Vocabulary+Terms

Vocabulary Terms

 * active learning**: Collectively seeking, sieving, and synthesizing experiences rather than individually locating and absorbing information from the best source

**asynchronous learning**: student-centered teaching method that uses online learning resources to facilitate information sharing outside the constraints of time and place among a network of people

**collaboration**: valuing the contributions of others when approaching a task, challenge or problem

**core subjects**: The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, identifies the core subjects as English, reading, or language arts; mathematics; science; foreign languages; civics; government; economics; arts; history; and geography. (Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework for 21st Century Learning)

**creativity**: seeing situations in a new way, creating new solutions to established or discovered problems, being willing to rely on oneself for answers by risking failure to strive for originality  **critical thinking**: being able to analyze (separates material and concepts into parts to understand the structure); synthesize (use multiple sources to come to a new conclusion) ; and evaluate (analyze information for credibility, reliability, bias and relevancy) information in order to come to new conclusions


 * digital age literacy**: Basic scientific, economic, and technological literacies; visual and information literacies; multicultural literacy and global awareness (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory & the Metiri Group, 2003)


 * digital citizenship**: Understanding of human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior (International Society for Technology in Education - National Education Technology Standards for Students)


 * effective comunication**: Teaming, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, personal, social, and civic responsibility; interactive communication (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory & the Metiri Group, 2003)


 * high productivity**: prioritizing, planning, and managing for results; effective use of real-world tools; ability to produce relevant, high-quality products (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory & the Metiri Group, 2003)


 * information and communications technology literacy (ICT**): ICT is the ability to use technology to develop 21st Century content knowledge and skills, in the context of learning core subjects. Students must be able to use technology to learn content and skill--so that they know how to learn, think critically, solve problems, use information communication, innovate, and collaborate. (Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework for 21st Century Learning)


 * innovation**: create new method, device or approach


 * inventive thinking**: adaptability, managing complexity, and self direction; curiosity, creativity, and risk taking; higher-order thinking and sound reasoning. (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory & the Metiri Group, 2003)


 * learning and thinking skills**: As much as students need to learn academic content, they also need to know how to keep learning--and make effective and innovative use of what they know--throughout their lives. Learning and thinking skills are comprised of critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, communication skills, creativity and innovation skills, collaboration skills, contextual skills, and information and media literacy skills. (Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework for 21st Century Learning)


 * life skills**: Good teachers have always incorporated life skills into their pedagogy. The challenge today is to incorporate these essential skills into schools deliberately, strategically, and broadly. Life skills include leadership, ethics, accountability, adaptability, personal productivity, personal responsibility, people skills, self-direction, and social responsibility. (Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework for 21st Century Learning)


 * research and information literacy**: selecting, evaluating, and using information in an ethical manner


 * synchronous learning**: group of people learning the same things at the same time in the same place. Lecture is an example of synchronous learning in a face-to-face environment and with the advent of web conferencing tools, people can learn at the same time in different places as well


 * 21st Century Content**: Several significant, emerging content areas are critical to success in communities and workplaces. These content areas typically are not emphasized in schools today: global awareness, financial economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy; civic literacy; and health and wellness awareness. (Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework for 21st Century Learning)