Republic of the Philippines

CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY

PONTEVEDRA CAMPUS
Bailan, Pontevedra, Capiz 5802 Philippines
website: www.capsu.ph email: [email protected]

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ARTS & SCIENCES

Name: JEA ROSE D. ALBA
BSED SCIENCE 3
CRITICAL ANALYSIS 1A
Exploring 21st century skills and learning environment for middle school youth is a study

offered two brief, psychometrically sound measures of 21st century life and career skills and

learning environments that will be useful in developing and monitoring learning opportunities for

children and youth. These growing bodies of research emphasize cognitive and non-cognitive

skills that support youth development and academic success. According to Silva, 2009 instruments

are needed to assess these important characteristics that’s why in this study they assessed the

degree to which students have opportunities to practice 21st century life and career skills in their

learning. Two distinct measures were developed for this study - the 21st Century Life & Career

Skills scale (21C-LCS) and the 21st Century Skills Classroom Environment scale (21C-CE). All

steps for development of the two scales were based on the recommendations of De Vellis (2003).

In this paper, student’s perceptions on their own skills are also being examined in these areas. The

measures were developed and tested using survey data from 262 middle school students.

Exploratory Factor Analysis was used to examine the factorial structure of the measures and

descriptive statistics were used to summarize student perceptions. Results indicated that the 21C-

LCS and the 21C-CE are brief psychometrically sound measures. The 21C-LCS assesses students’

leadership and responsibility; working with others effectively; and, adaptability. The 21C-CE is a

reliable measure of students’ perceptions of the ways in which their classroom environments

support their development of 21st century life and career skills. Students reported moderately high
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
PONTEVEDRA CAMPUS
Bailan, Pontevedra, Capiz 5802 Philippines
website: www.capsu.ph email: [email protected]

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ARTS & SCIENCES

perceptions of their skills in all areas. This study is an important step in measuring 21st century

life and career skills and 21st century learning environments. Researchers, youth development

professionals, educators, and other service providers can utilize these measures in ongoing

investigation, assessment, and progress monitoring to foster and advocate for 21st century life and

career skill development among youth as the measures in this study point, not only to ways of

measurement, but also to operationalized constructs that are useful in articulating 21st century

skills and learning environments to multiple stakeholders.

Internal and external assets have a positive influence on children’s lives as these are define

as or refers to a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits. (Glossary of

education reform, 2016).because of this, it direct us to the idea which is to ensure that the youth

have the skills required to compete and succeed in today’s workforce. However, there are concern

from employers regarding the gap between academic preparation and workforce skills. Wherein,

gives the researchers a lightning-paced, which enables them to come up with the idea to address

this as a problem in education.

Research indicated that youth who had multiple assets were more engaged in school,

demonstrated leadership qualities, participated in fewer risky behaviors, and had greater academic

success (Lerner & Benson, 2003; Murphey, Lamonda, Carney, & Duncan, 2004). At the same

time, there has been a push to ensure youth have the skills required to compete and succeed in

today’s workforce. This push is due to reported concern from employers regarding the gap between

academic preparation and workforce skills (Cassell & Kolstad, 1998; Olson, 2006a; P21, 2008;
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
PONTEVEDRA CAMPUS
Bailan, Pontevedra, Capiz 5802 Philippines
website: www.capsu.ph email: [email protected]

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ARTS & SCIENCES

Sparks & Waits, 2011). So, researchers were able to clearly present a gap/ problems by clarifying

it at the Introduction section of a journal article they succinctly identifies the audience which are

the youth.

Exploring 21st century skills and learning environments for middle school youth is the highlight

of this study. In this sense this paper demonstrate a unique contribution on theories on 21st century

education because this exploratory study were able to develop such instrument to measure 21st

century skills and learning environments that will be useful in developing and monitoring learning

opportunities for youth.

The practical applications of the result of the study in resolving a problem in education is

apparent/evident in the paper because this paper is about the teaching of 21st Century life and career

skills of students which is to prepare them to be career-and-word read. Twenty-first century skills

prepare students to enter the workforce or higher education with the ability to think critically and

creatively, collaborate with others, take initiative when approached with a task, and use technology

to its fullest potential. 21st century skills are important for every students to continue in this modern

era. It is for the reason that if they possesses these skills they are prepared to work in teams, think

critically and effectively about a problem, display leadership and social skills, and communicate

effectively with others.

The overall implication of this paper about the teaching of 21st Century life and career skills of

students is to give an important step in understanding 21st century life and career skills and 21st
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
PONTEVEDRA CAMPUS
Bailan, Pontevedra, Capiz 5802 Philippines
website: www.capsu.ph email: [email protected]

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ARTS & SCIENCES

century learning environments. It will be important to understand the ways in which the 21C-LCS

relates to other existing measures of non-cognitive skills, such as the VIA-Y. Likewise, future

research may utilize other methods to assess 21st century life and career skills, such as through

observation (Singleton & Straits, 2005). It will open to more examination of 21st century learning

environments that is needed. It is likely that other critical aspects of learning environments are

necessary to developing 21st century skills, such as access to technology, physical spaces that

promote individual and group work, and educator professional development on integrating 21st

century skills practice into the classroom.

This study poses implications for practice with children and youth as well. This study provides

tools for school social workers to provide guidance and consultation to school leaders and other

teachers focused on integrating 21st Century skills in the classroom. Finally, social workers in

schools may advocate for policies that support teaching and learning methods that facilitate the

development these skills. Ultimately, enhancing 21st century skills better prepares youth for the

current workforce; thus, these skills may prove vital as youth-serving agencies and organizations

strive to address skill and education gaps evident among children and youth. It is especially

important for school social workers to emphasize a holistic, or whole-child, and approach to youth

development.

The content of the life skills, academic skills, and career skills must be made visible in the daily

life of the school and it shouldn’t just focus on determining the skills of students in all area but

rather should also focus on teacher’s ability and skills as they’re one factor that shape how students
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
PONTEVEDRA CAMPUS
Bailan, Pontevedra, Capiz 5802 Philippines
website: www.capsu.ph email: [email protected]

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ARTS & SCIENCES

perceive the world around them. It’s for the reason that teachers having all the skills that is required

for 21st century could shape how students work cognitively. It is necessary to present a more

attractive assessment to be able to facilitate higher-order thinking skills in students.

This research must be an outcome based, they should have formulate ways on how to

incorporate teaching life skills in the daily life of a students in school. It is for the reason that if

they assimilate life skills they become engaged, educated, and capable of taking responsibility for

themselves and their communities. These abilities do not grow on their own, they must be learned.

While some life skills may be learned through daily experiences at home or at work, they are

insufficient to adequately prepare people for the active roles that they are expected to play in

today's dynamic and diverse society.

In conclusion, Preparing students to be career-and-work ready is a concern of this study. It is true

that 21st century skills prepare students to enter the workforce or higher education with the ability

to think critically and creatively, collaborate with others, take initiative when approached with a

task, and use technology to its fullest potential. If students are not learning the skills needed for

success, it is because educators and schools are not teaching them. When students possess these

skills needed for success, it is because educators and schools are not teaching them. If we could

see and identify that students have these 21st century skills, we could come up to a conclusion that

they are now put together to collaborate with teams, being effective and critical in assessing

problems, communicate effectively with other types of people,a nd of course display leadership

and social skills.

 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
PONTEVEDRA CAMPUS
Bailan, Pontevedra, Capiz 5802 Philippines
website: www.capsu.ph email: [email protected]

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ARTS & SCIENCES

References

Studyo. (2021, July 16). How to develop life skills among students. https://studyo.co/blog/how-to-

develop-life-skills-among-students

The Importance of Teaching 21st-Century Skills to 21st-Century Learners? (n.d.). Experiential

Learning Depot. https://www.experientiallearningdepot.com/experiential-learning-blog/teaching-

21st-century-skills-to-21st-century-learners

Tan, P. (2014, December 19). The Relationship between Classroom Motivation and Academic

Achievement in Elementary-School-Aged Children. Buu.

https://www.academia.edu/9834610/The_Relationship_Between_Classroom_Motivation_and_A

cademic_Achievement_in_Elementary-School-Aged_Children

Broussard, S.C. and Garrison, M.E.B. (2004) the Relationship between Classroom Motivation

and Academic Achievement in Elementary School-Aged Children. Family and Consumer

Sciences Research Journal, 33, 106-120. - References - Scientific Research Publishing. (n.d.).

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id=1735486
 Republic of the Philippines
CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY
PONTEVEDRA CAMPUS
Bailan, Pontevedra, Capiz 5802 Philippines
website: www.capsu.ph email: [email protected]

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, ARTS & SCIENCES