2 1ST CENTURY SKILLS OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL

STUDENTS 1

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Today's learners are growing up in a fast-paced digital world. They multitask and

network online at home and now expect the same experience at school. They will also

face increasing global competition for college entrance and jobs after graduation. This

article focuses on how we as educators can use our students' strengths to ensure their

achievement and success beyond school (McCoog, 2008).

The 21st century learning skills are often called the 4 Cs: critical thinking,

creative thinking, communicating, and collaborating. These skills help students learn, and

so they are vital to success in school and beyond. Critical thinking is focused, careful

analysis of something to better understand it. Creative thinking is expansive, open-ended

invention and discovery of possibilities. Communicating is the process of transferring a

thought from one mind to others and, in return, receiving thoughts back. Collaborating is

working together with others to achieve a common goal. In this age of social media and

crowd sourcing, collaboration is more important than ever. Here are some of the basic

abilities needed to collaborate.

Meanwhile, literacy skills help students gain knowledge through reading as well

as using media and technology. These skills also help students create knowledge through

writing as well as developing media and technology.

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Lastly, life skills equip students to thrive in the classroom and in the world

beyond. The 21st century life skills are flexibility, initiative, social skills, productivity,

and leadership (Thoughtful Learning, 2014).

In the study conducted by Wells (2012), it was agreed that teachers do not need

computers to provide 21st century learning because the essential concepts hinge on

teaching rather than technology alone. It was pointed out that 21st century learning

requires more than buying a set of computers, interactive whiteboards, and tablet

computing devices. Technological devices provide tremendous benefits to students, but

they are not the backbone of 21st century learning. The researcher argued that educators

should embrace the true definition of 21st century learning to ensure that teaching and

learning is transformed.

Furthermore, McCoog (2008) provided practical examples of how teachers can

adjust their instruction to the 21st century teaching model using the internet. It was

explained the need to reevaluate "the 3rs" as today's students need rigor, relevance, and

real world skills. There is also a focus placed on providing meaningful technology-

focused professional development for teachers as the stated transition is a true paradigm

shift from the traditional education model.

Todays education of the 21st century requires students and educators to be adept

with the demands of the Information Age. Thus, the 21st century skills are defined as set

of abilities that students need to develop in order to succeed in the information age.

DON HONORIO VENTURA TECHNOLOGICAL

STATE UNIVERSITY
 2 1ST CENTURY SKILLS OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL
STUDENTS 3

Thus, the researcher opted to conduct the study to asses and evaluate the 21 st

century skills of the students in public secondary schools in order to provide better

opportunities for students optimal and holistic learning anchored to the proven skills

needed by them to explore and develop to overcome the challenges of the 21 st century.

Further, it is also significant to identify the implications of the result of the study in 21 st

century teaching.

Conceptual Framework

The IV-DV (Independent Variables Dependent Variables) of evaluation will be

adopted in the study. A brief description of the conceptual model that guided the study is

depicted in Paradigm of the Study (Figure 1).

Independent Variables Dependent Variables

Profile of the Students Implications of the 21st

age Century Skills of the
sex Students to 21st Century
year / grade level Teaching
grade point average

21st Century Skills of the

Students

learning skills
critical thinking
creative thinking
collaborating
communicating
literacy skills
information literacy
media literacy
technology literacy
life skills
flexibility
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initiative
social skills STATE UNIVERSITY
productivity
leadership
 2 1ST CENTURY SKILLS OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL
STUDENTS 4

Figure 1 Schematic Diagram of the Study

The first frame is the independent variable frame which includes the profile of the

students in terms of age, sex, year/grade level; and grade point average; and the 21 st

century skills of the students grouped in terms of learning skills (critical thinking,

creative thinking, collaborating, and communicating); literacy skills (information literacy,

media literacy, and technology literacy); and life skills (flexibility, initiative, social skills

- productivity, and leadership).

The second frame which is the dependent variable frame presents the implications

of the 21st century skills of the students to 21st century teaching.

Statement of the Problem

This study will be conducted to describe and implicate the 21 st century skills of

public secondary school students to the 21 st century teaching in Sasmuan, Division of

Pampanga for the School Year 2014-2015.

Specifically, this study seeks to answer the following questions:

1. How may the profile of the students be described in terms of:

1.1 age;

1.2 sex;

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STATE UNIVERSITY
 2 1ST CENTURY SKILLS OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL
STUDENTS 5

1.3 year / grade level;

1.4 grade point average?

2. How may the 21st century skills of the students be described in terms of:

2.1 learning skills

2.2.1 critical thinking
2.2.2 creative thinking
2.2.3 collaborating
2.2.4 communicating
2.2 literacy skills
2.2.1 information literacy
2.2.2 media literacy
2.2.3 technology literacy

2.3 life skills

2.3.1 flexibility

2.3.2 initiative

2.3.3 social skills

2.3.3.1 productivity

2.3.3.2 leadership?

3. Is there a significant difference on the profile of the respondents and their 21st

century skills?

4. What are the implications of the 21st century skills of the learners to 21st century

teaching?

Hypothesis of the Study

There is a significant difference on the profile of the respondents and their 21 st

century skills.

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STATE UNIVERSITY
 2 1ST CENTURY SKILLS OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL
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Significance of the Study

The findings of this research will be of great help to the following personalities

and institutions:

The outcome of the study could benefit the students by serving as guide on their

exhibited 21st century skills as implied by the 21st century education. Thus, they will able

to further enhance and strengthen their capabilities, skills, and potentialities as 21 st

century learners, who are not only local learners, but global learners.

The result of the study could benefit the teachers by providing them insights on

the 21st century skills of their students. Such data could serve their baseline in

spearheading intervention and remediation programs to further improve the innate skills

of their students, thus making the students more competent, skilled, and competitive.

The findings that will be revealed in the study will be pivotal for the Department

of Education (DepEd) in assessing the exhibited 21st century skills of the students in

public secondary schools. In this manner, the Department could be assisted in planning,

implementing, and regulating programs in further strengthening the capacities of the

students and the support on the delivery of teachers on the ideals of Philippine education.

Also, the outcome of the study could be beneficial to the school heads and

administrators for they will be able to come up with sound and pivotal policies,

programs, and activities for further improving the 21st century skills of of the students and

the activities given by teachers in assisting students to maximize their full potential and

gain holistic learning.

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STATE UNIVERSITY
 2 1ST CENTURY SKILLS OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL
STUDENTS 7

The findings of the study could be beneficial for future researchers for the

content of this research undertaking could give valuable reference and information for

them as how students gain the skills prescribed by the 21st century education. Also, this

could give them ideas as to what variables could be further researched to enhance the

learning of every Filipino student.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study will center on the 21 st century skills of public secondary school

students and their implications to the 21st century teaching in Sasmuan, Division of

Pampanga for the School Year 2014-2015.

The scope of the study will be limited only on the following variables: profile of

the students in terms of age, sex, year/grade level; and grade point average; the 21st

century skills of the students grouped in terms of learning skills (critical thinking,

creative thinking, collaborating, and communicating); literacy skills (information literacy,

media literacy, and technology literacy); and life skills (flexibility, initiative, social skills

- productivity, and leadership); and the implications of the 21 st century skills of the

students to 21st century teaching.

The data will be limited only from the answer that will be given by 1,244

secondary school students in Sto. Tomas High School, Sasmuan, Division of Pampanga.

Definition of Terms

To be able to have a better understanding of this study, the following terms will be

defined conceptually and operationally:

21st Century Skills. The 21st century skills are a set of abilities that students need to

develop in order to succeed in the information age (Thoughtful Learning, 2014). In the

DON HONORIO VENTURA TECHNOLOGICAL

STATE UNIVERSITY
 2 1ST CENTURY SKILLS OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL
STUDENTS 8

study, these are the skills exhibited by students in the 21 st century classrooms, necessary

for them to be competitive and at far in this world.

Division of Pampanga. This is one of the three Division Offices situated in the Province

of Pampanga along with the Divisions of San Fernando and Mabalacat. In the study, this

is the Division where the student-respondents would be taken.

Acronyms

DHVTSU - Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University

DepEd - Department of Education

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