NRC Report: Education for Life and Work

Business, political, and educational leaders are increasingly asking schools to integrate development of skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration into the teaching and learning of academic subjects.  These skills are often referred to as “21st century skills” or “deeper learning.”  On July 10, 2012, the National Research Council (NRC) will release a report addressing these issues, Education for Life and Work: Developing Transferable Knowledge and Skills in the 21^st Century,

The new report:

• clarifies the meaning of the terms “21^st century skills” and “deeper learning”;
• examines evidence on the links between these skills and positive outcomes in work, education, and other areas of life;
• identifies areas of overlap between these skills and the ELA and math Common Core State Standards and the NRC’s Framework for K-12 Science Education;
• outlines research-based teaching methods to support the process of deeper learning and the development of transferable knowledge and skills; and
• recommends steps for future research and policy in this area.