Exploring the Intersection of Science Education and 21st Century Skills A Workshop Summary (2010) / Chapter Skim
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1 Introduction
1 Introduction
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For example, developing and presenting an argument based on empirical evidence, as well as posing appropriate questions about others' arguments, may develop complex communication skills and nonroutine problem-solving skills. The sponsors charged the Board on Science Education to: 1
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What might have to change in terms of learning experiences to achieve a reasonable level of skill transfer? The Board on Science Education convened an expert planning committee, chaired by Arthur Eisenkraft (University of Massachusetts, Boston)
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. provided evidence that these two skills and adaptability, self-management/ self-development, and systems thinking are important in the rapidly growing sector of "knowledge work." For example, electrical engineers in sales often work at client sites, where they must adapt to a new work culture and apply systems thinking and complex communication skills to gain understanding of client needs and identify systems solutions tailored to meet them (Darr, 2007)
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. These definitions were provided to the background paper authors as a starting point for their reviews of various aspects of science education, with the understanding that they could modify or reinterpret the definitions as appropriate in the context of science education.
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2. What is the state of research on children's and adolescents' developing ability to tackle complex tasks in the context of science education?
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He explained that the workshop builds on earlier activities sponsored by the National Institutes of Health Office of Science Education, including a planning meeting on education for 21st century skills in 20052 and the May 2007 Workshop on Research Evidence Related to Future Skill Demands (National Research Council, 2008a)
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And he asked what changes in science education might be required if 21st century skills were accepted as an important goal. Finally, he asked whether, if many young people developed these skills, this would advance the goals of science education, such as increasing scientific literacy among the public (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1993)
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, designed to encourage reflection and learning, in which K stands for what one knows, W for what one wants to know, and L for what one has learned. He asked participants to divide the first notebook page into three sections: "what I know, what I think I know, and what I would like to know about the intersection of 21st century skills and science education." After giving participants time to fill out these initial thoughts, Eisenkraft asked for volunteers to share what they had written.
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In terms of the kinds of skills needed, the respondents most frequently cited basic employability skills, including attendance, timeliness, and work ethic; problem-solving skills; and reading, writing, and communication skills. These skill clusters are quite similar to self-management/selfdevelopment, nonroutine problem solving, and complex communication skills, respectively.
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To support the earlier point that focusing on 21st century skills need not reduce attention to content knowledge, Kay described a collaboration between the business community and the public school system in North Carolina, one of the states that has joined the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. In response to concerns about workforce preparation expressed by the state's life science industry, the North Carolina state education department engaged educational psychologist John Bransford to develop a new assessment of genetics knowledge and skills.
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Although the language is somewhat different, she said, these behaviors, too, are manifestations of the skill of self-management/self-development. Noting that a number of companies have some kind of collaboration or communication competency that is clearly linked to complex communication skills, Houston listed the job performance expectations set for these competencies: • Building, maintaining, and using a network of colleagues to in crease productivity; • Demonstrating a good understanding of coworkers' points of view and working with them; • Demonstrating a thorough knowledge of the matrix structure when collaborating; • Presenting complex technical information to nontechnical audi ences in an understandable way; and • Matching the mode of communication to the requirements of the situation.
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DeRocco said that, in a recent meeting to discuss these models, employer representatives were struck by the fact that the core academic and workplace competencies were exactly the same across sectors. They viewed this shared demand as an opportunity to assist workers laid off in one industry sector because of the current downturn to transition to another sector -- provided the workers have the core competencies.
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. The paper indicates that engineers selling computer applications require communication, sales, and networking skills, along with their technical knowledge, and proposes that the most rapidly growing jobs in the U.S.
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Convince the public that these skills are essential for students. Increase awareness of existing science education programs that develop 21st century skills (e.g., NASA science education, Project Tomorrow)
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She explained that, in her competency modeling, she often includes a competency called "functional" or "technical" competency, in recognition of the fact that employees and teams are responsible for knowing and understanding the content of their work. Kay asked if there was a trade-off between breadth and depth in science education.
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