My first job out of university, over 10 years ago, was at ETASHA Society, a non-profit organization based in New Delhi that focused on vocational training and employability skills. My time at ETASHA Society got me interested in education and the employability skills gap that is present not just locally but in a global scale.
Since then, I have been working in the education sector in various capacities – as a facilitator/trainer, a teacher, a professor, a curriculum designer, a business development consultant and so on. I have been lucky to work with some amazing schools, universities, NGOs, corporates, edtech companies, startups, and governmental organizations to provide teaching and learning opportunities. The common thread has been that all my work involves, in some way shape or form, helping develop 21st century skills.
Putting all this together, last year I pitched an idea to a private university in Bogotá, Colombia. The plan was to teach an elective course on 21st Century Skills, in English. This was unique because it would follow the content and language integrated learning (CLIL) approach, which is an effective way of teaching content through an additional language, resulting in teaching both the content and the language at the same time.
The course, which I called “21st Century Skills for Success” was accepted by the university (thank you Fundación Universitaria Konrad Lorenz!), and I taught it for two semesters. It was one of my favorite courses that I have ever taught. Students also enjoyed it because it provided them with an opportunity to practice the English language while at the same time developing important and relevant skills that education often neglects.
Here is the course program outline for this course that I created:
21ST CENTURY SKILLS FOR SUCCESS
COURSE PROGRAM
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Name of Course: 21st Century Skills for Success
Professor: Tridib Misra, tridib.misra@gmail.com
2. OVERVIEW
The world we live in today is extremely volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. Globalization, technology, and an increasingly digital world has made it unclear what the future and nature of work will look like. As educators, we are preparing students for a future, of which we ourselves are uncertain.
Because of this, it is important for us to focus on developing transferable life skills within students, through which they can contribute to society meaningfully and effectivity. The premise of this course is: ‘What is important today is not what you know, but what you can do with what you know’.
This course will develop students’ skills of communication, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking and focus on the interpersonal, intercultural, and soft skills needed to navigate the complexities of the 21st century. Also, a key focus will be on the increasing importance of technology on society and industry.
3. OBJECTIVES
· Understand, discuss, and develop important 21st century skills
· Understand the implications of technology on business and society
· Practice the four language skills of listening, reading, writing, and speaking using the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach
4. METHODOLOGY
This program will be carried out under the communicative approach, using learner training/autonomy. Self-reflection with constructive feedback will be encouraged as a key learning strategy. Students will be required to do all the tasks and supplementary activities assigned in class with the aim of making the time in class activity-based and engaging, in which knowledge is discussed and shared.
5. GUIDELINES
· Punctuality is a requirement. There will be a 5-minute wait period, after which the class will start.
· Regular contributions to class discussion are necessary, including responding to all questions thoroughly.
· Electronic devices are permitted in class as tools to facilitate learning in the classroom but must be used responsibly.
6. SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
Week | Topics |
Week 1 | Course Orientation 21st Century Skills – What and Why? |
Week 2 | Education and Lifelong Learning The Trifecta of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes |
Week 3 | Teamwork and Collaboration The Marshmallow Challenge |
Week 4 | Non-Verbal Communication and Body Language The Power Pose |
Week 5 | Emerging Technologies: Artificial Intelligence and its Impact on Different Industries |
Week 6 | Design Thinking: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test |
Week 7 | Presentation Skills: The Art of Story Telling The Elevator Pitch |
Week 8 | Entrepreneurial Skills: Thinking Differently Build a Business from Scratch |
Week 9 | Conflict Management and Resolution Real Life Case Studies |
Week 10 | How to Lead a Discussion Effectively Building Consensus on Controversial Topics |
Week 11 | Monetizing your Interests Disintermediation and the Orange Economy |
Week 12 | Communication Skills: Convincing and Collaborating Game: Ultimate Werewolf |
Week 13 | Imagination, Creativity, and Innovation Divergent Thinking using a Case Study |
Week 14 | Critical Thinking and Problem Solving |
Week 15 | The Art of Argumentation: Debating Skills Ability to Argue both For and Against |
Week 16 | Course Reflection |