Why do We Need 21st Century Skills?

     Why do we need 21st century skills? Ken Kay (in Marzano and Heflebower, 2012) listed two fundamental reasons why our students need these new skills. These reasons, I think, are also suitable with the education situation in Indonesia.
     First, the 21st century world is changing in many ways. The changes influence the jobs and careers of the students when they graduate from school. Types of jobs available are shifting from manufacturing and industrial job to service sector occupations. Wagner (2008) describes the 20th century work as what people did " with their hands-not with their heads-and so they didn't need...analytical skills in their daily life." He also believes that in the 21st century, to master basic skills like reading, writing, and math is not enough. Furthermore, Collins (1998) said that modern science is competitive and fast-moving. It can be seen that new digital technologies have developed so fast and  influenced the available jobs. Almost no job in the 21st century is not related with internet, computer, communication tools and other digital technologies.

     Second, Indonesian schools are not keeping up with the changing world. The developing countries like China and Korea become developed countries because they have prepared the human resource with technology based curriculum since the students studied in the primary schools.  To be a developed country, Indonesia has to prepare the students with skills needed for their future. The curriculum must support the students to master the digital and communication technologies to help them to transfer of technology.

Marzano, Robert J. And Tammy Heflebower. 2012. Teaching and Assessing 21st Century Skills. Bloomington: Marzano Research Labarotary.

Collins, Randal. 1998. The Sociology of Philosophy: A Global Theory of Intelectual Change. Harvard University press.