Literature Review

I can see that it is quickly becoming my duty to create curriculum that effectively
incorporates technology, while still aligning curriculum with state standards. The
National Education Association recommends aligning curriculum with four key learning
outcomes, or the Four Cs: critical thinking, communication, collaboration and
creativity. As I reflect on my pedagogy, I see room for improvement in each of these
areas.
In this curriculum design project, I focus on improving my curriculum on the
scientific method and science lab writing process. In the past, students have simply
recorded each section of the process in their hand-written science journals. I intend to
transform the lab writing process to be more engaging for my fifth grade students by
utilizing technology and better aligning all activities with the Four Cs. By focusing on
these components, students are provided with the framework of using technology while
collaborating with others to find a creative solution to the task at hand- a scenario that is
very reflective of the nature of todays workforce. By guiding and challenging young
learners to develop these skills, I have more confidence that students will be better
prepared with the skills that they will actually need for the dynamic challenges of the
twenty-first century world.
Skills Shortage
Educators and business leaders in the U.S. have been focused on the lack of
readiness in STEM subjects: science, technology, engineering and mathematics. When
compared with other countries, the achievement of U.S. pupils is inconsistent with the
nations role as a world leader in scientific innovation (Kuenzi, 2008). Within the current
education system, U.S. students are not obtaining the STEM knowledge they need to
be successful (National Science Foundation, 2007). The National Academies indicate,
The danger exists that Americans may not know enough about science, technology, or
mathematics to contribute significantly to, or fully benefit from, the knowledge-based
economy that is already taking shape around us (Thoughtful Learning, 2016).
The Four Cs
Executives have expressed that what they need is a workforce that goes beyond
the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic and has the Four Cs: critical thinking,
communication, collaboration, and creativity. These four skills are already crucial for
students to be college and career ready, and will continue to be necessary in the future
(American Management Association and Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2010).
Developed by the National Education Association (NEA) and the Partnership for
21st Century Skills (P21) and derived from A Framework for 21st Century Learning,
the Four Cs are concise goals for educators and schools to focus on as they try to
keep up with the changing and challenging needs of todays world. These skills are an

integral part of the Common Core State Standards. There are several reasons why
these provide an appropriate guide for teachers and learners of the 21st century.
Students need to develop exceptional critical thinking skills if they are to
effectively distinguish, compare, analyze and make sound decisions from the vast
amount of information at their fingertips. The challenges facing students today are
incredibly complex: health care policies, immigration reform, and technological
innovation, just to name a few. Workplace managers consider the ability to think
critically to be a priority. According to the American Management Association 2010
Critical Skills Survey, 73.3 percent of business executives polled identified critical
thinking as a priority for employee development, talent management, and succession
planning (AMA, 2010). In addition, research has shown that critical thinking skills, such
as analysis, interpretation, precision and accuracy, problem solving, and reasoning
can be as or more important than content knowledge in determining success in college
courses (Conley, 2011, p. 5).
Critical thinking is fruitless if one is not able to communicate his or her ideas
with others. Communication is articulating thoughts effectively using oral, written and
nonverbal communication skills as well as listening effectively to decipher meaning
(NEA, 2007). In the report, Are They Ready to Work?, employers state that graduates
are lacking in these areas. The report stated that 72 percent of employers rate high
school graduates as being deficient in writing in English and 81 percent rate graduates
as having a deficiency in writing communications (Conference Board, et. al, 2006).
Communication is particularly crucial in collaboration. Collaboration
encompasses working effectively and respectfully with diverse teams, exercising
flexibility and making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal (NEA,
2007). In her work, Professor Carol Seefeldt found that social skills and communication
skills go hand in hand. Children who look at the child they are talking with, who
understand turn taking when communicating, and who know how to solve verbal
conflicts, are those who make and keep friends easily (2011). Effective collaboration
provides the platform for the best potential solutions. Surowiecki states, ... a large
group of diverse individuals will come up with better and more robust forecasts and
make more intelligent decisions than even the most skilled decision maker (2005).
The final C of the four is creativity. Creativity has been a buzz word in
education within the last decade for an important reason, as many educators believe
that education is killing it. Some research has shown that traditional drill and kill
approaches to learning have sucked the creativity out of students learning experience
(Giroux & Schmidt, 2004). These left-brained skills that were valued in the past are still
important, but right-brain qualities of creativity, empathy and making connections will
determine success in the future (Pink, 2005). There has been little research on creativity
in classrooms; most creativity research has centered on individual creativity or
personality approaches (Henriksen, 2016).

In his famous TED talk Do Schools Kill Creativity? Sir Kenneth Robinson stated
that, Creativity is as important in education as literacy and we should treat it with the
same status (2011). If students do not exercise creativity in their education, they will be
unprepared for the challenges in todays workforce (Pink, 2005). Creativity
encompasses a wide range of definitions including being able to create worthwhile
ideas, viewing failure as an opportunity to learn, and acting on creative ideas to make
tangible and useful contributions to the field in which the innovation will occur (NEA,
2007). Creative thinking is essential for success in the 21st century because societal
problems are more interdependent, global and complex than ever before (Henriksen,
2016). Successful individuals are those who have creative skills to produce a vision for
how they intend to make the world a better place for everyone (Sternberg, 2007).
Creativity and Technology
When considering creativity in todays age, 21st century technologies must also
be considered, as they have rapidly altered teaching and learning (Henriksen, 2016).
The internet and social media have made learning ideas more easy and accessible than
ever before. Creating and sharing ideas and content have presented a flowering
opportunity for students. Technology can enable children with a range of functional
abilities to participate in activities and experiences in inclusive settings (Cicconi, 2014).
For example, Google Docs allows students to collaborate in a modality that allows for
synchronous participation on the project despite location. This has a positive impact on
students learning experience as research has shown that the process of collaborative
writing forces students to become more conscious and articulate about rhetorical
decision-making (Elbow, 2000). The ability to share work on the internet can increase
student motivation and engagement. By incorporating appropriate audience guidance
and mentorship, educators can aid learners in becoming, intentional in their online
experiences (Hicks, 2013, p. 140).
Connection to Project
The literature that I reviewed shows that when students enter the workforce,
many do not have the skills or competencies needed to be successful. The Four Cs
are an initiative to guide educators to develop lessons and curriculum that aim at
engaging students in critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity.
The technology available today provides an opportunity for students to practice
the Four Cs, but a teacher must be willing to be creative and incorporate lessons that
utilize technology to transform lessons. Research shows that students beliefs and
development of their own creativity is partly influenced by role of teachers (Mirsha,
2015). Teachers must show a willingness to try new things, make real-world
connections and use cross-disciplinary approaches (Mirsha, 2015).
As an educator, I feel it a responsibility to provide students with opportunities to
embrace technology and use it to ultimately transform their learning experience. In an
attempt to increase student engagement in lab writing, I have developed a curriculum

that incorporates digital technology and is centered around the Four Cs as outcomes:
critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity. Hand-writing a lab report
section by section has proved to be mundane and disengaging for many students. It is
my intention that this new curriculum will challenge and engage these learners in
different ways. As students partake in this, I know I will feel more confident that they are
developing and practicing the skills that are expected to be successful in todays world.

REFERENCES
American Management Association and Partnership for 21st Century Skills (2010). AMA 2010
Critical Skills Survey. Retrieved from:
http://www.amanet.org/news/AMA-2010-critcal-skills-survey.aspx
Cicconi, M. (2014, January). Vygotsky Meets Technology: A Reinvention of Collaboration in
the Early Childhood Mathematics classroom. Early Childhood Education Journal, 42(1), 5765.
Conley, D. T. (2007). Toward a More Comprehensive Conception of College Readiness.
Eugene, OR. Educational Policy Improvement Center.
Elbow, Peter. Using the Collage for Collaborative Writing. In Everyone Can Write: Essays
Toward a Hopeful Theory of Writing and Teaching Writing. Oxford University Press: 2000 (pp
372-378)
Giroux, H. A., & Schmidt, M. (2004). Closing the achievement gap: A Metaphor for Children
Left Behind. Journal of Educational Change, 5, 213-228.
Henriksen,D., Mishra,P.,& Fisser,P. (2016). Infusing Creativity and Technology in 21st
Century Education: A Systemic View for Change. Educational Technology & Society, 19 (3),
2737.
Hicks, Troy. (2013). Crafting Digital Writing: Composing Texts Across Media and Genre.
Portsmouth, NH. Heinemann Publishing.
Kuenzi, J.J. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education:
Background, Federal Policy, and Legislative Action. (March 21, 2008). Congressional
Research Service Report to Congress. Retrieved from:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33434.pdf
National Science Foundation. (October 30, 2007). National Action Plan for Addressing the
Critical Needs of the U.S. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
System. National Science Board. Retrieved from:
http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/documents/2007/stem_action.pdf
National Education Association. (2007). Preparing 21st Century Students for a Global
Society: An Educator's Guide to the "Four C's" [Brochure]. Author. Retrieved from
http://www.nea.org/assets/docs/A-Guide-to-Four-Cs.pdf

Pink, D. H. (2005). A Whole new mind. New York, NY: Riverhead Books.
Robinson, Ken. Schools Kill Creativity. Speech. TED Talks. Monterey, CA. TED Talks. Web.
16 May 2011. Retrieved from:
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
Seefeldt, Carol. Helping Children Communicate. Early Childhood Today. Scholastic, Sept.
2004. Web. 16 May 2011. Retrieved from: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?
id=3747357.
Sternberg, Robert J. Wisdom, Intelligence, and Creativity Synthesized. Cambridge:
Cambridge UP, 2007.
Surowiecki, James. The Wisdom of Crowds. New York: Anchor, 2005.
The Conference Board, Inc., The Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Corporate Voices for
Working Families, Society for Human Resource Management. Are They Ready to Work?
2006. Retrieved from: http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/FINAL_REPORT_PDF09-2906.pdf
Thoughtful Learning. What are 21st century skills? Retrieved on October 3,2016,
from: https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/FAQ/what-are-21st-century-skills