While there are others, it is widely accepted that effective 21st Century skills depend of inculcating the “Four Cs” – Critical thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication – in the modern citizen. This is becoming increasingly important with the spread of the internet, instantaneous communication and AI. What follows are excerpts from one summary by the educator Brad Hummel.
“Critical thinking” is the practice of solving problems, among other qualities. In addition to working through problems, solving puzzles, and similar activities, critical thinking also includes an element of skepticism. This is important in the 21st Century because it’s harder than ever to verify accurate information (mostly thanks to the internet). Critical thinking empowers people to discover the truth in assertions, especially when it comes to separating fact from opinion.
With critical thinking, persons don’t just learn a set of facts or figures. Instead, they learn how to discover the facts and figures for themselves. Through asking questions, learners become engaged in the world around them. Then they can help spread their knowledge to their peers, helping others to think critically, too. Whether they learn how to think critically from spending time online or simply asking “Why?” in everyday life, this skill prepares persons for a life of independence and purposeful thought.
The second skill is “Creativity” which is the practice of thinking outside the box. While creativity is often treated like an inherited quality, people can learn how to be creative by solving problems, creating systems, or just trying something they haven’t tried before. That doesn’t mean every person will become an artist or a writer. Instead, it means they’ll be able to look at a problem from multiple perspectives — including those that others may not see.
Creativity allows persons to embrace their inner strengths, from big-picture planning to meticulous organization. As they learn about their creativity, they also learn how to express it in healthy and productive ways. More importantly, they also become motivated to share that creativity with others.
The third skill is “Collaboration”, which is the practice of working together to achieve a common goal.
This is important because, whether we realize it or not, we will be working with other people for the rest of our lives. Virtually, every job requires someone to work with another person at some point, even if it’s for something as simple as what to get for lunch. Practising collaboration and teamwork helps persons understand how to address a problem, pitch solutions, and decide the best course of action.
It’s also helpful for them to learn that other people don’t always have the same ideas that they do. In fact, as people practice collaboration, they’ll learn that they have almost none of the same ideas that others do. This can affect them in one of two ways. First, it could discourage them, since nobody seems to agree with them that often. Second, it could embolden them, because they realize they’re bringing something unique to every conversation. Persons should be encouraged to look at themselves through that second lens. That way, they learn they should speak up when they have an idea.
Finally, there is “Communication”, which is the practice of conveying ideas quickly and clearly.
Communication is often taken for granted in today’s society, but in the age of text-based communications — including texting, emails, and social media — it’s never been more important for persons to learn how to convey their thoughts in a way that others can understand them.
That’s because text-based communications lack tone, which is critical to understanding the context of someone’s words.
Still, even in situations where vocal tone is available, people need to learn how to communicate effectively. That includes not going off on tangents, and speaking directly to an idea while checking other participants to make sure they’re engaged. Reading an audience is also critical, even if it’s just two other people in a group discussion. It lets persons determine whether they should keep expanding on an idea, or wrap up their point.
