QUESTIONS

1.       It is implied in paragraph one that the four skill categories we need to develop in emerged as a result of …………………………………………….. Now explain what competence in these skill categories will make possible.

2.       It is implied in paragraph two that the 21^st century makes it mandatory that students have a different world view. What adjectives would best describe this world view? Use your own words.

3.       It is stated in the same paragraph that “the ability to decipher imagery, access information and appreciate cultural formations are now in demand”. How can the modern youth develop these skills?

4.       What do you think the word “hone” towards the end of the same paragraph means?

5.       In paragraph three, it is stated that the 21^st century mantra is thinking outside the box. Describe in your own words what kind of a system would produce the opposite.

6.       Why exactly have communication skills become vital in the 21^st century?

7.       What are the current standards of productivity?

8.       What change in current educational practice does the writer deem necessary in this regard?

9.       Read the last paragraph and decide which of the statements below best summarizes the writer’s views:

a.       The writer suggests revolutionizing educational practices.

b.      The writer states that past skills should be complemented with digital age skills.

c.       The writer states that past skills are, when all is said and done, still the best fundamental framework of education

WRITING TASK

Your teacher will talk you through the multiple text writing task.

KEY AND TEACHER’S NOTES

This brilliant text should be examined in tandem with “What We (Really) Need to Know” ( also posted on this blog) as they cover the same issues and complement each other so very perfectly. There are two possible courses of action: either both texts and their respective tasks could be handled the traditional way or students could be divided into pairs to write questions for the texts. One pair could have one text, and the other could have the second one. After they have written questions, they could switch and answer each other’s questions and switch back to check answers. The teacher should then distribute a third short text: “A Five Point Programme for Policy on Education: How Do Policy Makers, Parents and Teachers Fit In?” by Professor Frank Furedi . Last of all, students can write an essay using all three texts; a seriously difficult feet.  One other point: this short text (An Examination of 21^st Century Skills) is perfect in terms of organization, transition, structure and planning; in fact, it is one of the best I have had the pleasure of reading in a very long time. This being the case, time should be allocated to studying the text as a piece of writing.

1.       Recent technology/ Meeting the challenges of today’s digital world.

2.       Broad world view

3.       By combining basic literacy with new areas of literacy such as visual, informational, cultural and global awareness.

4.       To perfect

5.       An authoritarian one

6.       We live in an information age with high standards on productivity and in order to be successful, one must be able to access and share information effectively and responsibly.

7.       Persuasive communications…

8.       Reexamining evaluation techniques or rethinking the current practice of standardized testing. (Student’s own answer)

9.       b