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In the previous blog post, I shared with you the content for Layer 1 of the J2EFramework—the Missional Outcomes for Learning or the 7Cs. I would like to explore the historical context for their development in this post.
The tools a society uses ultimately drive the identification of learning outcomes. Daniel Pink in his book, A Whole New Mind (2005), traces the history of Western thought through four ages—Agricultural Age, Industrial Age, Information Age, Conceptual Age. Each time period is associated with the tools society uses. Transitioning from the use of farm implements to the factory setting to the advent of computers has served to redefine the knowledge and skills needed for the workplace. So what defines the Conceptual Age? Technology makes available to us so much information that it can be overwhelming. Thus, we need to focus on the big ideas or concepts and the respective skills that will allow us to process and meaningfully use that information. This does not mean that content is not important, but we need to be more purposeful in our acquisition and use of knowledge.
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This focus has led to the subsequent development of so-called “soft skills” that serve as an umbrella for teaching and learning content. As mentioned, they are global competencies that span both grade levels and disciplines.
One of the first frameworks for 21st century skills was the 4Cs—Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity—developed by P21, the Partnership for 21st Century Learning (https://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21/frameworks-resources). Frameworks for Critical Thinking had been around for a number ofyears. However, there was the increasing recognition among educators that as a result of technology advances, there was a need to expand the frameworks to encompass skills that employers were identifying as necessary for workplace success.
Since the 4Cs were developed, there have been a number of other frameworks advanced that are variations of the initial work of P21. Each of these frameworks were reviewed in the course of developing the 7Cs. The most robust of the frameworks is Michael Fullan’s 6Cs, the topic of his book, Deep Learning (2018). Thus, the 6Cs served as the foundation for the development of the Southwestern Union’s 7Cs. The list was adapted, however, to take into consideration our Mission, Vision, and Core Values and Beliefs.
