Educating for Success in the 21st Century

“Today’s students will be working in a global marketplace and living in a global society. In order to succeed and to become leaders in this new world, they must acquire a far different set of knowledge, skills, and perspectives than previous generations. . . In short, we need to develop a whole new definition of education for success in the early 21st Century. This conclusion may have been drawn before, but the urgency with which we must act has never been more acute.” - Educating Leaders for a Global Society, The Goldman Sachs Foundation.

The global knowledge economy is here to stay. This increasingly complex and rapidly changing environment demands that students develop both a significant knowledge base and the skills to use that knowledge effectively. Our schools need to change the ways in which they prepare students to meet those challenges successfully. Where once a traditional college preparatory education emphasized gaining a wealth of content knowledge, it now requires young scholars to enhance skills in information technology, communication, problem solving, and critical thinking, to name only a few areas. The reverse is also true for those high school graduates who seek full-time employment—they now need substantial knowledge of the core academic content to work effectively in today’s economy.

Currently, the United States has a critical need to continue to foster problem solving and creativity in its workforce. While problem solving and creativity have long provided our country an edge in the global economy, failure to address this need in our schools could weaken our national and international strength and prosperity. These collective talents must be paired with individual abilities to learn and adapt in the world of the 21st Century. The skills contained in the 21st Century Applied Learning Core Skills (see chart) promote this innovation and creativity. They help students develop a passion for learning.

In December 2005, the State Board of Education passed a set of rigorous high school graduation requirements that represent a bold step toward providing Michigan students with an education that will enable them to thrive as active, contributing members to the 21st Century global society. The Michigan Merit Core Curriculum (see page 3) combines rigorous academic content—the “Merit Core”—with equally challenging and valuable skills in real world thinking and learning—the 21st Century Applied Learning Core Skills, which includes global literacy; financial, economic, and entrepreneurial literacy; information and communications technology literacy; and work-based skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and self-direction. These two sets of standards, the Michigan Merit Core Curriculum and the 21st Century Applied Learning Core Skills, together provide a strong educational foundation for students, regardless of their post-secondary plans.

As this recommended educational program moves to the State Legislature for approval and adoption, a fierce debate has erupted around which academic content areas should be included (or not included) in the Michigan Merit Core Curriculum. This debate is expected and understandable—the content is familiar, easy to define, and concrete. Unfortunately, these discussions statewide ignore the more innovative, and, potentially more significant elements of the 21st Century Applied Learning Core Skills recommendations. From both an economic and educational standpoint, this lack of attention is unfortunate—even dangerous.

From a business perspective, both the Michigan Merit Core Curriculum and the 21st Century Applied Learning Core Skills are essential for individual and national success. Addressing the skills without the requisite content will produce students without a firm academic foundation for success, creating tremendous obstacles to meaningful innovation and creativity. Similarly, adopting a content rich set of requirements without attending to the skills with which to apply the knowledge will result in an educational system that prepares students for an economy, and a world, that no longer exists. The critical 21st Century Applied Learning Core Skills are not just an addendum to the Michigan Merit Core Curriculum.

Together, the Michigan Merit Core Curriculum and 21st Century Applied Learning Core Skills help our state distinguish itself as a learning community. This is, quite simply, where the global economic competition will ultimately be won or lost.

For more information, contact: Deborah Parizek, 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, P.O. Box 1965, Dearborn, MI 48121-1965, (313) 720-4699, deborahp@thehenryford.org.

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