21st Century Skills for organisations and individuals

CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING 

Reason Effectively 

• Use various types of reasoning (e.g., inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation

Use Systems Thinking 

• Analyze how parts of a whole interact with each other to produce overall outcomes in complex systems

Make Judgments and Decisions 

• Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims and beliefs

• Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view

• Synthesize and make connections between information and arguments

• Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis

• Reflect critically on learning experiences and processes

Solve Problems 

• Solve different kinds of non-familiar problems in both conventional and innovative ways

• Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions

CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION 

Think Creatively 

• Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (such as brainstorming)

• Create new and worthwhile ideas (both incremental and radical concepts)

• Elaborate, refine, analyze, and evaluate ideas in order to improve and maximize creative efforts

• Demonstrate imagination and curiosity

Work Creatively with Others 

• Develop, implement, and communicate new ideas to others effectively

• Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives; incorporate group input and feedback into the work

• Demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work and understand the real world limits to adopting new ideas

• View failure as an opportunity to learn; understand that creativity and innovation is a long-term, cyclical process of small successes and frequent mistakes

Implement Innovations 

• Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution to the field in which the innovation will occur

COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION 

Communicate Clearly 

• Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written, and nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts

• Listen effectively to decipher meaning, including knowledge, values, attitudes, and intentions

• Use communication for a range of purposes (e.g., to inform, instruct, motivate, and persuade) and in diverse environments (including multi-lingual)

• Utilize multiple media and technologies, and know how to judge their effectiveness a priori as well as assess their impact

Collaborate with Others 

• Demonstrate ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams

• Exercise flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal

• Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual contributions made by each team member