21st Century Skills: Learning For Life in Our Times    by Bernie Trilling & Charles Fadel Order:  USA  Can John Wiley & Sons, 2009 (2009) Hardcover Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Bob Walch A decade into the new century, it becomes all too apparent that perhaps it is time to reassess what skills young people need to survive. With so many people out of work due to the recent recession, there's a need to look at whether or not some of the lost jobs will ever return. The authors of this book look at why and how the global landscape for learning is reshaping itself with accelerating technological advances, and address the new skills and knowledge needed to survive in an ever-changing global business and manufacturing world. Once they define the new reality, Trilling and Fadel move on to discussing how learning and educational systems are already developing learning models more in tune with the times. They offer, in this forward looking text, a practical and useful guide to what must be done to prepare students for success in school, work, citizenship and a lifetime of learning. This all boils down to mastering a number of 21st century skills while acquiring essential knowledge and understanding in the core educational disciplines. The three key areas of discussion include learning and innovative skills which focus on: creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, and communication and collaboration. Next, the authors look at the need for improved information, media and technology skills. They then turn their attention to life and career skills that range from flexibility and adaptability, initiative and self-direction to social and cross-cultural skills and the ability to handle leadership and responsibility in various situations. The book also comes complete with a video of some breakthrough new educational practices of learning, classroom vignettes, research summaries, and schoolwork samples that show what is already being done to create an innovative, new curriculum in the present century. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews