William Bickerdike,
Regional Manager,
South Asia, Cambridge
International Examinations
November 2012
Skills for the 21st century
21st century skills – what does it mean?
Literacy Numeracy
Citizenship
Teaching in the 21st century
A generation ago, teachers could expect
that what they taught would last their
students a lifetime. Today, because of
rapid economic and social change, schools
have to prepare students for jobs that have
not yet been created, technologies that
have not yet been invented and problems
that we don’t yet know will arise.
“
” Andreas Schleicher, OECD
Education Directorate
The Challenge of 21st century education
Memory tests frustrate
the educational process
Exams can support or
subvert development
Education systems
around the world have
more to do.
OECD proposed that students should be introduced to:
new ways of thinking: including creativity, critical
thinking, problem-solving and decision-making;
new ways of working: including new forms of
collaboration and communication;
using new tools for working: including the capacity
to harness the potential of new technologies.
Changing the Educational Paradigm adapted from Helping students to become better learners
Hargreaves Presentation in Delhi 2006.]
19th / 20th Century assumptions 21st Century assumptions
Intelligence is perceived as unitary,
fixed and innate
Intelligence is understood as multi
faceted, plastic and [to a certain
extent] learnable
Learning is the acquisition of
subject content. Students are
consumers of knowledge
Students as producers, not just
consumers of knowledge. Learning
focus on application of knowledge
Curriculum focuses on content
coverage and behavioural objectives
Curriculum focuses on processes of
learning to learn, metacognition and
skill development
Information and knowledge focus Information literacy. Learning to
handle information is the focus
19th / 20th Century assumptions 21st Century assumptions
Education is limited to the school
and for fixed periods
Education is lifelong and
unconstrained in time and place
Teaching and learning roles are
sharply defined and segregated.
School is a place with clear rigid
boundaries. School like a factory.
Roles are blurred and overlapping
School as a network and part of a
broader web
Schools and teachers are
autonomous
Schools and teachers are
embedded in complex
interconnected relationships
Local, national and international
focus
Local, national and global focus
Schools prepare for lifelong
employment in one future occupation
Students identities and destinies are
fluid and changing
Teaching and Assessing 21st century skills
Cambridge IGCSE® Enterprise
Trans-disciplinary course to help students
understand how enterprises succeed,
developing their knowledge and skills in
creativity, financial planning, team working
and problem-solving
Singapore Collaborative Project Work
Junior College students in Singapore
gain communication, collaboration and
presentation skills
Cambridge Global Perspectives
Cross curricular course including group
work, seminars, projects, and working with
other students around the world. Develops
students’ ability to think critically about a
range of global issues where there is always
more than one point of view
Cambridge Global Perspectives
Aims to prepare today’s learners for tomorrow
Based on skills rather than specific content
Develops a flexible set of skills valued by
universities and employers
Thinking and problem solving skills
Research and communication
Engages learners with global issues
Requires students to work collaboratively
Provides learners and schools with a wide
choice of study topics.
Cambridge IGCSE Enterprise
The first Cambridge IGCSE® to ask learners to set up and
run a new enterprise
Develops an understanding of the principles of running a
small business and what it takes to be an entrepreneur
Discusses contemporary enterprise issues in a range of local, national and global contexts
Learners investigate the world of work and entrepreneurial
organisations.
New technologies
Access to new technologies is paramount for 21st
century skills
Innovative teaching practices will flourish when
particular conditions are in place such as
1. teaching collaboration that focuses on peer support
2. professional development that involves the active
engagement of teachers
3. school culture that offers common vision of
innovation.
Virtual Learning Platform
Supports the development of
21st century skills
Brings teachers and learners together from around the world
provides media rich, interactive teaching and learning resources
interface with social media
focus on teacher professional development and role as reflective practitioner.
Developing a global awareness
21st century skills = the development of skills for local and global citizenship
Education has a vital role to play in promoting understanding and mutual respect
Young people need a greater global awareness and knowledge of other countries.
Cambridge IGCSE India Studies
India in today’s world:
achievements, challenges
and opportunities
Drawn up in consultation
with Indian teachers and
CBSE
A skills-based course
Designed for
international uptake.
Cambridge IGCSE India Studies: aims
Opens young minds to
the complexity of the
world and the diversity of
human experience
Contributes to the
preparation of confident
individuals and
responsible citizens of
the 21st century
Enables curriculum
flexibility.
Learn more!
Getting in touch with
Cambridge is easy
Email us at
or telephone
+44 (0) 1223 553554
www.cie.org.uk
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