21st century skills are a series of higher-order skills, abilities, and learning dispositions that have been identified as being required for success in the rapidly changing, digital society and workplaces. Many of these skills are also defining qualities of progressive education as well as being associated with deeper learning, which is based on mastering skills such as analytic reasoning, complex problem solving, and teamwork. These skills differ from traditional academic skills in that they are not primarily content knowledge-based.Chris Dede, Comparing Frameworks for 21st Century Skills, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2009. Retrieved 2016-03-09Stedman Graham, Preparing for the 21st Century: Soft Skills Matter, Huffington Post, April 26, 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-16Larry Cuban, Content vs. skills in high schools - 21st century arguments echo 19th century conflicts, November 3, 2015. Retrieved 2016-03-12 The focus of progressive pedagogies on fostering 21st-century skills may also explain why these schools maintain their appeal, particularly among a segment of highly-educated, middle-class parents.
21st century skills are a series of higher-order skills abilities and learning dispositions that have been identified as being required for success in the rapidly changing digital society and workplaces Many of these skills are also defining qualities of progressive education as well as being associated with deeper learning which is based on mastering skills such as analytic reasoning complex problem solving and teamwork These skills differ from traditional academic skills in that they are not primarily content knowledge-basedChris Dede Comparing Frameworks for 21st Century Skills Harvard Graduate School of Education 2009 Retrieved 2016-03-09Stedman Graham Preparing for the 21st Century Soft Skills Matter Huffington Post April 26 2015 Retrieved 2016-03-16Larry Cuban Content vs skills in high schools - 21st century arguments echo 19th century conflicts November 3 2015 Retrieved 2016-03-12 The focus of progressive pedagogies on fostering 21st-century skills may also explain why these schools maintain their appeal particularly among a segment of highly-educated middle-class parents