Research design is defined as a framework of methods and techniques chosen by a

researcher to combine various components of research in a reasonably logical

manner so that the research problem is efficiently handled. It provides insights
about “how” to conduct research using a particular methodology. Every researcher
has a list of research questions which need to be assessed – this can be done with
research design.

Qualities of A Good Research Design

A research study can be understood as the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting data to answer research
questions. However, to quality as a good research study there are a set of desirable attributes that the research study
is required to have. When you are designing your research project you should keep the following points in mind:

1. Your research study (thesis or dissertation) design should be appropriate for the question (s) being asked and
should address any important potential sources of bias.
2. Your research study (thesis or dissertation) should have a pre-specified research plan or protocol. This is
mainly because study design (which includes how data will be gathered, analyzed and managed), may
eventually be made available to others.
3. The research study that you plan to carry out should address relevant questions and should be designed either
to add to existing knowledge about the subject or to develop methods for research into it.
4. In order to execute your research study without any flaws, you should have all the necessary skills and
experience.
5. You should have sufficient resources (that meet all relevant standards) at your disposal to be able to carry out
the proposed research study. These resources can be in the form of software availability, manpower, funds, or
literature.
6. You should assess in advance about any ethical issues, any legal requirements, or any kinds of risk involved in
your study, to you or your health, safety and well-being of study participants.
7. It is very import that you consider the dignity, rights, safety and well-being of all the participants in your research
study.
8. You must have a properly written research design ready; in case it is required by peer reviewers and journal
editors while submitting it for publication.
9. You should resolve any of the above mentioned issues (as far as possible) before you start your research.

Once the research question has been formulated, it is critical that the researcher select the appropriate research
methodology to answer the question. The type of research question will typically dictate the methodology that will
be employed. The reliability and validity of the results depends on upon proper selection of the research approach
and design. Once the research question has been formulated, it is critical that the researcher select the appropriate
research methodology to answer the question. The type of research question will typically dictate the methodology
that will be employed. The reliability and validity of the results depends on upon proper selection of the research
approach and design.
In the research paper, I can feel my biggest change is in dealing with the structure of the whole article.
The structure of the essay is already mentioned in the introduction part, so the next step is to follow the
structure I have made. In other words, each part, as well as each title of paragraphs of the essay should
take concerted action with the structure and the development in the the introduction. Otherwise, the
introduction part will lost its function. As for my thinking aspect, the most important thing is to organize
and get idea fragments in order in my mind. And now I will follow the principle of thinking first and writing
second. After dividing the whole structure into some main parts, some smaller structures in each part
should also be divided further. In my revision process, because of huge number of words, I firstly made a
plan for the overall structure, and then for the words, finally for the content. Therefore, after finishing this
essay, I have learned that breaking up the goal is very important. When the big goal becomes into small,
it will be much easier.

There is wide agreement in the literature that " reflection " is a critical component of any good
research, but certainly in the methodology of action research (AR). Despite consensus regarding its
importance, this paper argues that there is little practical guidance for management researchers on
how to carry out the process of reflection. The work is presented in the context of a case study of
innovation in APC Ireland, a subsidiary of the critical power and cooling services division of the
Schneider Electric Corporation. The study proposes to make a contribution by providing a
questionnaire to assist the process of reflection in the course of AR cycles. The questionnaire
provides a structured mechanism to assist both the practitioner and researcher. The instrument was
developed from engagement with the psychology literature and it is suggested as a methodological
plug-in to Davison et al.'s Principles of Canonical Action Research.

Research needs to be assessed on the basis of its methodology, originality and relevance. However,
it may be noted that even the very original and highly relevant research becomes very bad if the
methodology followed is quite wrong. Therefore, good research is identified on the basis of the
soundness of the methodology followed in the research process.

Objectivity is the hallmark of science and research. Researchers need to be highly objective in
defining the problem as well as in designing the methodology

What makes a good research?

By Dr. Ignatius Gwanmesia

To make a good research you must know what research is. What is the purpose of the research or
what is the research question. Basically, research is a study, aninvestigation or inquiry undertaken to
improve or add to ones knowledge; add toexisting knowledge or to prove or disprove a hypothesis.
Definition.
“Research is seeking through methodological processes to add to one’s own body of knowledge and
hopefully, to that of others, by the discovery of non-trivial facts andinsights” Howard and Sharp,
(1983, p.6)“Research is conducted to solve problems and to explain knowledge” Drew, (1980,p.
4)“Research is a systematic way of systematic way of asking questions, a systematicmethod of
enquiry” Drew, (1980, p. 8)Thus, after identifying the problem that needs to be investigated, a good
researchshould use appropriate methodology in a systematic way to arrive at a systematicobjective.
1. A good research should be well planned.
This may entail doing a pilot study; consulting the library to discover what isalready known about the
subject
2. A good research should have a targeted audience.

Find out who is interested in the research. Of what relevance is the research toPolicy or practice?
3.
A good research should have a very well-defined objective or hypothesis.
In research, it is of the essence to establish; what is known so far about the topicand to refine the
objective of the research so that it is very specific. For example,
researching into the causes of cancer in women is a very broad topic. In a goodresearch, it is much
better to narrow the sample.Similarly, researching into
‘Why do women suffer from breast cancer’
is too broadfor a good research since the word women could mean persons from all over theworld
and from the age of 18 and over.
Why do mostly women over 40 suffer from breast cancer?
While this is a much better question for research since it restricts the age group toover 40, the
women could still be of any race
Why do mostly white women over 40 suffer from breast cancer?
This is a more focused objective which could still be refined so that it becomes veryspecific.
Why do mostly white women over the age of 40 who smoke suffer from breast cancer?
The women to be studied here are very specific. They are white; over 40 and aresmokers. Therefore
the researcher knows that he or she is dealing with a particular type of women, not just all women
over 40.(A sample is any thing or things that are being studied in the research)
4.

A good research should be explicit in its design and methodology.

The research should clearly show whether its approach is qualitative or quantitative. Different styles,
traditions or approaches use different methodsof collecting data.Quantitative researchers collect
facts and study the relationships.Qualitative research is more concerned with understanding
individuals’perceptions of the world. Unlike quantitative research which is concerned withstatistical
analysis, qualitative research seeks an insight analysis of socialhappenings

5.
 A good research should show clearly its method of data-collection and how this data was analysed.
Here, an overview of the problems encountered during the research mayprovide readers with
relevant information when evaluating the outcome of theresearch.
6.
A good research should show evidence of relevant ethical consideration.
Ethics in research serve to protect relevant sectors especially when samplesor participants are
either children or those incapable of making informedconsent. This is because of the potential for
abuses. Reproducing previouswork (plagiarism) is ethically wrong. Many professional bodies and
societieshave their own guidelines which may include; deception about the purpose of the research,
encroachment on privacy, confidentiality, safety; care whenworking with children etc. Universities
have strict codes of practice whenresearching with human beings. A good research will do well to
respect andimplement these codes. Teachers, parents, administrators and keepers of documents
need to be convinced of the researchers integrity of the research.
7.A good research should be time-scaled.
Society is constantly changing; so for the outcome of a research to beappropriate and applicable,
the research must be completed within a set time.Within universities, a clear timetable for a research
enables the supervisor tomanage and guides the student’s progress during the research process.
Alsomost of those who commission research expect the investigation to becompleted within a set
timetable.

8.Reliability and Reliability.

Critical scrutiny and objectivity is needed in all the processes in the researchto enhance reliability
and validity. Here the use of multiple methods(triangulation) has been shown to enhance validity

9.Referencing
In documenting the research outcome, cited literature should be referencedusing a conventional
method e.g. the Harvard model.
10.Report Structure.
a.
Title pageb.Acknowledgementc.Contentd.Abstracte.Aims and objective of the researchf.Literature
reviewg.Methodologyh.Statement of resulti.Analysis and discussion
j.

Summary and conclusionk.Bibliography

l.
AppendixThis guide does not constitute a

The Crisis of Public Education in the Philippines

By Ronald Meinardus

According to the human capital theory, the economic development of a

nation is a function of the quality of its education. In other words: the more
and better educated a people, the greater the chances of economic
development.

The modern world in which we live is often termed a "knowledge society";

education and information have become production factors potentially more
valuable than labor and capital. Thus, in a globalized setting, investment in
human capital has become a condition for international competitiveness.

In the Philippines, I often hear harsh criticism against the politics of

globalization. At the same time, regarding the labor markets, I can hardly
think of another nation that is so much a part of a globalized economy than
the Philippines with nearly ten per cent of the overall population working
beyond the shores of the native land.

Brain drain. Apart from the much debated political, social and psychological
aspects, this ongoing mass emigration constitutes an unparalleled brain
drain with serious economic implications.

Arguably, the phenomenon also has an educational dimension, as the

Philippine society is footing the bill for the education of millions of people,
who then spend the better part of their productive years abroad. In effect,
the poor Philippine educational system is indirectly subsidizing the affluent
economies hosting the OFWs.

With 95 per cent of all elementary students attending public schools, the
educational crisis in the Philippines is basically a crisis of public education.
The wealthy can easily send their offspring to private schools, many of which
offer first-class education to the privileged class of pupils.

Social divide. Still, the distinct social cleavage regarding educational

opportunities remains problematic for more than one reason. Historically, in
most modern societies, education has had an equalizing effect. In Germany,
for instance, the educational system has helped overcome the gender gap,
and later also the social divide. Today, the major challenge confronting the
educational system in the country I come from is the integration of millions
of mostly non-European, in most cases Muslim, immigrants. Importantly,
this leveling out in the context of schooling has not occurred in this part of
the world. On the contrary, as one Filipino columnist wrote a while ago,
"Education has become part of the institutional mechanism that divides the
poor and the rich."

Let me add an ideological note to the educational debate: Liberals are often
accused of standing in the way of reforms that help overcome social
inequalities. While, indeed, liberals value personal freedom higher than
social equality, they actively promote equality of opportunities in two distinct
policy areas: education and basic heath care.

For this reason, educational reform tends to have a high ranking on the
agenda of most liberal political parties in many parts of the world.

This said, it is probably no coincidence that the National Institute for Policy
Studies (NIPS), liberal think-tank of the Philippines, invited me the other day
to a public forum on the "Challenges on Educational Reform." With the
school year having just started and the media filled with reports on the all
but happy state of public education in the country, this was a very timely
and welcome event. I was impressed by the inputs from Representative
Edmundo O. Reyes, Jr, the Chairman of the Committee on Education of the
House of Representatives, and DepEd Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz. Both
gave imposing presentations on the state of Philippine education.

Although I have been in this country for over a year now, I am still
astonished again and again by the frankness and directness with which
people here address problems in public debates. "The quality of Philippine
education has been declining continuously for roughly 25 years," said the
Undersecretary -- and no one in the audience disagreed. This, I may add, is
a devastating report card for the politicians who governed this nation in the
said period. From a liberal and democratic angle, it is particularly depressing
as this has been the period that coincides with democratic rule that was so
triumphantly and impressively reinstalled after the dark years of dictatorship
in 1986! Describing the quality of Philippine school education today, the
senior DepEd official stated the following: "Our schools are failing to teach
the competence the average citizen needs to become responsible, productive
and self-fulfilling. We are graduating people who are learning less and less."

While at the said forum, more than one speaker observed that the
educational problems are structural in nature, I missed propositions for
reform that are so far-reaching to merit the attribute structural.

Gargantuan problems. While the Undersecretary very patiently and

impressively charted out the four policy directions of the political leadership
of his ministry (taking teachers out of elections, establishing a nationwide
testing system, preserving private schools, raising subsidies for a voucher
system), to me -- as a foreign observer -- these remedies sound
technocratic considering, what one writer in this paper has recently termed,
"the gargantuan magnitude of the problems besetting Philippine basic
education."

Let me highlight two figures: Reportedly, at last count more than 17 million
students are enrolled in this country's public schools.

At an annual population growth rate of 2.3 per cent, some 1.7 million babies
are born every year. In a short time, these individuals will claim their share
of the limited educational provisions.

"We can't build classrooms fast enough to accommodate" all these people,
said the DepEd Undersecretary, who also recalled the much lamented lack of
teachers, furniture and teaching materials.

In short, there are too little resources for too many students.

Two alternatives. In this situation, logically, there exist only two strategic
alternatives: either, one increases the resources, which is easier said than
done considering the dramatic state of public finances, or one reduces the
number of students.

This second alternative presupposes a systematic population policy, aimed at

reducing the number of births considerably.

But this, too, is easier said than done, considering the politics in this country
-- or to quote Congressman Reyes: "Given the very aggressive and active
intervention of the Church addressing the population problem is very hard to
tackle."

Deteriorating quality of education

It is uncommon to hear college teachers decry the quality of students that come to them.
They lament the students’ inability to construct a correct sentence, much less a paragraph.
Private schools have been assailed as profit-making institutions turning out half-baked
graduates who later become part of the nation’s educated unemployed. All these are
indications of the poor quality of education.

There are multiple factors which have led to low educational standards. Studies and fact-
finding commissions have shown that the deteriorating quality of education is due to the
low government budget for education; poor quality of teachers; poor management of
schools; poor school facilities such as laboratory and library facilities; poor learning
environment; the content of the curriculum; inadequate books and science equipment;
the poor method of instruction; shortages of classrooms; and others.

Right education can lift people from poverty and can also improve their health issues, financial
crisis, it can change their lives. ... Lack of education causes many issues such as: Poor health or
nutrition deficiency is seen among people due to illiteracy. Lack ofeducation causes gender
inequality.

Primary Education
Paaralang Elementarya or elementary education is the first part of the educational system,
and it includes the first six years of compulsory education from grade 1 to 6, with an optional
7th grade offered by some schools. Major subjects include maths, science, English, Filipino
and social sciences. Optional subjects include music, arts, physical education, and health.
Private school students may select subjects from a wider curriculum including religious
instruction in the dogma of their choice.
Until 2004, primary students traditionally sat for the National Elementary Achievement Test
(NEAT) administered by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS). However,
the scores obtained by students in the NEAT were not used as a basis for their admission into
Secondary school.
During 2004, when DECS was officially converted into the Department of Education (DepEd),
and as a result of reorganization, the NEAT was changed to National Achievement Test (NAT)
by the Department of Education (DepEd). Students from both public and private elementary
schools take this exam to measure a school's competency. As of 2006, only private schools
have entrance examinations for Secondary school.

Middle Education
Middle school education is a part of Primary (or Elementary) Education

Secondary Education
Secondary education known as Paaralang Sekundarya comprises 4 grades that have
changed little since the second world war. The curriculum is prescribed for both private and
state schools. Core subjects are as follows:

 Year 1 - Filipino 1, Algebra 1, Integrated Science, English 1, Phillipine History

 Year 2 - Filipino 2, Algebra 2, Biology, English 2, Asian History
 Year 3 - Filipino 3, Geometry, Chemistry, World History, Geography
 Year 4 - Filipino 4, Calculus, Trigonometry, Physics, Literature, Economics

Minor optional subjects include Health, Music, Arts, Physical Education, Home Economics
and Technology. Selected schools present additional subjects. Total secondary school
numbers exceed 5.5 million.

Vocational Education
Accredited mainly private institutions known as colleges offer technical and vocational
education. Programs offered vary in duration from a few weeks to two-year diplomas. On
completion students may take centrally-administered examinations to obtain their diploma
or certificate.
Vocational colleges don’t usually require an entrance examination, only a record of high
school education and an enrollment fee.

Tertiary Education

Most institutions of higher learning are regulated by

the commission for higher education.

Colleges typically offer 1 or more specialized programs while universities must offer at least
8 different undergraduate degree programs in a wide array of subjects and at least 2
graduate programs.

Public universities are all non-sectarian and offer a wide-range of programs, with English as
a medium of instruction. Public universities are government funded, with the largest, the
University of the Philippines, receiving the substantial portion of the annual budget.

There are also a number of private tertiary institutions, sectarian or non-sectarian as well as
for-profit or not-for-profit. Most private institutions are Catholic non-profit organizations.

Most universities offer 4 year degree programs with 2 semesters per year.

21st Century skills are 12 abilities that today’s students need to succeed in
their careers during the Information Age.

21st Century skills are:

Critical thinking

Creativity

Collaboration
Communication

Information literacy

Media literacy

Technology literacy

Flexibility

Leadership

Initiative

Productivity

Social skills

These skills are intended to help students keep up with the lightning-pace of
today’s modern markets. Each skill is unique in how it helps students, but
they all have one quality in common.

They’re essential in the age of the Internet.

On this page, we’ll take a look at what’s included in 21st Century skills, how
they help students, and why they’re so important.

Video: What Are 21st Century Skills?

Join Chris Zook, content marketing manager at Applied Educational

Systems, as he delves into the details of 21st Century skills.
Infographic List: 21st Century Skills

Want a quick graphic reference about 21st Century skills?

Keep this infographic on-hand for any student of any age — even as young
as middle school!

21st-century-skills-infographic

Let’s start with an overview of the skill categories.

The Three 21st Century Skill Categories

21st-century-skills-categories

Each 21st Century skill is broken into one of three categories:

Learning skills

Literacy skills

Life skills

Each of these categories pertains to a specific part of the digital curriculum

experience.

Learning skills (the four C’s) teaches students about the mental processes
required to adapt and improve upon a modern work environment.
Literacy skills (IMT) focuses on how students can discern facts, publishing
outlets, and the technology behind them. There’s a strong focus on
determining trustworthy sources and factual information to separate it from
the misinformation that floods the Internet.

Life skills (FLIPS) take a look at intangible elements of a student’s everyday

life. These intangibles focus on both personal and professional qualities.

Altogether, these categories cover all 12 21st Century skills that contribute
to a student’s future career.

Let’s take a closer look at each category.

Category 1. Learning Skills (The Four C’s)

21st Century Skills Learning Category Overview

The four C’s are by far the most popular 21st Century skills. These skills are
also called learning skills.

More educators know about these skills because they’re universal needs for
any career. They also vary in terms of importance, depending on an
individual’s career aspirations.

Critical thinking: Finding solutions to problems

Creativity: Thinking outside the box

Collaboration: Working with others

Communication: Talking to others

Arguably, critical thinking is the most important quality for someone to have
in health sciences.

In business settings, critical thinking is essential to improvement. It’s the

mechanism that weeds out problems and replaces them with fruitful
endeavors.

It’s what helps students figure stuff out for themselves when they don’t have
a teacher at their disposal.

Creativity is equally important as a means of adaptation. This skill empowers

students to see concepts in a different light, which leads to innovation.21st
Century Skills Learning Category Graphic

In any field, innovation is key to the adaptability and overall success of a

company.

Learning creativity as a skill requires someone to understand that “the way

things have always been done” may have been best 10 years ago — but
someday, that has to change.

Collaboration means getting students to work together, achieve

compromises, and get the best possible results from solving a problem.
Collaboration may be the most difficult concept in the four C’s. But once it’s
mastered, it can bring companies back from the brink of bankruptcy.

The key element of collaboration is willingness. All participants have to be

willing to sacrifice parts of their own ideas and adopt others to get results for
the company.

That means understanding the idea of a “greater good,” which in this case
tends to be company-wide success.

Finally, communication is the glue that brings all of these educational

qualities together.

Communication is a requirement for any company to maintain profitability.

It’s crucial for students to learn how to effectively convey ideas among
different personality types.

That has the potential to eliminate confusion in a workplace, which makes

your students valuable parts of their teams, departments, and companies.

Effective communication is also one of the most underrated soft skills in the
United States. For many, it’s viewed as a “given,” and some companies may
even take good communication for granted.

But when employees communicate poorly, whole projects fall apart. No one
can clearly see the objectives they want to achieve. No one can take
responsibility because nobody’s claimed it.
Without understanding proper communication, students in the 21st Century
will lack a pivotal skill to progress their careers.

But the four C’s are only the beginning. 21st Century skills also require
students to understand the information that’s around them.

Category 2. Literacy Skills (IMT)

21st Century Skills Literacy Category

Literacy skills are the next category of 21st Century skills.

They’re sometimes called IMT skills, and they’re each concerned with a
different element in digital comprehension.

Information literacy: Understanding facts, figures, statistics, and data

Media literacy: Understanding the methods and outlets in which information

is published

Technology literacy: Understanding the machines that make the Information

Age possible

Information literacy is the foundational skill. It helps students understand

facts, especially data points, that they’ll encounter online.

More importantly, it teaches them how to separate fact from fiction.21st

Century Skills Literacy Category Graphic
In an age of chronic misinformation, finding truth online has become a job
all on its own. It’s crucial that students can identify honesty on their own.

Otherwise, they can fall prey to myths, misconceptions, and outright lies.

Media literacy is the practice of identifying publishing methods, outlets, and

sources while distinguishing between the ones that are credible and the ones
that aren’t.

Just like the previous skill, media literacy is helpful for finding truth in a
world that’s saturated with information.

This is how students find trustworthy sources of information in their lives.

Without it, anything that looks credible becomes credible.

But with it, they can learn which media outlets or formats to ignore. They
also learn which ones to embrace, which is equally important.

Last, technology literacy goes another step further to teach students about
the machines involved in the Information Age.

As computers, cloud programming, and mobile devices become more

important to the world, the world needs more people to understand those
concepts.

Technology literacy gives students the basic information they need to

understand what gadgets perform what tasks and why.
This understanding removes the intimidating feeling that technology tends to
have. After all, if you don’t understand how technology works, it might as
well be magic.

But technology literacy unmasks the high-powered tools that run today’s
world.

As a result, students can adapt to the world more effectively. They can play
an important role in its evolution.

They might even guide its future.

But to truly round out a student’s 21st Century skills, they need to learn
from a third category.

Category 3. Life Skills (FLIPS)

21st Century Skills Life Category

Life skills is the final category. Also called FLIPS, these skills all pertain to
someone’s personal life, but they also bleed into professional settings.

Flexibility: Deviating from plans as needed

Leadership: Motivating a team to accomplish a goal

Initiative: Starting projects, strategies, and plans on one’s own

Productivity: Maintaining efficiency in an age of distractions

Social skills: Meeting and networking with others for mutual benefit
Flexibility is the expression of someone’s ability to adapt to changing
circumstances.

This is one of the most challenging qualities to learn for students because it’s
based on two uncomfortable ideas:

Your way isn’t always the best way

You have to know and admit when you’re wrong

That’s a struggle for a lot of students, especially in an age when you can
know any bit of information at the drop of a hat.21st Century Skills Life
Category Graphic

Flexibility requires them to show humility and accept that they’ll always have
a lot to learn — even when they’re experienced.

Still, flexibility is crucial to a student’s long-term success in a career.

Knowing when to change, how to change, and how to react to change is a
skill that’ll pay dividends for someone’s entire life.

It also plays a big role in the next skill in this category.

Leadership is someone’s penchant for setting goals, walking a team through

the steps required, and achieving those goals collaboratively.

Whether someone’s a seasoned entrepreneur or a fresh hire just starting

their careers, leadership applies to career.
Entry-level workers need leadership skills for several reasons. The most
important is that it helps them understand the decisions that managers and
business leaders make.

Then, those entry-level employees can apply their leadership skills when
they’re promoted to middle management (or the equivalent). This is where
21st Century skill learners can apply the previous skills they’ve learned.

It’s also where they get the real-world experience they need to lead entire
companies.

As they lead individual departments, they can learn the ins and outs of their
specific careers. That gives ambitious students the expertise they need to
grow professionally and lead whole corporations.

Leadership alone isn’t enough to get ahead though.

True success also requires initiative, requiring students to be self-starters.

Initiative only comes naturally to a handful of people. As a result, students

need to learn it to fully succeed.

This is one of the hardest skills to learn and practice. Initiative often means
working on projects outside of regular working hours.

The rewards for students with extreme initiative vary from person to person.
Sometimes they’re good grades. Other times they’re new business ventures.
Sometimes, it’s spending an extra 30 minutes at their jobs wrapping
something up before the weekend.

Regardless, initiative is an attribute that earns rewards. It’s especially

indicative of someone’s character in terms of work ethic and professional
progress.

That goes double when initiative is practiced with qualities like flexibility and
leadership.

Along with initiative, 21st Century skills require students to learn about
productivity. That’s a student’s ability to complete work in an appropriate
amount of time.

21st-century-skills-life-social-skills-final

In business terms, it’s called “efficiency.”

The common goal of any professional — from entry-level employee to CEO

— is to get more done in less time.

By understanding productivity strategies at every level, students discover

the ways in which they work best while gaining an appreciation for how
others work as well.

That equips them with the practical means to carry out the ideas they
determine through flexibility, leadership, and initiative.
Still, there’s one last skill that ties all other 21st Century skills together.

Social skills are crucial to the ongoing success of a professional. Business is

frequently done through the connections one person makes with others
around them.

This concept of networking is more active in some industries than others,

but proper social skills are excellent tools for forging long-lasting
relationships.

While these may have been implied in past generations, the rise of social
media and instant communications have changed the nature of human
interaction.

As a result, today’s students possess a wide range of social skills. Some are
more socially adept than others. Some are far behind their peers. And some
lucky few may be far ahead, as socializing comes naturally to them.

But most students need a crash course in social skills at least. Etiquette,
manners, politeness, and small talk still play major roles in today’s world.

That means some students need to learn them in an educational setting

instead of a social setting.

For them, it’s another skill to add to their lives.

Now that we’ve established what 21st Century skills are, let’s answer the
next big question.
Do employers actually want people with 21st Century skills?

What’s the Demand for 21st Century Skills?

21st Century Skills Employer Demand

While 21st Century skills have always been important, they’ve become
essential in a worldwide market that moves faster by the day.

These skills all double back to one key focus.

Someone’s ability to enact and / or adapt to change.

This is because any industry is capable of changing at a moment’s notice.

Industries are now regularly disrupted with new ideas and methodologies.

Those industries that haven’t been disrupted aren’t immune though. They
just haven’t been disrupted yet.

With that in mind, the world has entered an era where nothing is
guaranteed.

As a result, students need to learn to guide the change that’ll inundate their
lives. At the very least, they need to learn how to react to it.
Otherwise, they’ll be left behind.

This is especially true as customer demand accelerates in all industries along

with expectations for newer features, higher-level capabilities, and lower
prices.

In today’s marketplace, falling behind means becoming obsolete.

That’s a familiar concept to all of today’s students as tomorrow’s

advancements make today’s miracles quaint or unimpressive.

Today, the only consistency from year to year is change.

With 21st Century skills, your students will have the adaptive qualities they
need to keep up with a business environment that’s constantly evolving.

15 CHARACTERISTICS OF A 21ST-CENTURY TEACHER

1. Learner-centered classroom and personalized instruction: As students

have access to any information possible, there certainly is no need to spoon-
feed them knowledge or teach one-size-fits-all content. Students have
different personalities, goals, and needs, and offering personalized
instruction is not just possible but desirable. When students are allowed to
make their own choices, they own their learning, increase intrinsic
motivation, and put in more effort—an ideal recipe for better learning
outcomes.

2. Students as producers: Today’s students have the latest and greatest

tools, yet the usage in many cases barely goes beyond communicating with
family and friends via chat, text, or calls. Even though students are now
viewed as digital natives, many are far from producing any digital content.
They own expensive devices with capabilities to produce blogs, infographics,
books, how-to videos, and tutorials, just to name a few, but in many classes
they are still asked to turn those devices off and work with handouts and
worksheets.

Sadly, often these papers are simply thrown away once graded. Many
students don’t even want to do them, let alone keep or return to them later.
When given a chance, students can produce beautiful and creative blogs,
movies, or digital stories that they feel proud of and share with others.

3. Learn new technologies: In order to be able to offer students choices,

having one’s own hands-on experience and expertise will be useful. Since
technology keeps developing, learning a tool once and for all is not an
option. The good news is that new technologies are new for the novice and
and experienced teachers alike, so everyone can jump in at any time. I’ve
used a short-term subscription to Lynda.com, which has many resources for
learning new technologies.

4. Go global: Today’s tools make it possible to learn about other countries

and people firsthand. Of course, textbooks are still sufficient, yet there’s
nothing like learning languages, cultures, and communication skills by
actually talking to people from other parts of the world.

It’s a shame that with all the tools available, we still learn about other
cultures, people, and events from the media. Teaching students how to use
the tools in their hands to visit—at least virtually—any corner of this planet
will hopefully make us more knowledgable and sympathetic.

5. Be smart and use smartphones: Once again—when students are

encouraged to view their devices as valuable tools that support knowledge
(rather than as distractions), they start using them as such. I remember my
first years of teaching when I would not allow cell phones in class and I’d try
to explain every new vocabulary word or answer every question myself—
something I wouldn’t even think of doing today.
I’ve learned that different students have different needs when it comes to
help with new vocabulary or questions, so there’s no need to waste time and
explain something that perhaps only one or two students will benefit from.
Instead, teaching students to be independent and know how to find the
answers they need makes the class a different environment.

I’ve seen positive changes ever since I started viewing students’ devices as
useful aids. In fact, sometimes I even respond by saying, “I don’t know—use
Google and tell us all.” What a difference in their reactions and outcomes!

6. Blog: I have written on the importance of both student and teacher

blogging. Even my beginners of English could see the value of writing for
real audience and establishing their digital presence. To blog or not to blog
should not be a question any more.

7. Go digital: Another important attribute is to go paperless—organizing

teaching resources and activities on one’s own website and integrating
technology can bring students’ learning experience to a different level.
Sharing links and offering digital discussions as opposed to a constant paper
flow allows students to access and share class resources in a more organized
fashion.

8. Collaborate: Technology allows collaboration between teachers and

students. Creating digital resources, presentations, and projects together
with other educators and students will make classroom activities resemble
the real world. Collaboration should go beyond sharing documents via email
or creating PowerPoint presentations. Many great ideas never go beyond a
conversation or paper copy, which is a great loss. Collaboration globally can
change our entire experience.

9. Use Twitter chats: Participating in Twitter chats is the cheapest and most
efficient way to organize one’s PD, share research and ideas, and stay
current with issues and updates in the field. We can grow professionally and
expand our knowledge as there are great conversations happening every
day, and going to conferences is no longer the only way to meet others and
build professional learning networks.

10. Connect: Connect with like-minded individuals. Again, today’s tools allow
us to connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime. Have a question for an
expert or colleague? Simply connect via social media: follow, join, ask, or
tell.

11. Project-based learning: As today’s students have access to authentic

resources on the web, experts anywhere in the world, and peers learning the
same subject somewhere else, teaching with textbooks is very 20th-century.
Today’s students should develop their own driving questions, conduct their
research, contact experts, and create final projects to share, all using
devices already in their hands. All they need from their teacher is guidance.

12. Build your positive digital footprint: It might sound obvious, but it is for
today’s teachers to model how to appropriately use social media, how to
produce and publish valuable content, and how to create sharable resources.
Even though it’s true that teachers are people, and they want to use social
media and post their pictures and thoughts, we cannot ask our students not
to do inappropriate things online if we ourselves do them. Maintaining
professional behavior both in class and online will help build positive digital
footprint and model appropriate actions for students.

13. Code: While this one might sound complicated, coding is nothing but
today’s literacy. As pencils and pens were the tools of the 20th century,
today’s teacher must be able to operate with today’s pen and pencil—
computers. Coding is very interesting to learn—the feeling of writing a page
with HTML is amazing. Even though I have a ways to go, just like in every
other field, a step at a time can go a long way. Again, Lynda.com is a great
resource to start with.
14. Innovate: I invite you to expand your teaching toolbox and try new ways
you have not tried before, such as teaching with social media or replacing
textbooks with web resources. Not for the sake of tools but for the sake of
students.

Ever since I started using TED talks and my own activities based on those
videos, my students have been giving very different feedback. They love it!
They love using Facebook for class discussions and announcements. They
appreciate novelty—not the new tools, but the new, more productive and
more interesting ways of using them.

15. Keep learning: As new tools and new technology keep emerging,
learning and adapting is essential. The good news is: It’s fun, and even 20
minutes a day will take you a long way.

This piece was originally submitted to our community forums by a reader.

Due to audience interest, we've preserved it. The opinions expressed here
are the writer's own.

The term 21st century skills refers to a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and
character traits that are believed—by educators, school reformers, college professors,
employers, and others—to be critically important to success in today’s world, particularly
in collegiate programs and contemporary careers and workplaces. Generally speaking,
21st century skills can be applied in all academic subject areas, and in all educational,
career, and civic settings throughout a student’s life.

st
Generally speaking, the 21 century skills concept is motivated by the belief that
teaching students the most relevant, useful, in-demand, and universally applicable skills
should be prioritized in today’s schools, and by the related belief that many schools may
not sufficiently prioritize such skills or effectively teach them to students. The basic idea
is that students, who will come of age in the 21stcentury, need to be taught different
skills than those learned by students in the 20th century, and that the skills they learn
should reflect the specific demands that will placed upon them in a complex,
competitive, knowledge-based, information-age, technology-driven economy and
society.
 Public schools and teachers have always taught, and will continue to teach, cross-disciplinary
skills—they just never gave it a label. The debate over “content vs. skills” is not new—
educators have been talking about and wrestling with these issues for a century—which
makes the term “21stcentury skills” somewhat misleading and inaccurate.
 Focusing too much on cross-disciplinary skills could water-down academic courses, and
students may not get “the basics.” The more time teachers spend on skill-related instruction,
the less time they will have for content-based instruction. And if schools privilege cross-
disciplinary skills over content knowledge, students may be denied opportunities because
they are insufficiently knowledgeable. Students need a broad knowledge base, which they
won’t receive if teachers focus too much on skill-related instruction or “learning how to learn.”
 Cross-disciplinary skills are extremely difficult to assess reliably and consistently. There are no
formal tests for 21st century skills, so the public won’t know how well schools are doing in
teaching these skills

Formative and Summative Assessment

Assessment is the process of gathering data. More specifically, assessment is

the

ways instructors gather data about their teaching and their students’
learning

(Hanna & Dettmer, 2004). The data provide a picture of a range of activities

using different forms of assessment such as: pre-tests, observations, and

examinations. Once these data are gathered, you can then evaluate the
student’s

performance. Evaluation, therefore, draws on one’s judgment to determine

the

overall value of an outcome based on the assessment data. It is in the

decision-

making process then, where we design ways to improve the recognized

weaknesses, gaps, or deficiencies.

The figure below represents the systematic process of assessment,

evaluation,

and decision-making. The results (data) of the assessment (examinations,

observations, essays, self-reflections) are evaluated based on judgment of

those

data. What to do next—the decision making step, is based on the evaluation.

Types of Assessment

There are three types of assessment: diagnostic, formative, and summative.

Although are three are generally referred to simply as assessment, there are

distinct differences between the three.

1. Diagnostic Assessment

Diagnostic assessment can help you identify your students’ current

knowledge of a subject, their skill sets and capabilities, and to clarify

misconceptions before teaching takes place (Just Science Now!, n.d.).

Knowing students’ strengths and weaknesses can help you better plan

what to teach and how to teach it.

Types of Diagnostic Assessments

Pre-tests (on content and abilities)

Self-assessments (identifying skills and competencies)

Discussion board responses (on content-specific prompts)

Interviews (brief, private, 10-minute interview of each student)

2. Formative Assessment

Formative assessment provides feedback and information during the

instructional process, while learning is taking place, and while learning is

occurring. Formative assessment measures student progress but it can

also assess your own progress as an instructor. For example, when

implementing a new activity in class, you can, through observation

and/or surveying the students, determine whether or not the activity

should be used again (or modified). A primary focus of formative

assessment is to identify areas that may need improvement. These

assessments typically are not graded and act as a gauge to students’

learning progress and to determine teaching effectiveness (implementing

appropriate methods and activities).

In another example, at the end of the third week of the semester, you can

informally ask students questions which might be on a future exam to see

if they truly understand the material. An exciting and efficient way to

survey students’ grasp of knowledge is through the use of clickers.

Clickers are interactive devices which can be used to assess students’

current knowledge on specific content. For example, after polling

students you see that a large number of students did not correctly answer

a question or seem confused about some particular content. At this point

in the course you may need to go back and review that material or

present it in such a way to make it more understandable to the students.

This formative assessment has allowed you to “rethink” and then “re-

deliver” that material to ensure students are on track. It is good practice

to incorporate this type of assessment to “test” students’ knowledge

before expecting all of them to do well on an examination.

Types of Formative Assessment

Observations during in-class activities; of students non-verbal

feedback during lecture

Homework exercises as review for exams and class discussions)

Reflections journals that are reviewed periodically during the

semester

Question and answer sessions, both formal—planned and

informal—spontaneous

Conferences between the instructor and student at various points

in the semester

In-class activities where students informally present their results

Student feedback collected by periodically answering specific

question about the instruction and their self-evaluation of

performance and progress

3. Summative Assessment

Summative assessment takes place after the learning has been completed

and provides information and feedback that sums up the teaching and

learning process. Typically, no more formal learning is taking place at

this stage, other than incidental learning which might take place through

the completion of projects and assignments.

Rubrics, often developed around a set of standards or expectations, can

be used for summative assessment. Rubrics can be given to students

before they begin working on a particular project so they know what is
expected of them (precisely what they have to do) for each of the criteria.

Rubrics also can help you to be more objective when deriving a final,

summative grade by following the same criteria students used to

complete the project.

High-stakes summative assessments typically are given to students at the

end of a set point during or at the end of the semester to assess what has

been learned and how well it was learned. Grades are usually an outcome

of summative assessment: they indicate whether the student has an

acceptable level of knowledge-gain—is the student able to effectively

progress to the next part of the class? To the next course in the

curriculum? To the next level of academic standing? See the section

“Grading” for further information on grading and its affect on student

achievement.

Summative assessment is more product-oriented and assesses the final

product, whereas formative assessment focuses on the process toward

completing the product. Once the project is completed, no further

revisions can be made. If, however, students are allowed to make

revisions, the assessment becomes formative, where students can take

advantage of the opportunity to improve.

Types of Summative Assessment

Examinations (major, high-stakes exams)

Final examination (a truly summative assessment)

 Term papers (drafts submitted throughout the semester would be

a formative assessment)

Projects (project phases submitted at various completion points

could be formatively assessed)

Portfolios (could also be assessed during it’s development as a

formative assessment)

Performances

Student evaluation of the course (teaching effectiveness)

Instructor self-evaluation

Summary

Assessment measures if and how students are learning and if the teaching

methods are effectively relaying the intended messages. Hanna and Dettmer

(2004) suggest that you should strive to develop a range of assessments

strategies

that match all aspects of their instructional plans. Instead of trying to

differentiate

between formative and summative assessments it may be more beneficial to

begin planning assessment strategies to match instructional goals and

objectives

at the beginning of the semester and implement them throughout the entire

instructional experience. The selection of appropriate assessments should

also

match course and program objectives necessary for accreditation

requirements.
Which assessment method should be used for assessment?

Each program will select the assessment methods that will provide the most
useful and

relevant information for the purposes that the program and its faculty have
identified.

When selecting which assessment methods to use, consider what questions

need to be

answered, the availability of resources, and the usefulness of the results.

Programs may

find it valuable to identify what information currently exists in the program

that can be

utilized as well as what assessment methods have been used for past
assessments.

Assessment as learning develops and supports students' metacognitive skills. This form of assessment
is crucial in helping students become lifelong learners. As students engage in peer and self-
assessment, they learn to make sense of information, relate it to prior knowledge and use it for new
learning. Students develop a sense of ownership and efficacy when they use teacher, peer and self-
assessment feedback to make adjustments, improvements and changes to what they understand.

Assessment is integral to the teaching–learning process, facilitating student learning and improving
instruction, and can take a variety of forms. Classroom assessment is generally divided into three
types: assessment for learning, assessment of learning and assessment as learning.