The 21st Century Survival Skills

Wagner's list of 21st century survival skills is being used widely in education to redesign and reframe curriculum at both the secondary and university level. Wagner asserts that these seven sets of skills are critical for students to gain today in preparation for their future work and citizenship. Here is Wagner's essential list:

1. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

In a society where adaptability to new situations and where there is a need to continually upgrade products, processes and services, Wagner found that business executives told him that the ability to ask the right questions lies at the heart of critical thinking and problem solving. He asserts that in areas where markets quickly change, incremental improvement is no longer an option. Businesses need people who offer options that haven't been done before. In this way, critical thinking is closely aligned with creativity.

2. Collaboration and Leadership

Knowing how to influence for change through collaboration and the use of leadership skills will be critical as the 21st century unfolds. Teamwork will mean more than working with those in your department or building. Today's teams work together across time zones in the U.S. and throughout the world using Web casts, Wikis, Blogs, and virtual telecasts.

3. Agility and Adaptability

Many businesses today expect their employees to think, be flexible, ready to change and use a variety of skills and tools to solve unexpected problems. Wagner shares that Clay Parker at BOC Edwards points out that "I can guarantee the job I hire someone to do will change or may not exist in the future, so this is why adaptability and learning skills are more important than technical skills."

4. Initiative and Entrepreneurialism

Self-directed people who have an achievement focus and a drive for results are being sought out in business and government. The world is facing some very challenging problems and needs creative solutions. Taking initiative and leading teams of peers through influence to solutions that bring about successful change is a highly sought after skill set.

5. Effective Oral and Written Communication

Whether writing a report, sending an e-mail, giving a presentation in a business setting or taking part in the democratic process, effective communication is critical. Effective communication is key in everything we do, especially across cultures. Clear communication of one's thoughts in a concise way that brings focus, energy and passion will allow our students to be more successful in the workplace, society and in making a contribution to the world.

6. Accessing and Analyzing Information

With the advent of the internet, Google searches, and Wikipedia, we know that there is a tremendous amount of information available at the touch of a button. Businesses and effective governments need citizens who are able to process, analyze, and evaluate information effectively. Finding the important details in the information and using it to make informed decisions is critical to effective businesses and a democratic way of life.

7. Curiosity and Imagination

It's not enough in today's world to be smart and get good grades. Highly valued employees must also know how to come up with creative solutions and design products and services that are noticeably different than the competitions. This takes not only intelligence and disciplined thinking but curiosity and imagination as well. Wagner quotes author Daniel Pink from his book A Whole New Mind:

"For businesses it's no longer enough to create a product that's reasonably priced and adequately functional. It must also be beautiful, unique, and meaningful.... In an age of abundance, appealing only to rational, logical, and functional needs is woefully insufficient. Engineers must figure out how to get things to work. But, if those things are not also pleasing to the eye or compelling to the soul, few will buy them. There are too many other options."

How do we create curriculum around these essential skills for all the grade levels we serve?
What is the resistance in doing so?
What do we really believe when we hear, "we already do that"? Do we?
Do the think the traditional teacher-at-the-front-of-the-room teaching style is the best pedagogy for these outcomes? Why or why not?
What do we need to do, learn, adapt, foster in ourselves to create the learning environments and outcome that Wagner suggests?