Why do we need to learn new skills?
Times have changed. Our world has changed. Our jobs have changed. Just as jobs have evolved over the last 200 years, so have the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing, complex world.
1800s
Industrial Revolution
Farmer
Artisan
Factory worker
1900s
Second Industrial Revolution
Railway worker
Factory worker
Secretary
Nurse
Teacher
1970s–early 2000s
Digital Information Revolution
Administrative assistant
Hospitality manager
Engineer
Computer support specialist
Graphic designer
Social worker
Flight attendant
Project manager
Today
Environmental scientist
AI researcher
Robotics engineer
Digital marketing specialist
E-sports athlete
Influencer
Home health aide
Data specialist
Information security analyst
Future
Director of emotional intelligence
Quantum cryptologist
Chief modernization officer
Smart home architect
Director of cultural forecasting
Ethical sourcing officer
Genomic portfolio director
Space exploration guide
De-extinction scientist
Drone traffic optimizer
- 1800s
- 1900s
- 1970s–early 2000s
- Today
- Future
(Click on each era to learn more)
What’s in your child’s backpack?
Researchers agree that young people are going to need a wide range of skills to succeed in today’s rapidly changing world – beyond just reading, writing, and arithmetic. And if we want our kids to succeed, we need to start thinking about a new set of basics.
So, what should they have in their backpacks every day?
Click on each of the icons below for a little more info about these important skills.
The New Basics
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Developing a sense of self and society
Developing a sense of self and society
A strong sense of self supports students in understanding and managing their emotions, developing positive relationships with others, and engaging with their community. It develops students’ capacity to recognize and value different perspectives and their sense of agency to influence change in society. These skills are critical for students’ educational attainment, long-term well-being and prosperity, and their ability to contribute to society.
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Thinking creatively
& criticallyThinking creatively
& criticallyHaving the capacity to use ideas and strategies from a wide range of subjects and contexts helps students think of new ways to solve problems, and critically evaluate ideas and processes. With these skills students become creative problem solvers with the capacity to generate new ideas – vital skills in a knowledge economy and a rapidly changing world. Fostering creativity helps students develop the capacity to adapt knowledge for use in different contexts, and increases their resilience, resourcefulness and confidence.
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Learning to learn
Learning to learn
Understanding how learning works fosters students’ curiosity, persistence, and adaptability. With these skills students can develop personalized learning strategies, objectively assess the strengths and weaknesses of their own ideas and work and respond constructively to factors that have an impact on their learning and emotions. They become resilient and curious learners with the tools to manage their learning in multiple scenarios.
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Collaborating
Collaborating
Effective collaborators are able to solve conflict, take feedback, and develop constructive relationships. With these skills students become collaborators who can take on different roles and make a positive impact in any team environment.
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Communicating effectively
Communicating effectively
Learning to communicate effectively fosters students who can critically analyze ideas, consider multiple perspectives, and understand how to convey ideas and messages. Persuasive and adaptive communicators can exchange ideas in multiple formats and over multiple platforms with people around the world and in their backyard to affect change.
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What can YOU do to help develop these New Basics?
Evidence proves that these skills are concrete—and they can be taught and learned. You, as a parent, can play a vital role in equipping your child with the new basics.
Start the Conversation
Talking with your children about their daily activities will help them to become more aware of the skills they’re learning at home and at school, For example, is your child making changes to a project based on teacher feed-back? That’s critical thinking at work!
Ask Questions
Let your child’s teacher know that you’ve heard about The New Basics and are curious to know how your child is doing with these skills. You will find this opens up new conversations with the teacher—and you’ll probably even learn new things about your child in the process!
Stay Informed
Continue the conversation at home, in your neighbourhood, and at your child’s school. Help spread the word! Stay informed on the latest education policies. Or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.