Most schools don’t teach the
history of educational reform in America; ironically, these
revolutions frequently push our country in new social, economic and political
directions. A report
from the Partnership for
21st Century Skills addresses the need for new competencies among American
students, highlighting geography and geographic themes such as global awareness,
social and cross-cultural skills, and civic literacy.  The Partnership proposes a solution with
(surprise, surprise) educational reform.

The world’s economy and job
market demand workers with an understanding of the universal interconnectivity
between people and places. However, the U.S. government
still hasn’t demanded educational reform that will require this knowledge. The 21^st Century Skills report
makes policy suggestions to globalize core subjects.

Geography can be the common
denominator between all subjects, emphasizing global, critical thinking skills
to complement a basic skills education. Geographic literacy is a crucial foundation
for a competitive economy. Vivek Wadwah from the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School, commented on the importance of the report, and of geography awareness, in this
article from eduweek.org.

Continue reading “Partnership Lists Geography as a Critical 21st Century Skill”