6c critical thinking

The 6 C’s of education

It all started with these 4 C’s of 21st century education: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity. These are the skills that many teachers are familiar with and are already implementing in your classrooms. However, Brian S. Miller suggested the addition of more C’s and introduced the world to the new, augmented concept—the 6 C’s of education. He developed the concept after talking to his colleagues, listening to their suggestions, and studying the materials of education leaders of today. In this post, we’ll take a look at this concept.

The importance of the 6 C’s of education

Before digging deep into the concept, it’s important to highlight the value of these new educational skills. The key purpose of educational institutions is to prepare children for their future jobs. However, the problem educational institutions are facing is that future of today’s children can be so unpredictable.

Jobs we can’t even imagine are created every day. Employers require creative and problem-solving skills plus the ability to adapt to changes. Those new skills and abilities kids can’t polish by solving standardized tests. That’s why teachers need to foster new skills in the classroom—skills of the 6 C’s of education.

6 C’s of Education

Critical thinking.

Critical thinking is the process of filtering, analyzing, and questioning information/content found in various media, and then synthesizing it in a form that offers value to an individual. It allows students to make sense of the presented content and apply it to their daily lives.

Collaboration

Collaboration is the skill of utilizing various personalities, talents, and knowledge in a way to create a maximum outcome. The outcome must provide a benefit to a group or the entire community. Due to synergy, the common outcome has a greater value than the sum of values of each individual outcome. Check how you can sparkle collaboration in your classroom with few easy games.

Communication

Communication is the skill of presenting information in a clear, concise, and meaningful way. It also requires careful listening and successfully articulating thoughts. Communication has various purposes : informing, instructing, motivating, and persuading.

In the 21st century, an individual must be able to create something new or create something in a new way, utilizing the knowledge they have already acquired. It does not just signify art, but also various solutions to a problem in real-life situations. In our recent blog post, we suggest a few methods for fostering creativity in the math classroom .

Citizenship/culture

This is a part where various authors point out different skills. Miller states the culture as one of the key pieces of the 6 C’s, while Michael Fullan features citizenship. When we look closer, they are not so different, and actually, go hand in hand with one another. It is important for an individual to be in touch with everything that surrounds them—both culture and community.

Character education/connectivity

According to Miller, understanding the importance of human connectivity in a world filled with technology is a necessary skill to teach children. Fullan highlights character education as the last C. It includes a school’s commitment to helping young people become responsible, caring, and contributing citizens.

How to foster the 6 C’s in your classroom?

So, how can you implement the 6C’c in your everyday curriculum? How can you inspire your students to start developing their creativity, communication, and critical skills? You can start by trying these few methods, and see how they work for you. Changing traditional teaching ways can be hard, but it’s rewarding to see how your students transform into scholars of the 21st century.

Project-based learning

Project-based learning is probably more closely associated with 21st-century learning skills than any other form of learning. According to Buck Institute for Education, project-based learning is “a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge.”

Within a project, students are involved with a meaningful real-life problem over a defined period of time. Students are required to find a solution to it through a process of asking questions, finding, analyzing, and applying information, as well as employing their creativity skills. Usually, the process also includes decision making, team collaboration, and reviewing for the sake of improving the final solution.

Moving through the process, students develop skills that include problem-solving, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity. It’s important to emphasize that the goal of project-based learning is not to solve the problem, but gaine the aforementioned skills throughout the process of solving the problem.

Genius hour

A Genius hour is another teaching method in the classrooms of the 21st century. The movement refers to a certain amount of time during class that teachers give students to explore their passions . Genius hour originates in Google’s practice of giving the engineers 20 percent of their time to work on any project they want. The idea was simple—give people the freedom to do what they want and their productivity will increase. Since it worked pretty well for Google, why not try it in the classroom?

The crucial part of genius hour is defining a fine line between helping students focus on the problem and letting them explore the topic on their own. While it’s fine to guide them in the beginning, at some point you’ll have to let them work at their own pace and in their own style.

Principles of genius hour

According to Teach Thought, there are six principles of genius hour . Sense of purpose refers to the purpose students find in the topic they choose to explore. Students design their own learning methodology and through inquiry and navigation, students make sense of ideas important to them.

At the end of the day, a genius hour is all about creating something out of the learning process—a new thought, idea, or project. Socialization refers to connections students make with teachers, peers, and members of a community to help them carry out their projects. Lastly, there is an 80/20 rule, which refers to a schedule of time within a curriculum divided between a traditional class and genius hour.

While it’s not important to strictly follow the 80/20 rule, be sure to define a certain amount of time when your students will freely explore their passions. They’ll develop critical thinking skills while exploring the topic, creativity while expressing their new knowledge, and communication skills while highlighting the importance of the knowledge they’ve gained. If you’re looking for genius hour ideas, there’s a Google + community discussing the topic and sharing experiences.

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• The importance of the 6 C’s of education
• 6 C’s of Education
• How to foster the 6 C’s in your classroom?

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Aligning auditoriums with 21st century learning, designing school-based health centers, esports facilities for student engagement, follow our team and work, the six cs of education planning and design.

Across the country, traditional and progressive school districts alike are familiar with the Four Cs of education. Communication, Collaboration, Critical thinking and Creativity have become staples of the 21st century education movement to prepare students for careers in the present and future world.

Now, two decades into the 21st century, we’ve seen social, emotional and mental health issues rise to prominence in our schools and larger society. To address these issues, education must continue to evolve to fully meet the needs of today’s learners.

Renowned educator Michael Fullan introduced two new Cs, Character and Citizenship, as part of his New Pedagogies for Deep Learning . While the Four Cs are still relevant to 21st-century careers, these added Cs represent a new focus on well-being. By creating more meaningful relationships for students with their peers, with their schools and the global community, the Six Cs aim not only for future career success but also for success in every aspect of life.

The Six Cs are at the heart of Fanning Howey’s Learning Ecosystems for Educational Planning (LEEP) process, which explores big ideas in education with school districts. Building on Michael Fullan’s philosophy, we’ve expanded Character to “Compassion and Character”, and Citizenship to “Community and Citizenship” to represent the changing needs of students.

Compassion & character

Compassion and character attribute to a student’s personal effectiveness—their ability to empathize with others and apply that information to their behavior. Often referred to as emotional intelligence, this C is the foundation for creating positive, meaningful relationships. In fact, studies have shown that people with high emotional intelligence have greater mental health and leadership skills throughout life.

Compassion and character have become increasingly important for modern career development too. Emotional intelligence is a baseline requirement for many employers today. The World Economic Forum listed emotional intelligence among the top six skills sought after in the workforce in 2020. In 2015, it didn’t even break the top ten, which attests to its growing importance in every aspect of society.

Community & citizenship

Today’s students are growing up in an increasingly connected world. This connectivity brings with it a greater responsibility than past generations to think like global citizens. Community and citizenship help students to develop a sense of purpose through these connections, and ultimately strive to contribute to the betterment of the world.

For example, students may focus on real-world issues like sustainability to put learning in a tangible, immediate and measurable context. This exercise in global thinking also develops complex problem solving skills, the most important workforce skill needed for 2025 according to World Economic Forum.

A balanced approach

The addition of these new Cs isn’t meant to overshadow the original four; they are included to create a comprehensive, well-rounded education focused on life success. Balance is the key—no two school districts are the same, and each requires a different approach to learning environments. The purpose of our LEEP process is to identify which Cs a school district is developing well, which need improvement, and how learning environments can support them to prepare students for successful lives. After all, the goal of education shouldn’t be to create good workers—it should be to create good people.

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What’s the Buzz: The 6C’s

Author: Ruth Okoye | Posted: August 27, 2019 Categories: What's the Buzz | Tags: collaboration , creativity , frameworks , global citizenship

One framework that I really like is Michael Fullan’s Deep Learning or the 6 Cs . With the goal of enabling educated people to be able to solve problems and “deal with life”, these six skills (character education, citizenship, creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking) are crucial to education. Research tells us that when technology is used to facilitate Deep Learning (or the 6Cs), the result transforms teaching and learning.  Let’s take a moment to unpack these skills and look for strategies to use.

Character Education includes the ideas of building resilience, empathy, confidence, and well being. Rather than making “character ed” another subject to teach, there are several ways that these concepts can be included in everyday processes and procedures in the classroom.  In a previous blog post, Katy Garvey suggested that we use circles as a classroom routine to build relationships within the school community. Sharon Hall’s post suggests that we use the concept of legacy as a catalyst for character discussions. An Edutopia article that I read recently suggests that students write their end-of-year legacy at the beginning of the year to help them with character goals. 

Citizenship in this framework involves the notions of global knowledge, cultural respect, and environmental awareness.  One way to approach this would be to help students understand the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and/or Human Rights Day . There are many suggested ideas and resources for teaching the SDGs at the TeachSDGs website . I think one of the easiest strategies is to look at a curated book list and integrate a book or two into a lesson where appropriate. 

Communication skills defined as “getting students to apply their oral work, listening, writing, and reading in varied contexts” are easy to encourage.  Lesson ideas in this area are plentiful including, “ Teaching your students to have a conversation” and “ Teaching communication skills ”.  A wonderful tool for students to use to create projects that allow them to practice their communications skills is Microsoft Sway , which is device agnostic and free.  If you are not familiar with Sway, take a look at the archive for our Sway Cool Student Projects workshop. In the session, we shared how to create project ideas that help students practice communication.

Designing and managing projects which address specific problems and arrive at solutions using appropriate and diverse tools is the essence of Critical-Thinking . This idea is not new to you if you are familiar with design thinking . TeachersFirst has a curated list of tech tools and websites that would be helpful as you plan lessons that include this type of critical-thinking in them. 

Collaboration or working in teams so students can learn with/from others is a strategy that most can agree is necessary for our students.  One of my favorite tools for quick collaboration is Twiddla ( reviewed here ).  Along with Google Docs Suite and Microsoft’s Office Online, here is a list of additional free tools that can be used to practice collaborative work strategies. Be sure to try the tools out with a friend before you use them with students.  Many times you’ll learn tips about collaborative work that your students might need to know in advance. One tip you may not know is that you shouldn’t “undo” when working collaboratively in a Google doc. It reverses what was last saved…which could be some other student’s work.  

Developing qualities like enterprise, leadership, innovation are part of creativity and imagination . One strategy to promote these skills is including maker activities in your instruction . You might also help your students learn about young inventors, as suggested in this blog post.  

If you’ve tried any of these ideas or strategies, let us know how they worked for you by leaving a comment below.

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About the author: ruth okoye.

Dr. Ruth Okoye is the Director of K12 Initiatives at The Source for Learning. As a long-time technology coach, Ruth shares ideas and strategies for professional learning and thoughts on how to motivate yourself to “dig deeper” into educational technologies. View all posts by Ruth Okoye

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6 C’s of Education / 21st Century Competencies / Growth Mindset Lessons – Social Emotional Learning SEL that isn’t babyish!

6 Cs of Education – Mar 1, 2024 Update – Social Emotional Learning SEL that isn’t babyish. Use this Growth Mindset / 21st Century Competencies Bundle to shift student attitudes towards learning.

Here are 90+ lesson plans you can use throughout the year to teach Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in a meaningful way for older students.

No cheesy videos for your students to roll their eyes at. This is real-world social emotional learning.

Explore the 6 Cs of Education, Social-Emotional Learning Skills, and 21st Century Competencies.

Social Emotional Learning that isn’t Babyish!

The pandemic put a spotlight on student mental health and resilience.

The challenge is that a lot of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs are targeted towards younger grades.

Here are a set of 90+ lessons developing Social Emotional Learning Skills using real world examples.

(No fake acting, cheesy videos in here!)

These 21st Century Learning Skills (Character, Citizenship, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking) help us overcome academic challenges, as well, as personal challenges, temptations, and struggles.

Hello, ChatGPT…

How to help students learn for themselves in a World with ChatGPT

In today’s educational landscape, ChatGPT has emerged as a powerful learning tool, as well as a potential means for cheating. However, it is just the beginning of a new era.

Very soon, Google is set to unveil Project Magi, their own version of ChatGPT, essentially incorporating Artificial Intelligence into Google Search.

Nevertheless, it’s crucial to acknowledge that the current Google Search has displayed sexist tendencies due to human bias, as evident in this ChatGPT lesson . Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that ChatGPT may also develop discriminatory behaviors owing to human biases.

Now, let’s explore some responses to ChatGPT that are likely to fall short:

• Merely asking students not to plagiarize or cheat using ChatGPT won’t work. It triggers the “don’t think about pink elephants” effect, ultimately leading them to focus on the forbidden act.
• Implementing an outright ban on ChatGPT is not a sustainable solution. Students will inevitably find ways to access it on personal devices or from home, rendering the ban ineffective.
• Encouraging students to “think critically” about information obtained from ChatGPT alone is inadequate. Even when we acknowledge the need for critical thinking with information from Google Search, the example of the sexist result demonstrates that biased information might elude our scrutiny.

The truth is, if we fail to comprehend how to use ChatGPT as a tool effectively, we put ourselves at a competitive disadvantage.

(Would your students agree? Check out this segment of the ChatGPT video lesson at 9:20 .)

• Think about the difference between obtaining information from an encyclopedia at the library versus utilizing the internet at home.
• Or, what about the difference between harvesting grain by hand versus using a combine harvester tractor?
• How about building a house with a hammer versus a nail gun?

To address the challenges posed by ChatGPT, we need to embrace change. And, that’s scary!

What if we prioritize developing social-emotional learning skills and 6Cs Competencies among our students?

• Encourage self-awareness of their abilities, strengths, and needs.
• Promote self-control to make ethical decisions, including abstaining from using ChatGPT unethically.
• Cultivate perseverance, grit, and tenacity to do what is right.
• Nurture resilience to bounce back stronger when faced with setbacks.
• Empower students to become active contributors to their communities, both physical and digital.
• Encourage them to stand up for others and voice their concerns when they identify wrongdoing or misdirection.
• Educate students about the inner workings of ChatGPT, emphasizing the risks associated with curated information and personalized results.
• Envision ChatGPT as a robot companion and explore how to develop new understandings collaboratively, transcending initial knowledge boundaries.
• Engage students in activities where ChatGPT serves as a revising and editing partner in a creative writing class, fostering genuine collaboration that sparks the creation of novel ideas.
• Teach students how to effectively convey their thoughts, particularly in emotionally charged situations.
• Enable them to be assertive rather than aggressive, passive, or passive-aggressive.
• Demonstrate how ChatGPT can assist in crafting clear messages, and encourage students to pose questions to ChatGPT to improve their communication skills.
• Develop students’ ability to make well-informed decisions using reliable information.
• Encourage active pursuit of information that supports opposing viewpoints.
• Introduce criteria-based decision-making techniques.
• Emphasize that evaluating information from ChatGPT is no different from scrutinizing information from social media, mainstream media, friends, or family. Explore this aspect in the ChatGPT video lesson at 52:42.
• Highlight that creativity extends beyond artistic talent, encompassing the generation of new ideas and innovative solutions.
• Encourage students to connect their life experiences and knowledge in novel ways.
• Surprise your students by showcasing ChatGPT’s ability to engage in creative writing. For instance, requesting ChatGPT to deliver a persuasive speech from the perspective of a pet dog. Explore this in the video lesson at 13:55.

It’s important to note that this bundle does not explicitly focus on ChatGPT, except for the UNIT KICK-OFF lesson: “ Should ChatGPT Be Allowed In Schools (or is this cheating? ).” This aspect means the resources in this bundle are timeless and applicable beyond ChatGPT.

In reality, ChatGPT is merely one of the obstacles our students will encounter in their educational journey.

Change is an inevitable part of life, and learning how to adapt to change is a superpower.

By equipping students with the ability to learn and adapt, we empower them to navigate any future challenges they may face. (Discover more in the ChatGPT video introduction lesson at 2:54 .)

By not fixating on ChatGPT in every lesson, this resource becomes a versatile tool that can be used every year, regardless of the next global issue that arises.

Prepare your students for a future where learning skills go hand in hand with the tools at their disposal.

Together, let’s embrace the potential of ChatGPT while nurturing the essential skills that will empower our students to thrive in the 21st century.

Disagree with my take on ChatGPT and Education?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Lots of people think it’s absolutely wrong to allow ChatGPT in schools.

• Leave a comment about why I’m wrong (or right) on this facebook post .
• Tell me if this experiment can detect a liberal bias in ChatGPT.

The world has changed. Have we changed the way we teach?

Let’s talk about social-emotional learning skills and life skills to help us deal with a changing world.

You can call them:

• 6 C’s of Deep Learning,
• 21st Century Competencies,
• New Pedagogies for Deep Learning (NPDL), or
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) skills.

Basically, they’re transferrable skills, competencies, and attitudes that help students survive and thrive.

Plus, as you teach and explore with your students, you might find the 6Cs shift the way you view life.

(The 6 Cs of Education / NPDL helped save my life during some dark times .)

Why do we need these 6 Competencies in Education?

Because things constantly change at school, in relationships, and in life. (Covid and Russia’s war in Ukraine are some recent examples.)

SEL is just good teaching. Teachers have done it for years, no matter what you call it.

Here’s a bundle of resources to help you save prep time.

Edit the files to fit the terms used at your school.

(Google Docs, Google Slides, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Powerpoint)

Which of these phrases are used in your learning communities?

• Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
• Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset
• The 6 Cs of Education (or 4 Cs or 7 Cs…)
• New Pedagogies for Deep Learning
• 21st Century Competencies…

If you’re doing New Pedagogies for Deep Learning, save hours of prep by introducing your students to NPDL with this Growth Mindset 21st-Century Skills Mega Bundle.

This is a great starting point for conversation.

It’s not the endpoint for your NPDL journey.

What are the 6 C’s of Education for the 21st Century?

The Six Cs of Education are a set of core competencies that students need to survive and thrive in an ever-changing global world.

The 6 Cs are Character, Citizenship, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking.

Education leaders feel “a small number of academic and personal/interpersonal qualities and capabilities” are key to helping students.

You can read more about the 6 Cs and New Pedagogies for Deep Learning in Michael Fullan & Geoff Scott’s whitepaper here: Education Plus – A Whitepaper, July 2014 .

The world has changed.

The world is not an easy place.

• People disagree.
• Things can be unfair.
• Life can be tough.
• ChatGPT has changed the game.
• We need to create solutions that we’ve never thought of before…

And that’s just in school staff meetings!

(Hello, staffing assignments, school covid policies, office politics, bureaucracy, educracy, standardized tests, toxic positivity gaslighting, and worrying about ChatGPT being the ultimate cheating tool…)

The real world outside of the class is an even crazier place!

It seems every day brings another opportunity to explore how 21st Century Competencies can help our students get through tough times.

• The pandemic showed us how quickly things can change.
• George Floyd and a spotlight on racism remind us that the world does not treat everyone the same.
• The war in Ukraine has global impacts.
• Not everyone agrees. January 6, 2021 and Freedom Convoy 2022 are clear examples of this.
• ChatGPT only launched in November 2022, and already it’s changed things. Should schools allow ChatGPT in the classroom? Or, is this an epic mistake?!

Does the way we teach empower students with skills, attitudes, and mindsets to deal with the unknown?

Are we teaching students to become good workers?

TEACHING TIP: Before we immediately jump on the schools-are-outdated-and-need-individual-learning bandwagon, check out this counterpoint of view about the Invented History of the Factory Model of Education .

Is algorithmic work-at-your-own-pace individual learning the solution?

Maybe. Maybe not.

…we’ve invented a history of “the factory model of education” in order to justify an “upgrade” – to new software and hardware that will do much of the same thing schools have done for generations now, just (supposedly) more efficiently, with control moved out of the hands of labor (teachers) and into the hands of a new class of engineers, out of the realm of the government and into the realm of the market. Source: Hack Education : The History of the Future of Education Technology

The world continues to change.

Change is hard. It seems like every day, the rules are changing:

• online learning – when we had to figure out how to use Zoom, Google Meet, Skype and other video conferencing software
• in-person learning with physical distancing – when we’re back in our classrooms, but we have to stay 2 meters / 6 feet apart!?
• now, things are “ back to normal ” but, are they? ChatGPT is a new robot friend who seems neutral… but can give silly or incorrect answers that lead us in the wrong direction.

It’s hard for us as adults.

But it’s equally hard for students. Maybe even harder. Do students have less power and control over their lives compared to adults?

Now is a great time to teach transferable life skills as we teach “the curriculum.”

The 6cs of Deep Learning and 21st Century Learning isn’t just for homeroom or advisory teachers.

It’s for everyone teaching elementary, middle, or high school.

Life skills are something we can consciously embed into our day-to-day teaching. (Not just the teachable moments when they arise – although those are important, too!)

And these transferrable skills help us with overcoming challenges: like the current pandemic, or you know, the next global challenge…

Check out the Mega Bundle to save you time and money.

Want to know why I’m so passionate about teaching 21st Century Learning Skills ? Because they helped save my life .

By the way, if what you’ve read so far really speaks to your way of teaching you should consider becoming an SEOTpreneur.

• Having a side gig as a teacher (i.e. selling teaching resources) is the ultimate authentic 21st century learning task for teachers.
• It’s not easy. But, I believe we can achieve pedagogical and cultural paradigm shift through teacher entrepreneurial adventure.
• Curious? Watch this video .

Teaching in the “new normal”

Since we’re in a “new normal”, let’s wonder how else we could prepare our students for the future.

Watch the video .

Are our students ready for the 21st Century?

We live in a global world connecting people and places in ways that we can’t even imagine.

(And, that’s even after seeing what the pandemic can do!)

Life today is different from when we were growing up.

I remember…

• life before the internet.
• dial-up internet and dot-matrix printers.
• a world before social media. (Even before MySpace!)
• when cell phones were gigantic bricks
• before you could ask your robot friend ChatGPT to summarize a text or do some creative writing for you…

And I’m in my 40s. I taught in a grade 8 classroom for over 12 years.

If I look around the staff room, there are teachers older than me and teachers younger than me.

• Some of my teaching colleagues tell me about a world where television was black and white.
• Some of my teaching colleagues never had to watch a TV show because it aired at a specific time. (This was before Wandavision.)

Teachers, like everybody else, have unconscious bias.

Unconscious bias is a thing.

It’s like an invisible lens that colors the way we see things. (Check out lessons 3-6 in this critical thinking package .)

Teachers are humans. We teach:

• what we know
• from when we grew up,
• and, we don’t want to change. (Most people don’t.)

But, we can also recognize our unconscious bias!

We can be lifelong learners. We can work on the skills and competencies that our students need to have to thrive in the global unknown.

We got this!

Let’s teach using the 6 Cs of Education.

• Instead of focusing on only teaching knowledge and content for tests,
• let’s focus on teaching transferable life skills and a growth mindset to explore the curriculum .

It’s a subtle difference, but it makes all of the difference.

I guess the real question is how might we help our students build a foundation to deal with the unknown?

(As opposed to how might we help students to excel at memorizing definitions and passing standardized tests?)

What are 21st Century Global Competencies?

21st Century Global Competencies and 21st Century Global Skills revolve around preparing our students to thrive in life (and not just survive or get by.)

Although we often use 21st Century Competencies and 21st Century Skills interchangeably, some people who have spent a lot of time thinking about this issue want us to know that Competencies and Skills are different things.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organization that works to build policies that result in better lives.

They have an executive summary defining and selecting key global competencies. Here’s how they define 21st Century Global Competencies:

A competency is more than just knowledge and skills. It involves the ability to meet complex demands, by drawing on and mobilising psychosocial resources (including skills and attitudes) in a particular context. For example, the ability to communicate effectively is a competency that may draw on an individual’s knowledge of language, practical IT skills and attitudes towards those with whom he or she is communicating. OECD, The Definition and Selection of Key Competencies Executive Summary. Link

Bottom Line: We need to do more than just teach content. We also need to think about how are we helping prepare students to be successful in life – whether that’s in a competitive global reality, or in our local communities.

So, it’s not just what we teach, but how we teach – and thinking about the “soft skills” that work both in the classroom and outside in the “real world”.

(Want an authentic 21st-century challenge for teachers? Try selling on TpT . Then wonder how to bring in a real-world challenge to teach “the curriculum” to your students.)

At my school, we don’t call them 6 Cs of Education. We call them something else.

Yup. I hear you.

Potato, potato, tomato, tomato. (Check out this 6 C’s Challenge Task that addresses this very issue.)

In my school board, the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, we called them the 6 Cs of Education, “NPDL” (New Pedagogies for Deep Learning,) or 21st Century Competencies.

But other places refer to them as 4Cs, 5Cs, or 7 Cs of Education.

There are differences and similarities.

(The province of Ontario was moving towards redesigning learning skills on their report card to reflect these six competencies. In 2015, the Ontario government published a fantastic document called the 21st Century Competencies Foundation Document for Discussion . (The PDF is posted on Edugains ). You can also check out a 2017 draft description of transferable skills that would have had teachers reporting on the 6 Cs.)

But, depending on where you are, you might know these 6Cs as

• 21st Century Global SKILLS or
• 21st Century Global COMPETENCIES .

(Same, same, but different.)

In your part of the world, you may be teaching your students about the

• 4 Cs of 21st Century Learning (Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, Critical Thinking)
• or the 7 C Skills (Cross Cultural Understanding, Career and Learning Self-Reliance, Computing and ICT Literacy, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Creativity and Innovation , Communication, Information and Media Literacy.)

Maybe you talk about 21st Century Skill Clusters (Career and Learning Self-Reliance, Digital Age, Effective Communication, Inventive Thinking, High Productivity)

Or, maybe you just talk about the 6 Cs of Education.

It doesn’t matter if you call them 21st Century skills or 6 C’s of Education…

They’re all about teaching students essential 2021 life skills through our classroom program..

Essentially, the 6 C’s of Education are a bunch of transferable 21st Century competencies that you can use at school, at home, at a job… pretty much anywhere. Now, and in the future.

The world is changing and we need to help our student develop skills, strategies, and a growth mindset that will help them to be successful in the 21st century.

Covid-19 was an unexpected twist that showed how interconnected our world really is. There are no easy solutions to this real-world problem.

But, the reality is there will be other unexpected problems and obstacles. Whether we’re talking about global problems, local problems, or personal problems, I think we can all agree that the future is unknown.

A Growth Mindset is a key component of these 6 Cs. We need to encourage growth mindsets in our students through our lessons as we deliver the curriculum.

What are the 6 Cs of Education?

Here are the 6 Cs of Education:

• Citizenship
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Creativity (and innovation)
• Critical Thinking

The 6 Cs represent a major paradigm shift in education. (They are also called 21st century skills, 21st Century Competencies, new pedagogies for deep learning.)

Usually when we teach, we focusing on “teaching the curriculum.” We focus on content, knowledge, and what students can memorize.

With the 6 C’s of Education, we focus on skills and attitudes. So, school doesn’t become a place to learn facts. It becomes a place to learn how to live.

Check out my keynote speech about a Paradigm shift in Education.

What can students learn by using the 6 C’s?

These learning skills can be used to explore facts and ideas in the curriculum.

But, the six Cs can also help us in life. Students can learn:

• Subject-based content at school
• How to navigate the relationships in our lives. This includes personal relationships with family. But, it can also include romantic relationships, and how we interact with people at work.
• Ways to achieve our dreams and goals.
• How to deal with change. Covid-19 shut down cities and countries. We never saw that coming!
• to respond to an unfair world like where George Floyd’s death shines a spotlight on systemic racism.
• grit and tenacity to keep going when we face impossible obstacles.

What is NPDL (New Pedagogies for Deep Learning)

New Pedagogies for Deep Learning (NPDL) is a movement to shift the way we teach.

“To foster deep learning so that all learners contribute to the common good, address global challenges and flourish in a complex world.” Source: New Pedagogies for Deep Learning – a global partnership website https://deep-learning.global/

They are currently in over 1300 schools in 8 countries. NPDL works with “clusters” (networks of schools) to build knowledge and practices that develop deep learning and foster whole system change. (You can read more about it here .)

In other words, the school boards does professional development (PD) with their teachers to try to get teachers to shift the way they teach.

It’s called “DEEP learning” as opposed to the traditional way of memorizing facts and teaching from the textbook.

Like any pedagogical movements, some teachers jump on board right away while others resist change. Because, let’s be honest. Teaching is rewarding, but tough. So much to do with too little time.

I had the opportunity to participate in some NPDL teacher training workshops in the OCDSB.

I love the 6 Cs of Education and NPDL. The 6 Cs helped save my life . ▶️  video

The problem if you’re new to teaching the 6Cs of NPDL is that you have to entirely shift the way you teach to do a “NPDL project”

In the beginning, it becomes an “add-on” to what you’re already doing in the classroom. Something you have to squeeze into your already jam packed program.

Not only do you have to teach a NPDL unit, but you also have to explain the 6 Cs to your students.

That’s where this unit comes in. It helps set the stage for your students to jump into their NPDL project.

• Introduce the concept of the 6 Cs to your class (and have them co-create rubrics for each of the 6 Cs)
• Explicitly give your students time to explore each of the 6 Cs as needed: character , citizenship , collaboration , communication , creativity , and critical thinking .

Now that your students know a little bit about the 6Cs, you have a head start on doing the NPDL project that your school district wants you to “create” and “do”

• With your class / school / cluster / network of teachers come up with your own 6 Cs / NPDL project.

Why am I so passionate about teaching 21st Century Learning Skills (6 C’s)?

Because they helped save my life., why we need 21st century learning skills – a case study.

I had a mental health crisis when I was a Grade 8 Teacher at Longfields Davidson Heights Secondary School in Ottawa, Canada.

I taught Grade 8 for over 13 years and I loved it. Teaching was my passion. People would ask me when I was going to head down the road and become a principal. The reality is, I loved tinkering in my classroom laboratory and I didn’t want to give that up to become an administrator. Teaching was life.

Then, something happened at my school, and I am no longer fit to teach in the classroom. But, my story doesn’t end here.

My mental health crisis doesn’t end in tragedy. You won’t read about me in the newspapers. (Wait… are there still newspapers? Scratch that. You won’t see me on your news feed…)

I am choosing to write my own narrative and choose my own path.

Part of that path means recognizing that I choose my mindset. I can have a fixed mindset and believe that I can’t change. Or, I can have a growth mindset and as hard as it seems, try to find a way to make the worst moment of my life into the greatest moment.

Thinking, learning and creating lesson plans about 21st Century competencies is helping me to develop skills and attitudes to take the worst moment of my life, and somehow figure out how to turn it into the best moment in my life.

I’m sharing this story with the world because sometimes, when it comes to mental health, we are surrounded by a single story of violence and tragedy.

We get a skewed view of reality because we are bombarded by sensational stories – in the media, on social media, and sometimes, even in school plays.

Novelist Chimamanda Adichie talks about the danger of a single story in her TED talk. We create a single story when we

“…show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become… The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.” Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, The Danger of a Single Story

It is often easier to talk about physical health than mental health. It’s easier to talk about our daughter breaking her leg while playing hockey rather than talking about our son who has depression and attempted suicide.

So, then, we don’t share our stories about mental health. Our stories of struggle, our stories of resilience, and our stories of accepting a new normal.

In the silence, then, the only stories we do hear about are about shootings, suicide, and tragedy.

The reality is, we need a balance of stories.

Ultimately, we need to reject the single story that extreme bullying leads to extreme violence and that mental health crisis leads to tragedy.

I share my story of struggle in the hopes that it helps someone else get through theirs.

There’s never a good time to stand up and be counted. But, I posted my video about what happened to me during Mental Health Awareness Month. I wanted to take the opportunity to get real and get loud about mental health .

• 0:00 – Warning. This video discusses depression and violence. It may not be appropriate for all viewers.
• 0:42 – What is Mindset? Fixed Mindset vs #GrowthMindset
• 2:00 – Four levels of strategies
• 4:47 – 21st Century Learning Competencies / Skills
• 5:35 – We are surrounded by a single story of violence
• 5:53 – What happened to me at LDHSS
• 9:51 – We need a balance of stories. Why we need to get real and get loud about mental health

The thing about school is that we create a learning environment where if you have a question, you raise your hand and someone gives you the answer.

So, what do our students do when they finish school and have to figure out the answers to open-ended problems where no one knows what the best answer is?

And, that’s why we need to embed 21st Century Learning Skills into our classroom programs.

So our students can take these transferrable skills and attitudes and apply them to un-googleable problems.

90 lessons to help teachers explore the 6Cs of Education and teach transferable 21st Century Learning Skills

This unit is not designed to replace all of the hard work that you’ll have to do in your class and school. Discovering how to incorporate 21st Century Global Competencies into the DNA of your lessons is an ongoing process.

Instead, these 90 lessons are a starting point for conversation.

You can modify, edit, adapt all of the materials.

Each Chapter package focuses on a different “C” and contains different lessons, slides, videos, and handouts.

Although I’ve used the same structure in each chapter (activity, video, consolidation / vocabulary building), there is no overlap of content between the 6 Cspackages.

Lessons can be purchased individually, or you can purchase the entire unit at a discount . Visit the Educircles TpT store for more information.

• Unit Overview
• Intro: Fun Ice Breakers
• Chapter 1. Character (8 lessons)
• Chapter 2. Citizenship (8 lessons)
• Chapter 3. Collaboration (8 lessons)
• Chapter 4. Communication (12 lessons)
• Chapter 5. Creativity (14 lessons)
• Chapter 6. Critical Thinking (24 lessons)
• The Ultimate Growth Mindset Class Challenge (16 lessons)
• MEGA BUNDLE (all of the above and more)

Exploring the 6 Cs of Education Unit – Overview Lesson Plan

Exploring the 6 Cs of Education is a great way to kick off the new school year or school term.

UNIT BIG IDEA

By the end of this unit, students will be able to

• Character ,
• Citizenship ,
• Collaboration ,
• Communication ,
• Creativity , and
• Critical Thinking.
• Analyze the similarities and differences between the 6 Cs of Education .
• Analyze how the 6 Cs are interconnected but separate at the same time. (Compare and contrast.)

CURRICULUM LINKS

The six Cs are a great way to connect to character education and learning skills .

Depending on where you teach, you may be able to connect it to the English Language Arts curriculum as well. Some possible connections to the Grade 8 Language Arts Ontario Curriculum are made below to give you ideas:

• Active Listening Strategies (ONT LA 1.2): demonstrate an understanding of appropriate listening behaviour by adapting active listening strategies to suit a wide variety of situations, including work in groups (e.g. follow the conversation and make relevant contributions in a group discussion…)
• Making Inferences / Interpreting Messages (ONT LA 1.2) Interpret increasingly complex or difficult media texts, using overt and implied messages as evidence for their interpretations.
• Vocabulary (ONT LA 3.3): Confirm spellings and word meanings or word choice using a variety of resources appropriate for the purpose.
• PowerPoint slideshow (Make sure required fonts are installed or it may look weird. See Read Me note for help.)

LESSON PLAN

Unit overview (slides 1, 2).

In the next unit, we’re going to be exploring something called the six “C’s.

The 6 Cs are a bunch of skills that you can use at school, at home, at a job… pretty much anywhere.

They’re learning skills that some people think you’re going to need to be successful in the 21st century.

This year, you’re going to be learning a lot of stuff in class. You’re going to be learning about English, Math, Science, Geography, Phys Ed, Art, Music, etc etc.

• The provincial / state curriculum tells us what you’re going to learn at school.
• The 6 Cs are about HOW to learn and do things.

The 6 Cs are things that everyone can do and should do. And, if you can start to learn and develop these skills at school, you’ll find you can apply them at home, in relationships, now, and in the future.

Today’s lesson is just an overview of what we’re going to be doing for the next few weeks. I’m going to give you a road map so you know where we’re headed. (Sometimes, if students know what they’re going to be learning, it helps them to put things together.)

Each of the “C”s is in one of these hexagon icons. (Get it? 6 Cs… six sides… hexagon…)

• Character (RED)
• Citizenship (ORANGE)
• Collaboration (YELLOW)
• Communication (GREEN)
• Creativity (BLUE)
• Critical Thinking (PURPLE)

In this unit, I’ve colour coded the hexagons. Pssst. Think rainbow.

• Actually, the rainbow metaphor is kind of cool because white light is composed of different colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet.
• And, just like white light, if you combine all 6 Cs, all of these learning skills, you’ll find that you can see better and do better.
• It’s easier to do things if you’re not running around in the dark.

You’ll notice there’s a lot of overlap between the 6 Cs and activities in this introduction. That’s because they’re all interconnected.

• It doesn’t really matter which “C” we start with but just for fun, we’re going to go alphabetically and spend some time looking at each “C”.
• You might find that when we do an activity, it reminds you of a different “C” than the one we’re focusing on. That’s ok. You can do one activity and find different “C”s that connect with it.

Teacher Tip: So, if your class has a favourite activity, feel free to use it again but with a different conversation focus.

Big Picture (slides 3, 4)

Here’s the big picture for what we will be learning in this unit.

Each “lesson” may take one class, or several classes, depending on the class, how interactive they are, and how long the periods are.

• For example, “Lesson 1” might take 6 classes – one class for each “C”.
• TEACHER TIP: You can switch around the order of the 6 Cs to meet your needs, or your school learning plan.

Lessons 2-7 look at each “C” one by one and each lesson has 3 parts: an activity, a video, and a vocabulary worksheet. Each of these parts could easily be a class onto itself. At the very end, there is a review.

• TEACHER TIP: You can add an assessment component to this, if you like.  

The first lesson is an overview of all 6 Cs. We will be doing an activity for each C to give you a taste of what that C is about.

Your job as we go through each C is to think about

• What each C has in common? (So, what does “character have in common with citizenship”?)
• How the Cs are different from each other? (So, what’s the difference between “collaboration” and “communication”?)

Lesson structure: experience, watch, understand each of the 6 Cs (slides 5,6)

The next six lessons give you a deeper understanding of each “C” one at a time.

Each lesson actually has 3 parts and all of the lessons follow the same format:

• The first part is to experience the “C” (so, creativity, critical thinking, etc.)
• The second part is to watch the “C”
• And the last part is to develop a deeper understanding of the “C”

What does this actually mean?

During the first part, we’re going to do an activity that helps us experience that “C” We do this because some of the Cs are hard to explain. (Like what’s the difference between collaboration and communication.)

So, an activity can help us figure out what the word means. (Like, I kind of know what critical thinking is… but, wait, what’s the difference between just regular thinking and “critical” thinking?) So, the activity gives us an idea of what the “C” is all about.

Next, we’re going to watch a video.

• Sometimes, seeing a video clip helps us to figure out what the concept is.
• Different people learn in different ways, so this might help some of us to get a better understanding of that “C”

Finally, we’re going to play with the word to get a really good understanding of what the “C” is all about.

We’re going to use a graphic organizer to …

• play with our understanding of the “C” by brainstorming facts about the topic,
• clarify our understanding of the word by coming up with non-examples, and then
• communicate a more concise understanding of what the “C” means…  
• and figure out which characteristics are the most essential to the “C” …

At the very end, we’re going to review the question we asked at the very begin with the introduction lesson:

• What do the 6 C’s have in common?
• How are the 6 C’s different from each other?

In other words, how are they interconnected with each other, but really separate at the same time? Some very smart people in the world came up with these 6 C’s. (Not me) These are the skill sets they think we need to survive and thrive in the 21st century – anywhere in the world.

So, even though there are times when it seems like the Cs are the same thing (like communication and collaboration), it’s our job during this unit to try to figure out how they’re similar, but different at the same time.

The last unit is going to be an overview and review.

TEACHER TIP: You may choose to do an assessment at the end.

LESSON PLAN – REVIEW QUESTIONS

Let’s recap and see if you were paying attention!

1. What are the 6 “C”s?

• Character , Citizenship , Collaboration , Communication , Creativity , and Critical Thinking .
• Bonus question: Does the order matter? (No. Most activities can connect with multiple Cs, but we’re doing them in alphabetical order just for fun / to have structure to this unit.)

2. What is the guiding question we need to think about as we go through the mini lessons on the 6 “C”s?

• Similarities and differences between the 6 C’s.

3. What are the three parts of each mini lesson?

• Activity to experience the C.
• Watch a video to learn about the C in a different way
• Play with the word using a graphic organizer to get a better understanding of the C.

4. Why do three different things?

• D ifferent people learn in different ways. So, the first way is active / kinesthetic, the second way is visual, and the third way is logical / verbal.

5. What is the review question that we’ll use to reflect back on the unit?

• How are the 6 Cs interconnected , but separate at the same time?

DOWNLOAD THIS RESOURCE : (FREE) Exploring the 6 Cs Unit Overview Lesson

Exploring the 6 Cs – Lesson 1 Fun Activities and Icebreakers Intro

This lesson is a great way to introduce the 6 cs of education learning skills to your students and to set the tone for a year of growth mindset and perseverence:.

The 6 Cs are a bunch of transferable skills that you can use at school, at home, at a job… pretty much anywhere. They’re learning skills that some people think our students are going to need in order to be successful in the 21st century.

This lesson includes 6 fun icebreakers to play with your class during the first weeks of school. 

In this package, you get over a week’s worth of lessons to do (6 periods of material). Each ice breaker is intended to fill one period of instruction. Each icebreaker lesson includes:

• an explanation for teachers of how the icebreaker connects to one of the 6 C’s.
• a description of the activity for students,
• discussion questions and teacher talking points to guide conversation

Here are the six icebreakers we carefully selected to line up with the 6 Cs of Education.

• Character (Human Knot)
• Citizenship (Switch Spots if you…)
• Collaboration (Human Shapes)
• Communication (Line Up)
• Creativity  (Boggle Brainstorm)
• Critical Thinking (Build a Tower)

There are lots of ways you could use these 6 Cs Introduction Icebreakers with your students:

• Homeroom teachers could do one of these activities at the end of every day during the first week of September.
• Literacy teachers could do these activities at the start of the term and collect some diagnostic information about their students abilities in oral communication and group work.
• At a morning assembly, after the Principal welcomes back the students, do the Six C unit overview presentation to introduce the 6 Cs to the student body. (The Unit Overview lesson is provided for free here: https://educircles.org/resources/exploring-the-six-cs-unit-overview-lesson/
• Students could then visit 6 workshop stations throughout the day.
• Each workshop would focus on one of the 6 Cs and could use the icebreakers from this package.
• The teacher running the workshop would use the lesson plan to teach the “C” to different groups of students throughout the day. (Using the lesson plan from this package means teachers don’t have to prepare anything new for the first day event. All of the materials will be provided to them. That way, they can focus on preparing their material for their own classes.)
• During the rest of the week, literacy teachers or homeroom teachers could do deeper conversations of the 6 Cs with their classes. (But, a consistent and systematic initial overview of the 6 Cs would be provided to all students on the first day.)

When you download the zipped file, it includes:

• A Microsoft Powerpoint (PPT) file (that you can modify)
• A link to the Google Slideshow file (that you can copy and modify)
• A 23 page lesson plan (PDF)

NOTE: This lesson is part of a larger unit.

• The Unit Overview is free and part of Lesson 1 (Character Ice Breaker) is free so you can see the quality of our work.
• The other lessons can be purchased individually, or you can purchase the entire unit at a discount.

Here’s the entire Exploring the 6 C’s Unit

• Unit Overview (FREE)
• Lesson 1. Intro Ice Breakers ( THIS LESSON )
• Lesson 2. Character
• Lesson 3. Citizenship
• Lesson 4. Collaboration
• Lesson 5. Communication
• Lesson 6. Creativity
• Lesson 7. Critical Thinking
• Lesson 8. Review / Assessment / Compare and Contrast the 6 Cs

WANT a FREE PREVIEW of this lesson plan before you buy it?

What does this mean.

• It means you get the first part of this paid resource for free (Character ice breaker lesson plan and slideshow) so you can see the quality of our work.  
• We’ve blurred out the rest of the resource in this preview because we think you’ll like what you see and you’ll want more.

Why are we doing this free preview?

• Because some teachers are nervous about buying online resources. They’re not completely sure they’re getting their money’s worth. Everything in this zipped file is exactly the same as the paid version… What you see is what you get… except the paid version isn’t blurry!   
• Because you don’t know me. I don’t teach down the hall from you, so you don’t know the kind of teacher I am. This gives you a chance to see the passion and care that went into this lesson. Quite frankly, this is a cool slideshow. And the discussion questions are awesome.
• Why don’t you give away the entire resource for free? That is an excellent question! Read our response: https://educircles.org/why-dont-you-give-away-everything-for-free/

Where can I buy the full resource?

This resource (and others like it) can be downloaded from our Teachers Pay Teachers download site ( We sell on TpT ) ( We sell on TpT ).

Exploring the 6 C’s – Lesson 1. Intro Ice Breakers – FREE LESSON PLAN version

Let’s get excited about the 6 C’s.

• This introduction is supposed to be a taste of the different sections.
• The point of this lesson is to do some fun activities that are connected to each “C”, but without spending a lot of time explicitly going into deeper conversations and definitions. (We’ll do that later in the next 6 lessons on each individual C.)

LESSON GOAL

• Bring everyone together in ice-breaker style activities – co-operative group / team activities.
• Recognize that the 6 C’s are interconnected, yet separate – there’s a fine line between all of them.

TEACHER TIP : You’ll notice throughout the activities there are lots of photo opportunities for those of you who send home parent emails.

CONNECTING TO THE UNIT BIG PICTURE:

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to start to

• Citizenship,
• Collaboration,
• Communication,
• Creativity, and
• Analyze the similarities and differences between the 6 C’s.

(Possible) CURRICULUM LINKS in this lesson

The 6 C’s are a great way to connect to character education and learning skills . Depending on where you teach, you may be able to connect it to the English / Language Arts curriculum as well. Some possible connections to the Grade 8 Language Arts Ontario Curriculum are made below to give you ideas:

• Active Listening Strategies (ONT LA 1.2): demonstrate an understanding of appropriate listening behaviour by adapting active listening strategies to suit a wide variety of situations, including work in groups
• PowerPoint slideshow or Google Slides Presentation (Download from zipped file. See Read Me note for help.)
• Option 1. Student provides their own paper and pencil
• Option 2. Teacher provides 1 flipchart and 1 marker (per group)
• Newspapers (or flipchart paper, or other large paper you have at your school)
• Masking Tape

Introduction

What are the “6 C’s”? Does anyone remember from last class?

The order doesn’t really matter, because they’re all kind of connected. But just to help organize our thoughts, we’ve colour coded the 6 C’s and put them into alphabetical order…

• Creativity  (BLUE)
• Critical Thinking (VIOLET)

As we explore each “C” of Education today, the big question is can you figure out

• What they have in common?
• How are they different from each other?

The point of this lesson is to get a sense of these transferable skills.

• Remember, these are “21st century skills” – they can help us learn in the classroom, work with other people, and overcome challenges in life.
• They’re called “transferable” skills because you can “transfer” these skills from the classroom, to your job, to your personal life, etc.

Before we do some activities, lets start to think about these hexagons.  

If you could move these hexagons around and group them together…

• Which of these 6 C’s do you think go together? (i.e. at first glance, they look like they mean the same thing, or they have a lot of similarities.) Why would you group them together?
• Which of these 6 C’s do you think are opposites or completely different?

At this point, there’s no right or wrong answer. The goal is to get students to start to think about connections between the 6 C’s, instead of only thinking about them in isolation…

Sample teacher prompts:

What do you think collaboration is?

• How is collaboration similar to communication?
• Are there any differences between Collaboration and Communication?

What do you think “Character” is? Can you explain what Citizenship means?

• Character and citizenship have a lot in common. What might be some similarities between the two?
• How is Character different from Citizenship?

What is “Creativity”? What do you think “Critical Thinking” is?

• How might creativity and critical thinking be similar?
• What could be the major difference between the two?

TEACHER TIP: You could do this as a “think, pair, share” activity.

• Ask the question and give students 30 seconds to silently and independently think about the answer.
• Next, turn to their elbow-partner or get into groups of 2-3 and share answers.
• Finally, facilitate a whole-class conversation where students raise their hands and share what their little group was discussing.   

ICE BREAKER ACTIVITY – 1. Character

The first “C” we’re going to look at is “Character.”

MINDS ON: Similarities & Differences. (Two minute quick conversation)

• What do you think “Character” is? Why? What does “Character” look like?
• Which “C” do you think “Character” is going to be most similar to? Why?
• Which “C” do you think “Character” is going to be very different from? Why?  

(Student answers will vary. The goal is to start figuring out similarities and differences.)

ACTIVITY: Human knot

BASIC IDEA:

• Students stand in a circle and hold hands with two different people on the other side. Their group then has to untie the “human knot” without letting go.

Why did we choose this activity for “Character”?

• Human Knot is a great icebreaker because it gets students moving and interacting with their fellow classmates.
• There is a little element of competition because the class is divided into two groups trying to unravel the human knot.
• Inevitably, the groups don’t want to “fail” (and not unravel the knot.) Also, most groups want to be “first” to win.

However, this is more than an ice-breaker. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate perseverance and character.

• After the teacher gives out general instructions and the groups start to try to untangle, it’s important for the teacher not to suggest solutions or be the enforcer of rules. (Of course, common sense dictates and teachers know their students best and will act to ensure students are safe. Depending on the grade, more or less support might be required.)
• Do we encourage others? Are we problem solving? As we find ways to put things in perspective, are we able to stay positive?
• Do we blame others? Are we tempted to just cheat? Do we give up easily when things get tough?
• What does success mean?

Get into 2-3 even groups.

• Generally speaking, this works best by splitting the class into 2 groups, because if you lose, it’s okay because so did half the class. (If you have a lot of smaller groups, one of the groups might feel bad for losing.)
• Having said that, in a class of 36 students, a human knot of 18 people might be physically impossible. Then again, maybe not.   

Each student hold hands with someone who isn’t beside them.  

• This is important, because otherwise, it’s easier to solve the knot if you’re holding your elbow-partner’s hand.
• Students need to make sure they’re connected to different people, otherwise they might splinter off into multiple tiny knots. (This may happen anyway if 3 friends end up holding each other’s hands.)

How quickly can you untangle the knot without letting go? TEACHER TIP: A stopwatch can create some fun competition. SAFETY FIRST

• Your students may need reminders about going slowly and respecting classmates to make sure people don’t get pulled or hurt by accident.  
• Depending on the age of the group, you might need a rule that it’s okay to let go and reconnect with the same hand so that people don’t get hurt. Having said that, we’ve seen some spectacular problem solving when we’ve told older students not to let go and reposition their hand, but instead to move slowly.

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY AND PERSONAL SPACE

• You know your students best in terms of how this activity might need to be modified or constructed to ensure everyone has a positive and inclusive experience.  

TALKING POINTS: Character

Groups may not be able to untie, and that’s okay. The important conversation is about what strategies did they try? What worked or didn’t work? Next time, what could they try to do differently?

• Let’s explore this idea of cheating? Does it count as a win, if you cheat? Is there ever a time when it’s okay to cheat?
• Part of character is the ability to show persistence in the face of difficulty. What do you do when things get tough?
• But part of character is also having the empathy to understand yourself, and others. Is it important to untie the knot – even if it means someone is not having fun, or is getting pulled along
• How do we find and develop strategies to meet our goals?   

After this discussion, if time permits, try again.

• Groups can stay the same, to try different strategies to see if they can beat their previous time.
• or groups can be switched up to try different interactions and strategies.
• Or try an entire class human knot and see what happens.

(OPTIONAL) DEBRIEF  Similarities & Differences. (Two minute quick conversation)

Depending on your class and amount of time you have in class, some teachers will choose to skip the debrief to keep things moving and fast paced. Other teachers might take the time to debrief the activity and reconnect with the big question about similarities and differences between the 6 C’s.  

• Based on this activity, what do you now think “Character” means?

Now that we’ve done this activity, has your answer changed to the following questions:

ICE BREAKER ACTIVITY – 2. Citizenship

DOWNLOAD THE FULL VERSION to unlock this activity.

ICE BREAKER ACTIVITY – 3. Collaboration

ICE BREAKER ACTIVITY – 4. Communication

ICE BREAKER ACTIVITY – 5. Creativity

ICE BREAKER ACTIVITY – 6. Critical Thinking

ICE BREAKER ACTIVITY – Debrief / Discussion

How do you explore 21st Century Competencies and Social Emotional Learning in your classroom?

The 6C's of Education - A Guide For Teachers

The 6C's will give your students the essential foundations they need to excel in today's world

As the world becomes increasingly competitive, it is more important than ever for students to receive a well-rounded education. A recent trend in education is the focus on the "6 C's": creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, citizenship, and character.

The question is - is the 6C's really making a difference? There is no easy answer, as every school is different. However, in a study , many educators believe that the 6C's are essential for preparing students for the real world. After all, most jobs now require workers to be able to collaborate effectively, communicate clearly, think critically, and solve problems creatively.

In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at each of the 6C's and how they can benefit students. We will also share some tips on how you can incorporate the 6C's into your own classroom.

The importance of the 6C’s of education

The 6C’s of education is commonly referred to as the soft skills that are essential for students to succeed in school and in the workforce. These are the skills that employers are looking for in employees, and they are also the skills that help students to be successful in school.

Research has shown that students who have strong soft skills are more likely to get good grades, graduate from college, and find a job than those who don’t have these skills.

Furthermore, students who have strong soft skills tend to be more successful in their careers than those who don’t have these skills. For these reasons, it is essential for students to develop strong soft skills.

There are a number of ways to develop these skills, but one of the most effective ways is through hands-on learning experiences. In other words, students need to see how these skills are used in real-world settings in order to understand how to use them effectively.

Another way to develop strong soft skills is through community service. By working with others on projects that benefit the community, students can learn how to collaborate effectively and solve problems creatively.

Ultimately, the best way for students to develop strong soft skills is through a combination of classroom instruction and real-world experience. Only by developing all 6C’s will students be prepared for success in school and in their careers.

6C's of Education

In order for children to be successful in school, they need more than just good grades. They also need to have a solid foundation in the 6C's of education.

Each of these areas is essential for students to develop and thrive in today's world. Let's take a closer look at each one!

Critical thinking

In a rapidly changing world, it is more important than ever for students to learn to think critically. Critical thinking allows people to analyze information and make reasoned decisions. It is a skill that can be applied to all aspects of life, from personal relationships to professional success.

The ability to think critically is increasingly valued in the workplace, as employers seek employees who can solve problems and adapt to new situations. In addition, critical thinking can help people to avoid being misled by false information or falling victim to scams.

For these reasons, it is essential that students are taught how to think critically. By equipping them with the tools they need to make sound decisions, we can help them to build successful futures for themselves and for the world.

Ways to teach critical thinking:

• Get them used to questioning things. Make it a habit in your classroom to encourage students to question everything they see and hear. This includes you! If they see or hear something that doesn't make sense, challenge them to figure out why.
• Teach them how to research. One of the best ways to encourage critical thinking is to teach students how to do research. This means teaching them how to find reliable sources of information, and how to evaluate that information.
• Encourage open-mindedness. Encourage your students to be open-minded and to consider all sides of an issue. This doesn't mean that they have to agree with everything, but they should be able to see both sides of the story.
• Help them practice thinking outside the box. Challenge your students to think outside the box. Come up with some problems or scenarios that don't have an obvious solution, and see if they can figure it out.
• Encourage debate. One of the best ways to encourage critical thinking is to have students debate issues in class. This allows them to practice their research skills, and to see all sides of an issue. It also helps them learn how to respectfully disagree with others.

Collaboration

With the rise of the internet and advances in communication technology, people are now able to work together on projects from all over the world. As a result, it is more important than ever for students to learn how to collaborate effectively.

There are a number of reasons why collaboration is so important. First, it helps to develop strong relationships and trust between team members. Second, it allows for a more diverse range of ideas and perspectives to be brought to the table.

And third, it can help to improve efficiency and effectiveness by allowing team members to share workloads and expertise. By teaching students the importance of collaboration, we can help them to develop the skills they need to succeed in an increasingly interconnected world.

Ways to teach collaboration:

• Group work. One of the best ways to encourage collaboration is to have students work in groups on projects or assignments. This allows them to share ideas and learn from each other.
• Class discussions. Class discussions are another great way to encourage collaboration. This is a time for students to share their ideas and hear different perspectives. It is also a time for them to practice respectful disagreement.
• Cooperative learning. Cooperative learning is a type of instruction where students work together in small groups to complete a task. This is a great way to encourage collaboration, as it forces students to work together and communicate with each other.
• Technology. There are many ways that technology can be used to encourage collaboration. For example, students can use Rolljak to work on a project together, or they can use Skype to have a virtual discussion.

Communication

In a world that is increasingly reliant on technology, it is more important than ever to teach students communication skills. With the ability to communicate effectively, students can share their ideas, collaborate with others, and resolve conflicts.

Furthermore, communication skills are essential for success in both academic and professional settings. Unfortunately, many students today lack the ability to communicate effectively. This is often due to a lack of practice or exposure to real-world situations.

As such, it is important for educators to provide opportunities for students to develop their communication skills.

Ways to teach communication:

• Model good communication. One of the best ways to encourage good communication is to model it yourself. This means using clear and concise language and listening attentively to others.
• Encourage verbal and nonverbal communication. Encourage your students to use both verbal and nonverbal communication. This means having them practice speaking in front of others, as well as using body language and facial expressions.
• Teach active listening. Teach your students the importance of active listening. This means really paying attention to what the other person is saying, and not just waiting for your turn to speak.
• Encourage questions. Encourage your students to ask questions. This shows that they are engaged in the conversation, and it also allows them to get clarification if they need it.

Creativity is the ability to come up with new and innovative ideas, and that is a skill that will be increasingly valuable in an increasingly competitive marketplace. There are a number of ways to teach creativity, but one of the most effective is to encourage students to brainstorm and to think outside the box.

Brainstorming helps to generate a lot of ideas, and it also helps to stimulate creative thinking. Additionally, it is important to encourage students to take risks and experiment with new ideas.

After all, it is often through taking risks that we come up with our best ideas. By teaching students creativity, we can help them prepare for success in an ever-changing world.

Ways to teach creativity:

• Encourage divergent thinking. Encourage your students to think divergently. This means giving them open-ended problems to solve, and not just one correct answer.
• Encourage creativity in all subjects. Encourage your students to be creative in all subjects, not just art or music. This means teaching them to see the world in new ways and to come up with original solutions.
• Encourage risk-taking. Encourage your students to take risks. This means letting them try new things, even if they might fail. It is important for them to learn that failure is a part of the creative process.

Citizenship/ Culture

As globalization continues to reshape the world, it is more important than ever for students to develop a sense of citizenship and culture. With a global economy, businesses are increasingly looking for employees who can work effectively with people from different cultures.

In addition, as political and environmental issues become more global in scope, it is important for citizens to be informed about the world around them. For these reasons, schools must put more emphasis on teaching students citizenship and culture.

By exposing students to different cultures and ideas, schools can help prepare them for the challenges of the 21st century. In addition, by teaching students about citizenship and their responsibilities as citizens, schools can help instil a sense of civic responsibility.

Ways to teach citizenship/ culture:

• Teach citizenship. One of the best ways to encourage good citizenship is to teach it directly. This means having lessons on topics such as democracy, human rights, and the environment.
• Encourage community service. Encourage your students to do community service. This helps them to understand the importance of giving back, and it also allows them to see firsthand how their actions can impact others.
• Teach about other cultures. Teach your students about other cultures. This helps them to understand and respect the differences between people, and it also allows them to see the world from a different perspective.
• Encourage cultural events. Encourage your students to participate in cultural events. This allows them to experience other cultures firsthand, and it also helps to break down stereotypes.

Character education/connectivity

With the rise of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, it's easy for young people to become disconnected from the real world and fall into a cycle of negativity. By teaching character education, we can help students connect with each other and the world around them in a positive way.

Character education helps students develop important values like respect, responsibility, and compassion. It also teaches them how to make good decisions, resolve conflicts peacefully, and be positive members of their community.

Perhaps most importantly, character education fosters empathy and understanding - two essential qualities for living in an increasingly globalized world.

Ways to teach character education/ connectivity:

• Encourage service learning. Encourage your students to participate in service learning. This allows them to put their character into action by helping others, and it also helps them to see how their actions can impact the world around them.
• Promote positive relationships. Promote positive relationships between your students. This helps them to develop a sense of community, and it also helps to prevent bullying.
• Connect with the community. Encourage your students to connect with their community. This can be done in a number of ways, such as volunteering, participating in community events, or simply getting to know their neighbors.

Teach 6C’s in the New Normal

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced educators to rapidly adapt to a new learning landscape. One of the biggest challenges has been how to teach the 6C’s of education in the new normal.

The 6 C's— communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, citizenship and character— were designed to equip children with the critical tools they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world. By emphasizing skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration in the classroom, we can better prepare children for an unpredictable future and help them become well-rounded individuals.

Developing 6C skills is essential for preparing children for the challenges they will face in life and building a foundation for lifelong success. However, they can be difficult to teach in a traditional classroom setting. Here are some tips on how to teach the 6C’s of education in the new normal:

• Communication: With so much learning moving online, it’s more important than ever for students to be able to communicate effectively. Encourage students to practice their communication skills by participating in online discussions, writing papers or giving presentations.
• Collaboration: Collaboration is another essential skill for success in the new normal. Help your students learn how to work together by assigning group projects or setting up group chats for assignments.
• Critical thinking: The ability to think critically is more important than ever in today’s world. To help your students develop this skill, encourage them to ask questions, look at both sides of an issue and think outside the box.
• Creativity: With so much learning happening online, it’s important for students to find ways to be creative and engage with their learning material. One way to do this is by incorporating creativity into assignments and projects. For example, you could have students design an advertising campaign or create a mural using only online resources.
• Citizenship: In today’s interconnected world, it’s important for students to understand the importance of citizenship. You can help them develop this skill by having them research global issues and write about what they’ve learned or by participating in service projects that help people in their local community.
• Character : Finally, good character is essential for success both in school and in life. Help your students develop strong character by teaching them about integrity, respect and responsibility. You can also encourage them to participate in extracurricular activities that allow them to practice these values.

As the world of education rapidly changes, it is more important than ever for educators to keep up with the latest trends. However, with so many new things to learn, it can be difficult to know where to start.

The 6C's of Education provides a framework for educators to use when integrating new technologies into their classrooms. By following the 6C's, educators can ensure that they are using technology in a way that is beneficial for their students.

With the 6C's of Education, educators can help their students succeed in the 21st century.

Are you ready to teach the 6C’s of education into the new normal? Take advantage of Rolljak’s 40% discount for educators today! With it, you can get the most out of Rolljak with almost half the price slashed!

Hi, I'm Jane.

To me, nothing is more exciting than seeing a student achieve personal success.

Kids can accomplish anything in a “best fit” academic program.  With a sense of belonging, and inspiration from like-minded peers and mentors, students accomplish anything they set their minds to — I've seen it first hand!

As an Educational Consultant & Strategist, I'm passionate about helping kids thrive, academically and personally.  

My mission is to help students find their "best fit," and their gifts. Over twenty-five years in my roles as teacher, coach, guidance counsellor, school administrator, volunteer, and parent have taught me ways to encourage perseverance, good work habits, self-efficacy and self-advocacy in kids -- among other things.

- Jane Kristoffy  BA., BEd., MEd., OCT.

Credentials  

Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Education, and a Master of Education from the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education.  

Specialist qualifications in Guidance Counselling & Physical and Health Education, and Principals’ Qualifications.  

Member, in good standing, of the Ontario College of Teachers.  

Experienced teacher, coach, guidance counsellor, administrator, and parent volunteer, since 1993.  

Working part-time in the elementary public and independent school systems, maintaining a ‘finger-on- the-pulse.”  

Parent of children in the system, which provides another valuable perspective.

• Mar 7, 2018

21st Century Skills: The 6 C’s

Our world is changing rapidly in many ways. 

As a result, the workforce is different. Jobs we can’t even imagine are created every day.

As an educator, I feel it’s difficult to know how to prepare students for their futures! Teachers must foster relevant skills in the classroom: skills for the new world.

A teacher’s new mission is not only to prepare students for tomorrow, to be independent and self-sufficient; but also to be creative problem-solvers who are adaptable, working citizens of the world.

Here is a list of  Michael Fullan ’s 21st century skills — the 6 C’s — key life skills today’s students need for their world:

collaboration. When a group of people combine their unique knowledge, talents, and personalities to create a maximum result, they have collaborated effectively. The result will benefit each member of the group or community. Synergy occurs with effective collaboration; the common outcome has a greater value than the sum of values of each individual outcome. Our kids need to be effective collaborators.

creativity. Today, students must be able to create something new — or create something in a new way — with previously acquired knowledge. Creativity involves not only artistic pursuits, but also various solutions to real life problems. Students will need to adapt to changes in their world and workplace, and creativity comes in handy for that.

communication. Verbal and non-verbal communication are both important for the 21st century. Students must listen carefully, and articulate their ideas clearly and concisely. Communication is informing, instructing, motivating, and persuading – in writing, using one’s voice, and confident awareness of body language.  Students also need to communicate using technology.

critical thinking (& and problem solving). Effective problem solvers make sense of presented information and apply it to their daily lives. They question, filter, and analyze information found in media, and then synthesize it so it is meaningful and valuable. Again, students need to adapt to a changing world and workforce; critical thinking and problem solving are key skills for this reality.

character . Students need to become citizens who are responsible, contributing, and caring. Ethics and tolerance are offshoots of nurturing character in youth.

citizenship. Individuals must be aware of those around them, be in touch with everything surrounding them, and they must contribute to their community and world in a helpful way.

Can you help nurture these skills in your child? 

The “Six C’s” and How They Can Help You Raise Super Smart Kids

Over the years, parents have tried everything under the sun to give their kids a head start in school and boost their brain power. Playing classical music in the house , early exposure to foreign languages and cultures, and educational media and toys are just a handful of the strategies that have trended among parents in the past decade or so. 

However, according to Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, professor of psychology at Temple University who has studied child development for nearly four decades, “It doesn’t quite work that way.”

Hirsh-Pasek and co-author Roberta Golinkoff wrote Becoming Brilliant: What Science Tells Us About Raising Successful Children , which dispels many of the myths surrounding childhood intelligence. Instead of thinking about kids as sponges, passively absorbing the information around them, they reframe learning as both a social and emotional experience. 

In a recent episode of NPR’s Life Kit podcast, Hirsh-Pasek explained this new framework, and the “Six C’s” that every child needs to succeed within it. “Play is active, not passive. And it turns out the way we learn is active, not passive. When we’re sitting there like a couch potato we aren’t learning as much as when we’re doing,” says the child development expert. 

The Six C’s outlined in Becoming Brilliant are intended to refocus parents on more interactive types of learning. They are as follows;

• Collaboration – Learning is primarily a social activity, so solving a problem together leads to more learning than doing it alone. 
• Communication – Collaboration leads to communication, and strong communication skills facilitate more learning. A child who is confident in their ability to communicate with others will have an easier time of accessing the third C, content.
• Content – This category includes obvious skills like reading and writing, but even more importantly it includes learning how to learn. A kid who can easily focus their attention on content will learn more about it. 
• Critical Thinking – This skill overlaps in many ways with content. If a child is exposed to a new concept, their ability to think critically about what they’ve learned will reinforce their knowledge. 
• Creative Innovation – This C builds on content and critical thinking skills to produce something completely new. A kid with finger paint isn’t just making a mess…they’re using their learning skills to innovate! 
• Confidence – This one can be difficult for many parents, because it involves letting their children fail in order to learn. A child who learns from an early age that it’s ok to fail and try again will develop grit and perseverance, which are qualities that lend themselves to greater lifelong learning. 

Hirsh-Pasek urges parents to remember that learning should be joyful. Turning ordinary tasks into games, encouraging creativity, and working on projects together are just some of the ways to build lifelong habits of learning that make kids successful. 

Mckenna Saady is a staff writer and digital content lead for ParentsTogether. Before working for nonprofits such as the Human Rights Campaign and United Way, Mckenna spent nearly a decade as a child care provider and Pre-K teacher. Originally from Richmond, VA, she now lives in Philadelphia and writes poetry, fiction, and children’s literature in her spare time.

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How to think effectively: Six stages of critical thinking

Credit: Elder / Paul

• Researchers propose six levels of critical thinkers: Unreflective thinkers, Challenged thinkers, Beginning thinkers, Practicing thinkers, Advanced thinkers, and Master thinkers.
• The framework comes from educational psychologists Linda Elder and Richard Paul.
• Teaching critical thinking skills is a crucial challenge in our times.

The coronavirus has not only decimated our populations, its spread has also attacked the very nature of truth and stoked inherent tensions between many different groups of people, both at local and international levels. Spawning widespread conspiracy theories and obfuscation by governments, the virus has also been a vivid demonstration of the need for teaching critical thinking skills necessary to survive in the 21st century. The stage theory of critical thinking development, devised by psychologists Linda Elder and Richard Paul , can help us gauge the sophistication of our current mental approaches and provides a roadmap to the thinking of others.

The researchers identified six predictable levels of critical thinkers, from ones lower in depth and effort to the advanced mind-masters, who are always steps ahead.

As the scientists write , moving up on this pyramid of thinking “is dependent upon a necessary level of commitment on the part of an individual to develop as a critical thinker.” Using your mind more effectively is not automatic and “is unlikely to take place “subconsciously.” In other words – you have to put in the work and keep doing it, or you’ll lose the faculty.

Here’s how the stages of intellectual development break down:

Unreflective thinker

These are people who don’t reflect about thinking and the effect it has on their lives. As such, they form opinions and make decisions based on prejudices and misconceptions while their thinking doesn’t improve.

Unreflective thinkers lack crucial skills that would allow them to parse their thought processes. They also do not apply standards like accuracy, relevance, precision, and logic in a consistent fashion.

How many such people are out there? You probably can guess based on social media comments. As Elder and Paul write , “it is perfectly possible for students to graduate from high school, or even college, and still be largely unreflective thinkers.”

Challenged thinker

This next level up thinker has awareness of the importance of thinking on their existence and knows that deficiencies in thinking can bring about major issues. As the psychologists explain, to solve a problem, you must first admit you have one.

People at this intellectual stage begin to understand that “high quality thinking requires deliberate reflective thinking about thinking”, and can acknowledge that their own mental processes might have many flaws. They might not be able to identify all the flaws, however.

A challenged thinker may have a sense that solid thinking involves navigating assumptions, inferences, and points of view, but only on an initial level. They may also be able to spot some instances of their own self-deception. The true difficulty for thinkers of this category is in not “believing that their thinking is better than it actually is, making it more difficult to recognize the problems inherent in poor thinking,” explain the researchers.

Thinkers at this level can go beyond the nascent intellectual humility and actively look to take control of their thinking across areas of their lives. They know that their own thinking can have blind spots and other problems and take steps to address those, but in a limited capacity.

Beginning thinker

Beginning thinkers place more value in reason, becoming self-aware in their thoughts. They may also be able to start looking at the concepts and biases underlying their ideas. Additionally, such thinkers develop higher internal standards of clarity, accuracy and logic, realizing that their ego plays a key role in their decisions.

Another big aspect that differentiates this stronger thinker – some ability to take criticism of their mental approach, even though they still have work to do and might lack clear enough solutions to the issues they spot.

Practicing thinker

This more experienced kind of thinker not only appreciates their own deficiencies, but has skills to deal with them. A thinker of this level will practice better thinking habits and will analyze their mental processes with regularity.

While they might be able to express their mind’s strengths and weaknesses, as a negative, practicing thinkers might still not have a systematic way of gaining insight into their thoughts and can fall prey to egocentric and self-deceptive reasoning.

How do you get to this stage? An important trait to gain, say the psychologists, is “intellectual perseverance.” This quality can provide “the impetus for developing a realistic plan for systematic practice (with a view to taking greater command of one’s thinking).”

“We must teach in such a way that students come to understand the power in knowing that whenever humans reason, they have no choice but to use certain predictable structures of thought: that thinking is inevitably driven by the questions, that we seek answers to questions for some purpose, that to answer questions, we need information, that to use information we must interpret it (i.e., by making inferences), and that our inferences, in turn, are based on assumptions, and have implications, all of which involves ideas or concepts within some point of view,” explain Elder and Paul.

One doesn’t typically get to this stage until college and beyond, estimate the scientists. This higher-level thinker would have strong habits that would allow them to analyze their thinking with insight about different areas of life. They would be fair-minded and able to spot the prejudicial aspects in the points of view of others and their own understanding.

While they’d have a good handle on the role of their ego in the idea flow, such thinkers might still not be able to grasp all the influences that affect their mentality.

Advanced thinker

The advanced thinker is at ease with self-critique and does so systematically, looking to improve. Among key traits required for this level are “intellectual insight” to develop new thought habits, “ intellectual integrity” to “recognize areas of inconsistency and contradiction in one’s life,” intellectual empathy ” to put oneself in the place of others in order to genuinely understand them, and the “ intellectual courage” to confront ideas and beliefs they don’t necessarily believe in and have negative emotions towards.

Master thinker

This is the super-thinker, the one who is totally in control of how they process information and make decisions. Such people constantly seek to improve their thought skills, and through experience “regularly raise their thinking to the level of conscious realization.”

A master thinker achieves great insights into deep mental levels, strongly committed to being fair and gaining control over their own egocentrism.

Such a high-level thinker also exhibits superior practical knowledge and insight, always re-examining their assumptions for weaknesses, logic, and biases.

And, of course, a master thinker wouldn’t get upset with being intellectually confronted and spends a considerable amount of time analyzing their own responses.

“Why is this so important? Precisely because the human mind, left to its own, pursues that which is immediately easy, that which is comfortable, and that which serves its selfish interests. At the same time, it naturally resists that which is difficult to understand, that which involves complexity, that which requires entering the thinking and predicaments of others,” write the researchers.

So how do you become a master thinker? The psychologists think most students will never get there. But a lifetime of practicing the best intellectual traits can get you to that point when “people of good sense seek out master thinkers, for they recognize and value the ability of master thinkers to think through complex issues with judgment and insight.”

The significance of critical thinking in our daily lives, especially in these confusing times, so rife with quick and often-misleading information, cannot be overstated. The decisions we make today can truly be life and death.

Ignasia Yuyun

EdTech Adventures and Exploration

Promoting the 6c’s of education through digital technologies in higher education.

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.

-Alvin Toffler –

Communicating creatively and collaborating globally play an essential role in 21st-century education. University graduates must be equipped with these 21st-century skills to compete globally and comply with the competitive markets. Therefore, teachers need to foster new skills in the classroom—mastery of the 6 Cs of education, including critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, citizenship/culture, and character education/connectivity. It is clear that the 6Cs” need to be fully integrated into classrooms, schools, and districts around the country to produce citizens and employees adequately prepared for the 21st century. Notably, technology proliferation leverages these six skills employed in teaching and learning. These 6 Cs of education are in line with the ISTE Standards for Students, particularly as a creative communicator (point 6) and global collaborators (point 7) (ISTE, 2022). As a creative communicators, students are expected to:

• Choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.
• Create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
• Communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models, or simulations.
• Publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.

As a global collaborator, students are expected to:

• Use digital tools to connect with learners from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, engaging with them in ways that broaden mutual understanding and learning
• Use collaborative technologies to work with others, including peers, experts, or community members, to examine issues and problems from multiple viewpoints
• Contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal
• Explore local and global issues and use collaborative technologies to work with others to investigate solutions

What are the 6C’s of education?

To be successful, students need more than just the basic 21st Century Skills associated with the 6Cs. They also need emotional intelligence, grit, perseverance, an intrinsic desire to learn, and the capacity to empathize with others. Therefore, embracing the 6Cs is critically essential to prepare students for their future.

Figure 1. 6C of Education for the Future

1. Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the process of filtering, analyzing, and questioning information/content found in various media and then synthesizing it in a form that offers value to an individual. It allows students to make sense of the presented content and apply it to their daily lives (Miro Inc., 2021). This skill covers problem-solving, higher-order thinking (HOT) skills, real-world problems, project-based learning, and interdisciplinary approach.

Chiruguru (2020) further elaborates four (4) definitions of critical thinking and problem solving:

1. Reason effectively a. Use various types of reasoning (inductive, deductive, etc.) as appropriate to the situation.

2. Use systems thinking

a. Analyze how parts interact to produce overall outcomes in complex systems.

3. Make judgments and decisions.

a. Effectively analyze and evaluate evidence, arguments, claims, and beliefs.

b. Analyze and evaluate major alternative points of view.

c. Synthesize and make connections between information and arguments.

d. Interpret information and draw conclusions based on the best analysis.

e. Reflect critically on learning experiences and processes.

4. Solve problems

a. Solve unfamiliar problems in conventional and innovative ways.

b. Identify and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions.

2. Communication

Communication provides how the individual can present information. Information is presented in a multitude of means through a variety of media. Communication must be clear and concise, compelling and engaging, and eventually be presented in a meaningful way to the individual and the audience. This skill covers effective communication, self and peer review, information fluency, media fluency, and digital fluency.

Chiruguru (2020) defines communication as sharing thoughts, questions, ideas, and solutions. It is much easier and more challenging to communicate simultaneously in the technological age. Technology has provided more convenient ways to communicate, but sometimes the various ways can become overwhelming. Without effective communication, there is no way to get anything done inside the classroom or anywhere, which is why this is an essential 21 st Century skill. Therefore, he further proposes some strategies how to communicate clearly:

• Articulate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written, and nonverbal communication skills in various forms and contexts.
• Listen effectively to decipher meaning, including knowledge, values, attitudes, and intentions.
• Use communication for a range of purposes (e.g., to inform, instruct, motivate, and persuade)
• Use multiple media, technologies, and know-how to prioritize the impact and effectiveness.
• Communicate effectively in diverse environments (including multilingual and multicultural)

3. Collaboration

Collaboration is the skill of utilizing various personalities, talents, and knowledge to create a maximum outcome. The outcome must provide a benefit to a group or the entire community. Due to synergy, the typical result has a more excellent value than the sum of values of each outcome (Miro Inc., 2021). Collaboration skill includes team building, effective communication, self, and peer assessment, collaborative mediums, and suitable technologies.

Further, Chiruguru (2020) defines collaboration as follows:

• Demonstrate the ability to work effectively and respectfully with diverse teams.
• Exercise flexibility and willingness to help make necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal.
• Assume shared responsibility for collaborative work, and value the individual contributions made by each team member.

4. Creativity

In the 21st century, an individual must create something new or create something in a new way, utilizing the knowledge they have already acquired. It signifies art and various solutions to a problem in real-life situations (Miro Inc., 2021). Howard Gardner cites “the creative mind” as one of the five minds we will need in the future. To cultivate such a mind, he says, we need an education that features “exploration, challenging problems, and the tolerance, if not active encouragement, of productive mistakes.”

Creativity can be closely intertwined with other critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Innovation today has a social component and requires adaptability, leadership, teamwork, and interpersonal skills. Increasingly, the capacity to innovate is linked to connecting with others and communication and collaboration facilities.

Besides, the following are some characteristics of creativity proposed by Chiruguru (2020):

• Use a wide range of idea creation techniques (brainstorming)
• Create new and worthwhile ideas (incremental and radical concepts)
• Elaborate, refine, analyze, and evaluate original ideas to improve and maximize creative efforts.
• Develop, implement, and communicate new ideas to others effectively.
• Be open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives; incorporate group input and feedback into the work.
• Demonstrate originality and inventiveness in work and understand the real-world limits to adopting new ideas.
• View failure as an opportunity to learn; understand that creativity and innovation are part of a long-term, cyclical process of small successes and frequent mistakes.
• Act on creative ideas to make a tangible and valuable contribution to innovation.

5. Citizenship/Culture

Miller states the culture as one of the critical pieces of the 6 C’s, while Michael Fullan features citizenship. They are not so different when we look closer and go hand in hand. Individuals need to be in touch with everything surrounding them—both culture and community (Miro Inc., 2021). The culture encourages the individual to appreciate where we have come from, who we are now and how we can move into the future. Besides, it associates the individual with all surrounding them: art, drama, dance, poetry, history, science, religion, written and verbal language, technology, and the individual. Embracing culture covers the context of information, exchange respect, collaboration, building community, and real-world problems.

6. Character Education/Connectivity

According to Miller (cited in Miro Inc., 2021), understanding the importance of human connectivity in a world filled with technology is necessary to teach children. Fullan (2018) highlights character education as the last C. It includes a school’s commitment to helping young people become responsible, caring, and contributing citizens. Connectivity places the individual in touch with their world. In today’s existence, that is increasingly through the technology rapidly changing the way they view their world, understanding that connections are personal no matter the means of contact and that humanity must remain in light of how the technology may change for each individual. This skill includes an interdisciplinary approach, encouraging collaboration, enabling technology, information fluency, and encouraging reflection.

How to foster the 6C in the Higher Education classroom?

Leveraging digital technologies to foster the 6C in the classroom, particularly in Higher Education, is an excellent strategy in teaching-learning activities. Teachers can embrace these 6C skills through online collaborative learning. Online learning is best accomplished through interactions and collaboration (Bonk, 2009; Palloff & Pratt, 2007, cited in Altowairiki, 2021). Online collaborative learning is more than an activity; instead, it needs to be conceived as an overarching way of learning that fosters continued knowledge building (Lock & Johnson, 2017, cited in Altowairiki, 2021). Through collaborative learning, students must communicate in a digital learning community. This way, they can develop and support self-regulation skills, digital literacies, and the perceived learning of students (Blau et al., 2020). In Higher Education, some tools can encourage students to collaborate or work on projects, such as Padlet , Jamboard , Miro , Google docs, Google slides, Google sheets, and many other tools.

Here are some examples of online collaborative learning promoting the 6C skills of education:

1. Project-Based Learning (PBL)

Project-based learning is a teaching method that students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects. Shin et al. (2021) propose some PBL design features (Please see Project-Based Learning in Higher Education ). PBL has some steps, as seen in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Project-Based Learning Cycle

Furthermore, as seen in Figure 3, teachers also can incorporate digital technologies in Project-Based Learning. Successful project-based learning (PBL) seeks to develop models for deeper understanding in school and college by engaging students in projects. This method blends classroom teaching, technology use, and problem-solving through projects and real-world challenges (Jain, 2017).

Figure 3. Using Technology in Project-Based Learning

2. Genius Hour

A Genius hour is another teaching method in the classrooms of the 21st century. The movement refers to a certain amount of time during class that teachers give students to explore their passions (Miro Inc., 2021). The crucial part of genius hour is defining a fine line between helping students focus on the problem and researching the topic independently. At the same time, it is acceptable to guide them initially, at some point, to let them work at their own pace and in their style.

According to Heick (2014), in Teachthought, there are six genius hour principles, as seen in Figure 4. A sense of purpose refers to the purpose students find in the topic they choose to explore. Students design their learning methodology, and through inquiry and navigation, students make sense of ideas vital to them.

Figure 4. Genius Hour

These two online collaborative learning activities inevitably foster the mastery of the 6 Cs of education (critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, citizenship/culture, and character education/connectivity). Besides, the 6Cs highly support the ISTE Standards for Students. Remarkably, these skills play an essential role to equip university students in global competition.

References:

Altowairiki, N. (2021). Online Collaborative Learning: Analyzing the Process through Living the Experience. International Journal of Technology in Education , 413–427. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijte.95

Blau, I., Shamir-Inbal, T., & Avdiel, O. (2020). How does the pedagogical design of a technology-enhanced collaborative academic course promote digital literacies, self-regulation, and perceived learning of students? Internet and Higher Education , 45 , 100722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2019.100722

Chiruguru, S. (2020). The Essential Skills of 21 st Century Classroom . March , 1–13. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.36190.59201

Diaz, P. (2020, January 28). A way to promote student voice—literally. https://www.edutopia.org/article/way-promote-student-voice-literally

Fullan, M. (2018). Global Competencies: The 6 C’s FINAL. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnSFWzor6Yo

Heick, T. (2014, September 28). 6 Principles of Genius Hour in The Classroom. https://www.teachthought.com/learning/genius-hour-in-the-classroom/

ISTE. (2022). ISTE Standards: Students . https://www.iste.org/standards/iste-standards-for-students

Jain, S. (2017, February 5). 7 Ways to Integrate Technology For Successful Project-Based Learning. https://elearningindustry.com/7-ways-integrate-technology-successful-project-based-learning

Miro Inc. (2021, February 9). The 6 C’s of education. https://miro.com/blog/6-cs-of-education-classroom/

Perkins, D. (2019, December 12). 8 Steps for Teaching Through Project-Based Learning. https://www.teachthought.com/education/steps-project-based-learning/

Shin, N., Bowers, J., Krajcik, J., & Damelin, D. (2021). Promoting computational thinking through project-based learning. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research , 3 (1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43031-021-00033-y

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ISTE Standards for Students 1.7 – Global Collaborator

Iste standards for students 1.6 – creative communicator, iste standards for students 1.5 – computational thinker.

Melissa Dunworth

Thank you for sharing 2 wonderful strategies for encouraging the 6Cs in the classroom. I love that both of these can be independent but also work well for collaborative projects. I know your focus is on higher education, but I feel like there are also wonderful applications for K-12 education as well.

Chelly Rody

Hello Ignas, Great explanation about the 6Cs. This is a wonderful statement about what kids need in this day and age to be successful: “They also need emotional intelligence, grit, perseverance, an intrinsic desire to learn, and the capacity to empathize with others.” Thanks for sharing!

Nina Vizcarrondo

Hey Ignas, I loved this post and will refer back to it especially because the “Using Technology with PBL” is so useful! This was the first time I heard of the 6 C’s and I think you did a great job presenting and explaining them. I also loved how you emphasized in genius hour the importance of letting the students work at their own pace. I think this is so essential and how we need to move forward in empathizing with our post pandemic learners. Thank you for writing about this!

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6Cs of education – Citizenship and Character education

Our series on the 6Cs of education reaches its final chapter - a look at how we foster those softer skills beyond the academic.

I started writing about Michael Fullan's 6Cs over a year ago. Where educators and policymakers have been talking about the need for 21st century skills - largely defined as the 4Cs of creativity , critical thinking , communication , and collaboration - Professor Fullan adds citizenship and character education to the list. He argues that in addition to academic skills, students should also possess emotional intelligence, grit, perseverance, an intrinsic desire to learn, and the capacity to empathize with others.

In fact, since starting this blog series , Fullan has changed the way in which he refers to the 6Cs. Instead of considering them isolated skills, he now calls them deep learning competencies and views them as critical for students’ future success.

Though digital tools like Book Creator do not necessarily explicitly promote or foster these traits, Professor Fullan asserts that technology can provide a platform for connecting with others, afford endless opportunities for creative expression, and scaffold critical thinking. More importantly, technology has the capacity to spark students’ intrinsic motivation to be helpful and kind.

Teaching procedures and routines to your class with Book Creator

More than "Digital" Citizenship

With more and more students accessing digital tools, teachers have become aware of the need to discuss digital citizenship and responsible use. The Book Creator publishing platform certainly provides an opportunity to address this concept as teachers may discuss the power of sharing to a broader audience, the responsibility of citing work and media, as well as how to provide constructive feedback. However, Professor Fullan expands his definition of citizenship to address, "global knowledge, sensitivity to and respect for other cultures, and active involvement in addressing issues of human and environmental sustainability."

“How can we show compassion?” 1st grade Learning Lab uses @BookCreatorApp to become Compassionate Superhero to focus on our School Make a Wish Fundraiser & learn more digital skills too #D60Learns pic.twitter.com/udpV4htDMr — Mrs. Blake (@D60HolmesTech) February 8, 2019

In other words, the 6Cs should prepare students not only for college and career, but also for positive participation in society. While Book Creator as an app may not be able to teach respect or environmental sustainability, it provides a platform that encourages students to learn these concepts through authentic experience. Students naturally want to share their learning, and the collaborative nature of Book Creator allows them to harness their innate social tendencies to explore new ideas, create with multimedia, and then connect with others.

Take the Write Our World project started by educator Julie Carey in 2015. What started as a single project with one classroom on a Navajo reservation in New Mexico morphed into a non-profit, global venture to help students celebrate and share their indigenous cultures, communities, and languages.

Even before the real-time collaboration features came into existence, Book Creator ambassadors such as Carolyn Skibba and Ingvi Hrannar Omarsson found ways to encourage their students to form community connections and develop respect for others.

For example, through their Faraway Friends project , students in Chicago and Iceland learned about each other’s cultures and gained an opportunity to increase their understanding of another community. This experience not only taught students how they might make global connections but also fostered a sense of mutual respect.

Educating Characters

However, learning to become a global citizen requires more than a single lesson or project. Given the rapid pace of change that students will experience in their lifetimes as a result of increased technology and globalization, they will also need to become perseverant, responsible, reflective, confident learners who can engage in empathy and deeply understand the perspectives of others.

This is obviously a process that will need to happen over years and not just class periods. Again, though Book Creator in and of itself cannot do this, the app can support conditions where these learning opportunities may occur. Whether students use audio and video to reflect on their learning, take advantage of the accessibility features to independently engage with content, or thoughtfully integrate any host of creations using the embed features , by interacting with Book Creator students gain new opportunities to learn how to learn.

More than one C at a time

Looking at Fullan’s 6Cs, it can seem like an overwhelming proposition to incorporate them all. Even in writing this blog series, I tried to work through each C one at a time. However, in doing so, I realized that if we really want to best support our students, then we need to consider these deep learning competencies as the foundation for our students’ future success not only as learners but also as citizens in the world.

Dr. Beth Holland is a vastly experienced educator, writer, researcher, and international presenter. She’s also a Book Creator Ambassador!

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One Comment on “6Cs of education – Citizenship and Character education”

do you give any training on how to integrate the 6cs on non-formal activities

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Home > Student Work > Graduate Studies > GRADREPORTS > 1654

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

Building 6c’s (critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, culture, connectivity) in the chinese learning classroom.

Weixi Dong , Utah State University Follow

Date of Award

Degree type, degree name.

Master of Second Language Teaching (MSLT)

World Languages and Cultures

Committee Chair(s)

Sarah Gordon

Abdulkafi Albirini

This teaching portfolio is a product of the author’s studies in the Masters of Second Language Teaching Program at Utah State University and her experiences as a teacher of Chinese at the elementary school level in the State of Utah’s public school Dual Immersion program. The author provides a selection of teaching reflections and research that have had the most impact on her teaching practice. First, the author offers personal reflections and a theoretical framework for her pedagogy in the Teaching Perspectives section, through a discussion of her professional environment and teaching experience; this is followed by the Teaching Philosophy Statement, which explains the lens through which she views her teaching practice, and a discussion of a selection of teaching observations conducted. The Teaching Philosophy Statement speaks to the importance of connectivity and how learners may best connect with language. The Teaching Philosophy also offers some best practices for a student-centered, task-based, communicative, classroom environment and how best to facilitate language learning. Second, the portfolio focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning, in the Research Perspectives section, in which the author includes two selected papers written in the course of the masters program, including: a paper that investigates teaching culture in the elementary Dual Language Immersion context and a paper that explores teaching Chinese as a foreign language through task-based learning and Computer-Assisted Language Learning. It concludes with an Annotated Bibliography that represents a literature review and crystallization of the topic of humor in enhancing learner engagement. Through these select theoretical and practical discussions of teaching, the author suggests that language teachers need to be mindful of 6 C’s: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, culture, connectivity, offering a modification of the 5 C’s in the American Council of Teaching of Foreign Languages standards. The portfolio culminates with the author’s career plans and the continuing journey to improve and innovate in her teaching.

Recommended Citation

Dong, Weixi, "Building 6C’s (Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, Culture, Connectivity) in the Chinese Learning Classroom" (2022). All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023 . 1654. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/gradreports/1654

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Konsep 6C dalam Pembelajaran Abad ke-21 (PAK-21)

Artikel berkaitan

PERKONGSIAN YANG BAIK... TERIMA KASIH

Terima kasih atas perkongsian

tuan, macam mana buat slide tu cantik

Terima kasih atas perkongsian...

Nota yang cantik, cikgu. Tapi saya rasa elemen yang keenam tu adalah Citizenship.

Terbaik atas perkongsian yang amat perlu dihadamkan oleh semua warga pendidik khsusunya

Catat Ulasan

Borang maklumat hubungan.

Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan

Mengenal peran 6c dalam pembelajaran abad ke-21    30 september 2022  ← back.

Mengenal 6C Untuk Pendidikan Masa Kini dan Masa Depan

Langkah utama dalam memajukan sebuah bangsa, yaitu dengan memperbaiki kualitas pendidikannya. Pasalnya, pendidikan memiliki peran penting dalam mendidik dan menumbuhkan ilmu pengetahuan dan karakter anak bangsa. Itu karena anak-anak kita saat ini menjadi penerus bangsa di masa depan. Merekalah yang menentukan arah Indonesia selanjutnya.

Coba kita lihat negara maju seperti Jepang, Singapura, Korea dan lainnya yang memiliki kualitas pendidikan yang cukup baik dan berkualitas. Lantas, apakah Indonesia sebagai negara berkembang memiliki kualitas pendidikan yang buruk? Tentu tidak. Namun, tak ada salahnya jika kita mengevaluasi dan mengikuti metode pendidikan di negara-negara maju guna mencerdaskan anak bangsa.

Dalam hal ini, guru dan sekolah memiliki peran penting untuk sama-sama membangun dan meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan Indonesia. Bahkan, Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Nadiem Makarim juga hingga saat ini berupaya untuk memunculkan inovasi dan kebijakan pendidikan baru untuk meningkatkan sistem pendidikan yang lebih baik, salah satunya Merdeka Belajar.

Konsep Merdeka Belajar yang digalakkan Nadiem Makarim diharapkan dapat mempersiapkan Sumber Daya Manusia yang andal, kreatif, dan inovatif. Nadiem juga melibatkan Badan Standar Nasional Pendidikan untuk membantu mengembangkan standar nasional pendidikan Indonesia.

Hal yang dipelajari dalam dunia pendidikan harus memiliki dampak positif bagi siswa di masa depan. Kalau tidak ada, harus dihilangkan. Kalau ada dan sangat penting serta berdampak positif, harus dikembangkan dan ditambah.

Mengenal 6C untuk Pendidikan Masa Depan

Pendidikan menjadi wadah bagi siswa-siswi Indonesia untuk mendapatkan pengajaran, bimbingan, ilmu pengetahuan, dan karakter yang baik untuk masa depan mereka. Setelah menyelesaikan pendidikan, diharapkan anak-anak memiliki keterampilan atau kemampuan yang berguna bagi diri maupun bangsa.

Setidaknya ada 6 keterampilan atau kemampuan yang wajib dimiliki anak-anak dan untuk masa depan. Skill ini disebut 6C, yaitu Critical Thinking , Collaboration , Creative and Innovative Thinking , Computational Thinking , Compassion , and Communication .

Berikut ini adalah penjelasan mengenai keterampilan 6C untuk pendidikan masa depan.

1. Communication (Komunikasi)

Communication atau komunikasi adalah suatu usaha yang dilakukan oleh tenaga pendidik, yaitu guru kepada peserta didik untuk mentransfer ilmu, pengetahuan, dan pengalamannya. Komunikasi dilakukan baik secara lisan maupun tulisan. Manusia hakikatnya adalah makhluk sosial. Maka dari itu, kemampuan berkomunikasi sangatlah penting.

Namun, perlu kita ingat, kemampuan berkomunikasi setiap orang berbeda-beda. Bagi yang merasa kemampuan berkomunikasinya kurang, bisa terus dilatih supaya membaik.

Komunikasi sangatlah penting untuk pendidikan di masa sekarang atau era 4.0 ini. Siswa sangat membutuhkan kemampuan berkomunikasi yang baik. Komunikasi yang baik akan memberikan dampak yang positif. Kemampuan komunikasi ini juga dibutuhkan pada masa depan. Seseorang dapat menjalin relasi dengan banyak orang, mengemukakan pendapat/ide, menyampaikan informasi, dan lain sebagainya.

2. Collaboration (Kolaborasi)

Collaboration atau kolaborasi artinya kerja sama. Kerja sama di sini dilakukan oleh semua pihak, mulai dari tenaga pendidik, orang tua, sampai peserta didik.

Pelaksanaan proses pendidikan tentu memerlukan kerja sama yang baik untuk tercapainya tujuan pendidikan. Collaboration juga termasuk tanggung jawab. Di sekolah janganlah sampai mencampuradukkan antara masalah pribadi dan sekolah dan mampu menempatkan diri.

Maka dari itu, dibutuhkan adanya kolaborasi dan kerja sama yang baik antara tenaga pendidik dan peserta didik. Dengan itu, tujuan pendidikan bisa terwujud dengan baik.

Pembiasaan kolaborasi di sekolah dapat mengajarkan siswa untuk bisa melakukan kolaborasi di lingkungan masyarakat atau lingkungan kerjanya nanti. Dengan kerja sama yang baik, siswa bisa mencapai tujuan bersama dengan timnya.

3. Critical Thinking (Berpikir Kritis)

Critical thinking atau keterampilan berpikir kritis artinya seseorang mampu menelaah dengan analisis, kemampuan pemecahan masalah ( problem solving ), melakukan evaluasi, dan juga mampu mengambil keputusan. Saat seseorang memiliki kemampuan berpikir kritis, mereka akan terampil dalam melakukan berbagai penilaian, analisis, evaluasi, memecahkan masalah, rekonstruksi, serta pengambilan keputusan.

Keputusan dan pemecahan masalah yang dihasilkan akan mengarah pada tindakan yang bersifat rasional dan logis. Kemampuan berpikir kritis akan digunakan untuk memahami, mengamati, dan memberi solusi/penyelesaian terhadap suatu permasalahan. Hal ini sangat diperlukan mulai dari sekarang. Orang dengan kemampuan berpikir kritis akan sangat dibutuhkan di berbagai aspek.

Dalam meningkatkan kemampuan berpikir kritis siswa, guru bisa menggunakan model pembelajaran yang tepat seperti Problem Based Learning .

4. Creative and Innovative (Kreatif dan Inovatif)

Dalam proses belajar mengajar, seorang pendidik harus memiliki kreativitas dan inovatif dalam mengajar. Pendidik yang kreatif dan inovatif pastinya akan disenangi oleh peserta didik.

Peserta didik akan senang dalam belajar karena pembelajaran disampaikan dengan berbagai cara dan selalu ada saja hal-hal yang baru. Peserta dididk jadi tidak cepat bosan serta memotivasi mereka untuk selalu rajin belajar.

Dengan adanya kreativitas, pembelajaran tidak akan jenuh dan menarik perhatian siswa agar mengikuti pembelajaran dengan baik. Selain tenaga pendidik, peserta didik juga harus menjadi kreatif dalam mengerjakan soal. Dengan berpikir kritis, itu akan membantu mereka dalam berpikir kritis dan inovatif.

5. Computational Thinking (CT)

Poin ini adalah di luar dari 4C di atas, ini termasuk ke dalam 2C. Supaya tenaga pendidik dapat mengajar dengan maksimal, mereka harus memiliki kecakapan yang harus dikuasai, yaitu computational thinking/logic.

Kemampuan ini akan diimplementasikan pada saat proses belajar mengajar. Kemampuan ini dapat digunakan guru untuk menganalisis masalah kompleks, memahami masalahnya, dan menemukan solusi yang tepat.

6. Compassion

Poin 2C yang berikutnya adalah compassion . Di sini, artinya seseorang harus mencintai dan menjalankan profesi/pekerjaan dengan senang hati.

Kalau sebuah pekerjaan dijalankan dengan senang hati, akan lebih mudah dikerjakan dan memberikan dampak positif kepada orang lain. Dampak-dampak itu adalah rasa tanggung jawab, memberikan teladan dan contoh kepada peserta didik, dan memberikan motivasi untuk selalu belajar. Saat mengajar dengan ikhlas, tenaga pengajar tidak akan merasa terbebani dengan kesulitan dalam mengajar yang dihadapi.

Itulah beberapa hal mengenai 6C untuk pendidikan masa depan. Jika ini dilakukan dengan baik, maka kegiatan belajar mengajar akan berjalan efektif dan lancar. Bahkan, siswa-siswi juga bisa mendapatkan keterampilan tersebut untuk masa depan mereka.

Untuk mewujudkan 6C tersebut, guru harus bisa menciptakan kegiatan pembelajaran yang efektif dengan menggunakan berbagai model atau metode pembelajaran kreatif.

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6C Kemahiran Pada Anak-Anak Dalam Pembelajaran

Melatih kemahiran pada anak-anak sebaiknya diberikan pengajaran yang baik oleh orang tua atau guru mereka agar bisa menjadi pribadi yang baik di masa yang akan datang. Oleh karena itu,  ini anak-anak akan terlihat baik dengan adanya kemahiran 6C yang telah diajarkan oleh orang tua atau guru-guru mereka dalam proses Pembelajaran dan Pemudahcaraan (PdPc).

Kemahiran yang dimakud pada 6C adalah Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Creative Thinking, Character Education, Citizenship, and Communication . Pada artikel ini akan dijelaskan lebih rinci dari masing masing poin yang ada pada proses pembelajaran yang diberikan oleh orang tua atau guru yang ditanamkan pada anak-anak tersebut.

• Critical Thinking

Critical thinking adalah pemikiran yang bisa membantu manusia dalam menyelesaikan masalahnya dengan pemikiran dari diri sendiri dengan sekitar, hal ini yang membuat manusia memerlukan pemikiran ini agar saat di waktu dan lingkungan yang berbeda, mereka bisa berpikir dengan baik dan tenang sesuai dengan sekitarnya. Dalam meningkatkan Critical Thinking , anak-anak bisa diajarkan untuk membaca dengan memahimi isi dari bacaan tersebut, selain itu meningkatkan daya analisis dan kemampuan observasi dan mengamati, terakhir anak diajarkan rasa ingin tahu yang besar dalam banyak hal hal positif.

Hal hal yang membutuhkan Critical Thinking :

• Mengidentifikasi isu atau masalah.
• Menentukan informasi mana yang relevan dan tidak relevan dengan masalah
• Menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi.
• Collaboration

Collaboration adalah proses yang kerja sama oleh individu dengan individu untuk mencapai hasil yang sudah ditentukan bersama, serta membangun kepercayaan satu sama lain antar individu ahli-ahli yang terlibat. Selain itu Collaboration sangat penting agar individu lain bisa mendapatkan informasi baru dan mengenal orang lain agar mendapatkan ilmu ilmu baru yang bisa bermanfaat baginya serta membangun skill sosial, sehingga membuatnya lebih percaya diri di umum. Dalam artian Collaboration berfokus pada peningkatan komunikasi antar individu dalam meningkatkan hasil yang ingin dicapai.

• Creative Thinking

Creative Thinking adalah pemikiran seseorang untuk menciptakan ide baru, asli, luar biasa, dan ada nilainya. Hal ini akan membantu anak-anak dalam menciptakan sesuatu hal dari pemikirannya. Hal ini bisa diliat saat anak-anak yang hanya melihat sesuatu, bisa memikirkan atau membuat hal lain yang mungkin lebih baik dan luar biasa berdasarkan ide yang mereka pikirkan. Selain itu, ketika ada perbedaan pendapat, Creative Thinking merupakan solusi yang baik jika digabungkan dengan pemikiran problem solving.

Character adalah bagian yang penting untuk anak-anak, karena hal ini merupakan corak tingkah laku, pikiran, dan perasaan yang berdasarkan prinsip-prinsip moral dan integritas. Hal ini juga akan membuat anak-anak memiliki jati dirinya sendiri, sehingga memiliki keistimewaanya sendiri dan bisa membedakan mana yang baik dan mana yang buruk dari perasaan yang anak-anak tersebut rasakan.

• Citizenship

Citizenship merupakan sikap yang perlu ditanamkan pada anak-anak agar bisa memiliki sikap patriotisme dalam diri yang tinggi terhadap negara dan mempunyai identitas nasionalnya. Hal ini akan membuat anak-anak menghargai negaranya dan membela negara dengan adanya kemahiran ini. Hal ini juga akan membuat anak-anak bisa menghargai sesama warganya sendiri.

• Communication

Communication adalah hal yang paling penting untuk dimiliki anak-anak dalam penyampaian maklumat, perkongsia pendapat dan interaksi antar individu dengan individu lain. Hal ini dikarenakan, dengan adanya kemahiran Communication , maka anak-anak akan bisa memahami anak-anak atau orang lain dengan adanya hubungan komunikasi ini, sehingga anak-anak bisa lebih paham dalam menyampaikan pesan dan lebih memahami pesan yang diterima.

Isnen, M. S. (2017, November 21). Konsep 6C dalam Pembelajaran Abad ke-21 (PAK-21) . Retrieved from Cikgu Suhaimin: http://www.cikgusuhaimin.com/2017/11/konsep-6c-dalam-pembelajaran-abad-ke-21.html?m=1

Dosen Pendidikan 2. (2021, Mei 13). Berpikir Kritis adalah . Retrieved from Dosen Pendidikan: https://www.dosenpendidikan.co.id/berpikir-kritis/#:~:text=Contoh%20Berpikir%20Kritis, Tingkatan%2FJenis%20Keterampilan&text=Mengidentifikasi%20isu%20sentral%20atau%20masalah,Memformulasi%20pertanyaan%2Dpertanyaan%20dengan%20tepat.

Kusnandar, T. (2018, April 07). Collaboration | Definisi dan Penerapannya . Retrieved from Toni Kusnandar: http://tonikusnandar.com/collaboration/

STUDiLMU Editor. (2021). Pengertian Creative Thinking dan Contoh Keterampilannya . Retrieved from Studi Ilmu: https://www.studilmu.com/blogs/details/pengertian-creative-thinking-dan-contoh-keterampilannya

(Denny Nugroho_Room and Inventory_2401996366)

Last updated : May 24, 2021 00:00

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Calon Guru, Ambil Tahu Konsep 6C Dalam Pengajaran Abad Ke 21 [PAK21] Ini

Kita sering kali mendengar konsep 4C dalam Pembelajaran Abad ke-21. Namun, adakah anda pernah mendengar penekanan 6C dalam Pembelajaran Abad ke-21 (PAK-21).

6C merujuk kepada enam kemahiran yang perlu diterapkan dalam diri murid oleh guru-guru melalui proses Pembelajaran dan Pemudahcaraan (PdPc) sama ada di dalam mahupun di luar bilik darjah.

Hanya guru yang mempunyai kemahiran 6C sahaja mampu menerapkan kemahiran 6C dalam kalangan murid. Khas buat calon guru atau graduan yang telah buat permohonan pengambilan guru, pastikan anda ambil tahun konsep 6C dalam PAK21 ini.

Ikuti perkongsian di bawah untuk ketahui lebih lanjut konsep kemahiran 6C.

Isi Kandungan

KONSEP KEMAHIRAN 6C

Berikut adalah kemahiran 6C yang perlu ada dalam diri setiap guru atau calon guru:

1) Critical Thinking (Pemikiran Kritis)

Pemikiran kritis adalah sebahagian daripada kemahiran berfikir yang dapat membantu manusia menyelesaikan sesuatu masalah dengan berkesan dan menyesuaikan diri dengan persekitaran. Individu yang ada kemahiran pemikiran kritis ini akan dipandang sebagai individu yang mampu berfikir lebih dari jangkaan orang ramai.

2) Creative Thinking (Pemikiran Kreatif)

Pemikiran kreatif adalah kecekapan menggunakan minda untuk menghasilkan idea yang baru, asli, luar biasa, pelbagai dan bernilai. Setiap orang ada pemikiran kreatif masing-masing. bagi mewujudkan pemikiran kreatif ini, kita perlu membuat lebih banyak kajian, bacaan, penilitian terhadap sesuatu dan sebagainya.

3) Collaboration (Kolaborasi)

Kolaborasi adalah satu proses yang melibatkan kerjasama oleh beberapa individu dalam satu kumpulan atau pasukan untuk mencapai hasil yang diinginkan dan sekaligus melahirkan kepercayaan antara ahli-ahli yang terlibat.

4) Communication (Komunikasi)

Kemahiran komunikasi adalah penting dalam proses penyampaian makluman, perkongsian pendapat dan interaksi antara dua pihak. Setiap guru patut terapkan kemahiran ini kepada murid sejak di awal persekolahan kerana kemahiran ini akan digunakan sehingga ke akhir hayat.

5) Character (Perwatakan)

Watak adalah satu corak tingkat laku, fikiran dan perasaan berdasarkan prinsip-prinsip kekuatan moral dan integriti.

6) Country (Kenegaraan)

Merujuk kepada sikap patriotisme dalam diri iaitu cinta akan negara dan mempunyai identiti nasional.

Penerapan 6C mungkin berlaku secara tidak sedar atau secara semula jadi. Namun setiap guru mestilah buat perancangan awal bagaimana nak terapkan elemen-elemen ini sepanjang sesi PdP.

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