Keywords:
learning skills
students
teachers' practices
technology

  • Abstract

    This research aims to identify essential skills required for 21st-century students, to examine teachers' practices, and to explore the educational classroom content applied for skill development. The research sample consists of ten teachers from five classes in a primary school located in Austria. Employing a qualitative approach, the study is conducted through semistructured interviews with teachers, classroom observations, and analyses of the students´active participation in classes over one month. The results prioritize critical thinking, creativity, and social skills. The emphasis is on internet safety in alignment with curricular requirements, interdisciplinary projects, and self-regulated learning, which are crucial for early education development. Additionally, the data reveals that teachers predominantly utilize open-ended lessons and independent learning activities, while providing flexibility for students to learn independently. Teachers prioritize individual student expression, self-direction, creativity, and imagination in their approach to skill development. They engage in interdisciplinary projects to foster sustainable skill development and promote visual language and literacy to facilitate self-expression and inclusive attitudes. While integral to the learning progress, integrating media and technology poses challenges for children, however, students are adapting to it easily and learn to discern information according to their needs. Challenges identified include maintaining students' focus on tasks, navigating tensions between content mastery and process understanding, and the need for teacher training in pedagogical tools, particularly amid the transition to online teaching. Overall, the study underscores the importance of providing students with opportunities for independent exploration, fostering collaboration, and addressing challenges in implementing effective teaching approaches to develop the necessary students' skills for the 21st century.

  • References

    1. AACTE (2010). 21st Century Knowledge And Skills In Educator Preparation. Partnership for 21st Century skills. From: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED519336.pdf
    2. Barnett.R.(2000). Supercomplexity and the curriculum. Studies in Higher Education, 25(3), pp. 255-265.
    3. Erdem.C.(2019). Introduction To 21st Century Skills And Education. Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.From: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336148206_Introduction_to_21st_century_skills_and_education
    4. EURYDICE (2019). Teaching and Learning in Primary Education. European Commission. Austria. From: https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/austria/teaching-and-learning-primary-education
    5. Gudmundsdottir, S. (2001). Narrative research in school practice, In V. Richardson (Ed), Handbook of research in teaching, 226-240. 4thed.Washington, D. C: American Educational Association
    6. Hattie J, Biggs J., & Purdie, N. (1996) Effects of learning skills interventions on student learning: a meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research 66,99-136.
    7. Higgins.S., Baumfield.V., & Hall, E. (2007). Learning skills and the development of learning capabilities. Technical Report.In: Research Evidence in Education Library. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.
    8. Johnson, B., & Christensen, L. (2017). Educational Research Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
    9. Kazakova O.P., Murzich A.N. (2020). Teaching and Learning Skills in the Organization of Distance Learning in Higher Education Institutions. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 486. From: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/346807476_Teaching_and_Learning_Skills_in_the_Organization_of_Distance_Learning_in_Higher_Education_Institutions
    10. Kivunja, Ch. (2014). Do You Want Your Students to Be Job-Ready with 21st-Century Skills? Change Pedagogies: A Pedagogical Paradigm Shift from Vygotskyian Social Constructivism to Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Siemens' Digital Connectivism. International Journal of Higher Education. ResearchGate. From: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265414830_Do_You_Want_Your_Students_to_Be_Job-Ready_with_21_st_Century_Skills_Change_Pedagogies_A_Pedagogical_Paradigm_Shift_from_Vygotskyian_Social_Constructivism_to_Critical_Thinking_Problem_Solving_and_Sieme
    11. OECD (2018). The Future of Education and Skills: Education 2030. Position paper, http://www.oecd.org/education/2030/E2030%20Position%20Paper%20(05.04.2018).pdf
    12. Prajapati.R., Sharma.B., & Sharma. D.H (2017). Significance Of Life Skills Education. Contemporary Issues in Education Research. Vol.10.Nr.1.From: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1126842.pdf
    13. Riessman, K. C. (2008). Narrative Methods for the Human Sciences. CA, ISBN: 978-0-7619-2998-7. USA: SAGE Publication
    14. Roodbari, Z., Sahdipoor, E., & Ghale, S. (2013). The Study of the Effect of Life Skill Training On Social Development, Emotional And Social Compatibility Among First-Grade Female High School In Neka City. Indian Journal of Fundamental and Applied Life Sciences, 3(3), 382-390. Retrieved from http://www.cibtech.org/jls.htm
    15. Toth EE, Klahr D, Chen, Z. (2000) Bridging research and practice: a cognitively based classroom intervention for teaching experimentation skills to elementary school children. Cognition and Instruction 18, 423-459
    16. Tuttle, J., Campbell-Heider, N., & David, T. (2006). Positive Adolescent Life Skills Training for High-Risk Teens: Results of a Group Intervention Study. Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 20(3), 184-191. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2005.10.011
    17. Vauras, M., Rauhanummi, T., Kinnunen, R., & Lepola, J. (1999). Motivational vulnerability as a challenge for educational interventions: a conceptual framework for education. International Journal of Education Research 31, 515-531
    18. Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2006). Nitel araştırma yöntemleri. Ankara: Seçkin Yayınları
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Copyright (c) 2025 The Authors

How to cite

Avdiu, E., Bekteshi, E., & Gollopeni, B. (2024). Learning skills for the future – implementing the 21st-century learning. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 7(1), 2025011. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2025011
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC
  • Article viewed - 1459
  • PDF downloaded - 825