Sunday, June 16, 2013

21st Century Learner Attributes

Who is the 21st Century Learner?  What attributes depict learners today?

I offer the following.  Please let me know what I've missed.


The 21st Century Learner:
  • Asks Questions and allows questions to drive his/her learning.
  • Perseveres and doesn't give up even when faced with a challenge.
  • Discusses and debates with an open mind and a focus on goals, growth, and learning.
  • Researches and composes using multiple resources such as video, music, text, and image.
  • Speaks clearly and concisely.
  • Reads critically and is able to target specific information.
  • Synthesizes information in order to solve problems and create.
  • Writes with clarity, expression, and voice.
  • Investigates, explores and experiments.
  • Engages with play to understand and learn.
  • Collaborates with empathy, focus, confidence, and the awareness that "one person cannot do or be all things."
  • Seeks out experts near and far, online and off, to assist with research, understanding, and assessment. 
  • Learns 24-7 in diverse locations and structures. 
  • Takes charge of his/her learning.
  • Has a growth mindset.
  • Makes mistakes and learns from those mistakes.
  • Uses the arts to convey a message in pleasing, memorable, and inspiring ways. 
  • Tells stories.
  • Engages, interacts with, and focuses on the audience
  • Develops metacognition, and allows passion and interest to lead learning
  • Shares his/her learning readily, online and off, with transparency and effect.
  • Is aware of the impact his/her work has on the larger context of class, community, and world.
  • Knows that multiple tools and paths to learning exist, and uses that knowledge to choose the best paths and tools. 
What would you add to this list?  How is this list different from the learning goals of the past? 

As I think about report card comments and end-of-the-year student recognition, I am keenly aware of the 21st century skills, knowledge, and attitudes my students have developed and used this year as they developed greater knowledge, concept, and skill. 

While essential skills and polite attitudes and actions are important to student learning, it is integral that we develop 21st century learning attitudes and actions in order to launch our students toward success.

Note: Link to Bookmark Template for Student Distribution: Copy, sign, fold, laminate, punch hole in upper left corner, add ribbon, distribute.