Page 13 - 21st Century Competencies: Foundation Document for Discussion

understanding of the interplay of competencies that is required to support deep learning practices (discussed later in this paper). This also encourages a more balanced approach to assisting students in developing the knowledge, skills, and characteristics that will lead them to become personally successful, economically productive, and actively engaged citizens.
Section Two: Defining 21st Century Competencies 11
Figure 1: “21st century skills” grouped into three broad domains
(National Research Council, July 2012, p. 2)
21st century competencies have measurable benefits for multiple areas of life and therefore are critical for all students.
Key competencies can be identified on the basis that they make a measurable contribution to educational attainment, relationships, employment, and health and well-being outcomes, and do so for all individuals, not only those in a specific trade, occupation, or walk of life (Rychen, 2003, pp. 66–67).
The most prominent 21st century competencies found in international frameworks2 that have been shown to offer measurable benefits in
2. See Appendix A for an overview chart, developed by The Learning Partnership as an unpublished internal document, of competencies included in prominent frameworks across Canada and internationally.