'Math Map' Connects 21st Century Skills with Math Instruction
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) has released the Math Skills Map, latest in its series of 21st century skills maps for core academic subjects. It was developed in collaboration with the Mathematical Association of America and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
P21's skills maps are designed to provide a framework and resources for integrating technology and other 21st century skills into core subject areas. The maps are targeted toward educators, administrators, and policymakers and include lesson plans for integrating 21st century skills into existing curricula, as well as specific student outcomes, along with models designed to help enhance student achievement at specific grade levels.
Each of these is broken into its own section within the map to provide outcomes with examples at each of the three grade levels covered (4, 8, 12). The map also provides a list of suggested tools that can be used to integrate the skills.
According to the group: "As the majority of states work to design and improve curricula that align with Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the release of this new resource provides a timely opportunity for education leaders to implement learning models that integrate core academic content mastery (the 3Rs) with the complex critical thinking and problem solving, collaboration, communication, and creativity and innovation skills (the 4Cs) required for student success in school, life and the workplace."
Specific skills covered in the maps include: creativity and innovation; critical thinking and problem solving; communication; collaboration; information literacy; media literacy; information and communication technologies literacy; flexibility and adaptability; initiative and self direction; social and cross-cultural skills; productivity and accountability; and leadership and responsibility. Interdisciplinary themes tackled in the maps include global awareness; civic literacy; health literacy; and financial, economic, business, and entrepreneurial literacy.
"Educators across the country are already working on integrating the P21 Framework alongside CCSS," said Lillian Kellogg, chair of P21 and vice president of Education Networks of America, in a statement released to coincide with the resource. "The P21 Math Map will provide another great opportunity for educators to implement 21st century skills in the classroom for all subjects."
In addition to mathematics, the current P21 library of 21st century skills maps includes the arts, English, geography, science, social science, and world languages.
Further information about the 21st Century Skills Maps can be found on the P21 Web site. The 21st Century Skills Math Map is available in P21's free resources portal and can be downloaded directly as a PDF.