21st Century Skills Mapping Guidelines
Building upon the ACTFL goals for language learning (5c's), the 21st Century Skills Mapping allows for analyzing content and activities in more global and meaningful ways. Learning other languages and understanding the culture of the people who speak them is a 21st Century skill that is vital to success in the global environment in which our students will live and work. There are many challenges our students face in the workplace and in their communities where having a set of valuable skills has become more and more critical.
Instructors need to keep these skills in mind as they plan their courses and develop curriculum for their departments. And students need to see language learning as a vital role in their learning throughout their lifetime. They need to see language learning as more than just learning grammar and vocabulary, but as a way to become a global citizen and effective learners.
Communication: Students as effective communicators use languages to engage in meaningful conversation, to understand and interpret spoken language and written text, and to present information, concepts, and ideas.
Global perspectives.
Instructors need to keep these skills in mind as they plan their courses and develop curriculum for their departments. And students need to see language learning as a vital role in their learning throughout their lifetime. They need to see language learning as more than just learning grammar and vocabulary, but as a way to become a global citizen and effective learners.
- Each activity should be tagged with one of the categories as well as one of the category ranges. Keep in mind that an activity may have more than one category associated with it. This overlap is common, especially with open ended activities, projects, forum posts, etc..
- NOVICE RANGE
- INTERMEDIATE RANGE
- ADVANCED RANGE
- Example: An activity that asks students to discuss a cultural issue in the classroom, decide on some ways that the issue could be resolved may be tagged: Communicative Novice, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Novice
Communication: Students as effective communicators use languages to engage in meaningful conversation, to understand and interpret spoken language and written text, and to present information, concepts, and ideas.
- Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts.
- Use communication for a range of purposes (e.g. to inform, instruct, motivate, and persuade).
- Communicate effectively in diverse multi-lingual environments.
- Articulating thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively through speaking and writing
- Demonstrating the ability to work effectively with diverse teams
- Exercising flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal
- Assuming shared responsibility for collaborative work
- Exercising sound reasoning in understanding
- Making complex choices and decisions
- Understanding the interconnections among systems
- Identifying and asking significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions
- Framing, analyzing and synthesizing information in order to solve problems and answer questions
- Demonstrating originality and inventiveness in work
- Developing, implementing and communicating new ideas to others
- Being open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives
- Acting on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution to the domain in which the innovation occurs
- Accessing information efficiently and effectively, evaluating information critically and competently and using information accurately and creatively for the issue or problem at hand
- Possessing a fundamental understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information
- Understanding how media messages are constructed, for what purposes and using which tools, characteristics and conventions
- Examining how individuals interpret messages differently, how values and points of view are included or excluded and how media can influence beliefs and behaviors
- Using digital technology, communication tools and/or networks appropriately to access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information in order to function in a knowledge economy
- Using technology as a tool to research, organize, evaluate and communicate information, and understanding of the ethical/legal issues surrounding the access and use of information
Global perspectives.
- Adapting to varied roles and responsibilities
- Working effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities
- Monitoring one’s own understanding and learning needs
- Going beyond basic mastery of skills and/or curriculum to explore and expand one’s own learning and opportunities to gain expertise
- Demonstrating initiative to advance skill levels towards a professional level
- Defining, prioritizing and completing tasks without direct oversight
- Utilizing time efficiently and managing workload
- Demonstrating commitment to learning as a lifelong process
- Working appropriately and productively with others
- Leveraging the collective intelligence of groups when appropriate
- Bridging cultural differences and using differing perspectives to increase innovation and the quality of work
- Setting and meeting high standards and goals for delivering quality work on time
- Demonstrating diligence and a positive work ethic (e.g., being punctual and reliable)
- Using interpersonal and problem-solving skills to influence and guide others toward a goal.
- Leveraging strengths of others to accomplish a common goal
- Demonstrating integrity and ethical behavior
- Acting responsibly with the interests of the larger community in mind