The American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a branch of the American Library Association, unveiled their new Standards for the 21st Century Learner last Fall (November 2007) at the National Conference in Reno, NV. These replaced the Information Literacy Standards previously published in Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning (1998). These standards are meant to provide guidelines for School Library Media Specialists and other Information Specialists for the design of curricula and instructional models that promote these skills in conjuction (vs. isolation) with content area instruction. 

In the state in which I work (GA) there are no state information literacy or technology standards. Those skills are supposedly embedded in the content area standards. Unfortunately, and although "research skills" and "information literacy skills" are tested on our state standardized tests, teachers are ill-prepared to design the learning opportunities and provide the instruction necessary to prepare students to function in the 21st century, and, by and large, they are not being taught. Library Media Specialists, who are information specialists, are highly qualified to both design the curriculum and aid in instruction in these areas, but teachers consider the co-planning and co-teaching inherent in a collaborative model to be an infringement upon their domain and time. What a mess.

Debbie Sandford
Teacher Librarian at Large
DeKalb County School System




________________________________
From: Gail Price <gprice at famlit.org>
To: The Family Literacy Discussion List <familyliteracy at nifl.gov>
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 8:27:19 AM
Subject: [FamilyLiteracy 1217] Re: Measuring 21st Century Skills


Here is a little bit of information concerning 21st century skills and skills standards. 
 
 
The Web site for the Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a good one for anyone interested in learning more about this topic. Visit them at http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/
 
Some specific information in PDF format concerning 21st Century Skills Standards can be found at
http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/21st_century_skills_standards.pdf
 
 
And here is one more little tidbit. The following blurb appeared in the National High School Center High School News Update, October 12 -25, 2008. It is from the October 13, 2008, edition of Education Week. Perhaps taking a look at some of the state standards would be helpful in thinking about how to measure these skills in our adult students.
 
Curriculum and Instruction 
More States Infuse Standards with 21st-Century Skills (Education Week [free registration required], October 13, 2008). An increasing number of states, including Iowa, West Virginia and Wisconsin, are adding skills like collaboration, creativity and critical thinking as well as financial, technological, health and global literacy into their statewide standards. "Fifty years ago, the ticket up the economic ladder was content mastery of four or five subjects," said Ken Kay, president of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. "Today, it's the ability to t think critically, solve problems, communicate, collaborate, use technology and be globally competent."
 
Does anyone have anything else to share?
 
 
 
Gail J. Price
Multimedia Specialist
NationalCenterfor Family Literacy
325 W. Main Street, Suite 300
Louisville, KY 40202
gprice at famlit.org
502 584-1133, ext. 112
 

________________________________

From:familyliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:familyliteracy-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Gail Price
Sent: Wednesday, October 22, 2008 10:01 AM
To: The Family Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [FamilyLiteracy 1213] Measuring 21st Century Skills
 
Dear List Subscribers, 
 
I received a request from a subscriber off the Family Literacy Discussion list for some information. The inquiry is a good one and one that I feel many of you can answer much better than I.  
 
Here is the inquiry. 
 
“What kinds of things would be indicators of success for families in the 21st century?  I wasn't sure if success included more abstract measures like technology, financial and health literacy or if it was more skill based areas like job flexibility, financial stability, keeping kids in school and/or helping them make healthy choices. "Success" is so broad and there are so many definitions and values-based criteria, not to mention the cultural differences, I wondered if there was a standard in the national discussion you can direct me to.”
 
 
Can you help with this inquiry by answering these questions?
 
What are programs using as the definition of 21st century skills?
How are you addressing these skills in your programs? Are there any standards that guide you?
How do you measure whether students have mastered those skills, especially if they are rather nebulous skills like being a team player and collaborating with others?
 
 
Please share your thoughts, experiences and resources.
 
Thanks.
 
 
Gail J. Price
Multimedia Specialist
National Center for Family Literacy
325 W. Main Street, Suite 300
gprice at famlit.org
502 584-1133, ext. 112
 
Louisville , KY 40202


      
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