It's On: The "21st Century Skills" Debate

Education week just posted a major article on several scholars' challenges to the emerging "21st century skills" movement - a collaboration between professional teacher organizations and businesses that have created a framework for 21st century learning. 

Read it here

According to many scholars, the disagreement actually comes down to the old "skills vs content" debate that has been raging for years. However the 21st century skills folks have been quick to respond to these challenges - here is text from an email they sent to folks on their listserv:

"Education Week has covered a recent discussion between Ken Kay, Diane Ravitch, E.D. Hirsch and Daniel Willingham. The Partnership wants to be clear that we advocate for world class skills and world class knowledge. Our goal is to fully prepare citizens and workers for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. This means ensuring students receive rich content instruction and graduate with the skills necessary for post-secondary life. It appears our beliefs are echoed by Claus von Zastrow as he said in a blog post: "let's hope our more literal-minded commentators don't make the argument that skills are not transferable-period."

While the above coverage has seemed balanced and informative, some blog posts by discussion participants haven't been. Diane Ravitch, in her blog Bridging Differences, worries that:

"Is [the Partnership] an effort on the part of the technology companies to sell more high-tech hardware and software to schools? Is it an effort to throw a wrench into the effort to develop meaningful and reasonable academic standards by replacing them with vague and pleasing-sounding goals?"

The answer is clearly "no." Our goal is ensure every child in America has the 21st century knowledge and skills to succeed as effective citizens, workers and leaders in today's world."

WOW.