Technology for 21st Century Learning: T21M2 Integration

One of the most extensive resources for teaching and assessment the 4 C's is the Skills for Today Research Series (2017) from the Partnership for 21st Century Learning and the Pearson Foundation. In each set, there are executive summaries for educators, employers and policymakers and the full paper.

Collaboration

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Lai, E. DiCerbo, K. & Foltz, P. (2017). Skills for Today: What We Know about Teaching and Assessing Collaboration. London: Pearson.

Critical Thinking

Ventura, M., Lai, E., & DiCerbo, K. (2017). Skills for Today: What We Know about Teaching and Assessing Critical Thinking. London: Pearson.

Communication

Metusalem, R, Belenky, D, & DiCerbo, K. (2017). Skills for Today: What We
Know about Teaching and Assessing Communication. London: Pearson.

Creativity

Lai, E, Yarbro, J, DiCerbo, K, & de Geest, E. (2018). Skills for Today: What We Know about Teaching and Assessing Creativity. London: Pearson.

Creative and Critical Thinking

"Like a farmer sowing seeds, someone creates conditions for children to grow as creative and critical thinkers. Creativity cannot be taught ‘directly’, but educational practice can provide the means, opportunities and a fertile environment for the creative mind to flourish." Kampylis and Berki use this agricultural analogy in the next document which closely links creativity and critical thinking.

Kampylis, P & and Berki, E. (2014). Nurturing Creative Thinking. Educational Practices Series - 25. Brussels: International Academy of Education. Retrieved from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0022/002276/227680e.pdf

2 comments:

Lyn HeranaAugust 11, 2025 at 2:45 PM
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Lyn HeranaAugust 11, 2025 at 2:56 PM
The video Can Creativity Be Taught? by Sir Ken Robinson argues that creativity cannot be directly taught like math or reading; rather, it can be fostered or inhibited depending on the environment. He emphasizes that everyone has creative potential, and the key is creating conditions in which that creativity can flourish. Robinson suggests that traditional education systems often suppress creativity by prioritizing conformity and standardized testing.
However, this perspective contrasts with findings shared by Rachael Rettner in an NBC article referencing research by Kyung Hee Kim, a creativity researcher at the College of William and Mary, Virginia. The study reveals a measurable decline in creativity among American children since the 1990s, including reduced originality, humor, and imagination. This suggests that while creativity might not be "taught" in a traditional sense, it is certainly shaped—and diminished—by the systems children grow up in (Rettner, 2011).

Rettner, R. (2011, Aug. 12). “Are Today's Youth Less Creative and Imaginative?” .Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna44121819#.WsVCxsi-nGI