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Skills and competencies of the XXI century for the new millennium learners

XXI century students have the opportunity to acquire new skills and technology skills through

Some call them digital natives. Others thumb generation. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has chosen to call them apprentices the new millennium. Are children and youth who have grown parallel to the important technological development of the last decade and today can benefit from new ways of learning and the opportunities offered by ICT in education.

skills and competencies for the future

were born from the eighties of last century and have grown up in a context in which digital technologies are part essential to their daily lives. Apprentices of the new millennium are the main focus of the research project of the same name that drives the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which studies the impact and implications of Information Technologies and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the cognitive development of these young people.

In its recent report 'skills and competencies of the XXI century for the New Millennium Learners' , project managers analyze and detail the new skills and competencies demanded by the labor market and society and that enable students to perform work effectively in the future. These cognitive skills are inseparable technologies. On the one hand, because technological development itself generates new ways of working and learning and, secondly, because the new digital tools are useful to develop these skills and competencies.

Information and communication

According to the report of the OECD project, key skills and competencies that learners must acquire the new millennium are related to new modes of information and digital communication. These are the highlights: First

• excess material currently available information, the student should acquire skills to find, select, evaluate and organize information.

• Once compiled and organized the information, the student must also learn to transform and develop their own interpretations. Thus, skills are fostered creativity, innovation, decision making and problem-solving.

• ICT applications increase the potential for group communication, which requires coordination skills and teamwork.

• To contact the new digital media, the student must work essential skills that make you convey your message effectively. To do this you need to develop analytical thinking and reflective.

• A responsible use of ICT by student demands to recognize their potential risks and respect the social norms of behavior in the digital environment. This encourages critical thinking and decision making.

Technologies and Performance

Is there a link between the use and access to ICT and students' academic performance? The OECD has asked this question and to get the answer, has crossed data points obtained by students in PISA, with information gathered on various aspects related to the use of ICT by these students.

The result is reflected in the report "Are the New Millennium Learners achieving the required level? Use of educational technology and PISA results, "which takes as its framework the New Millennium Learners project. The study reinforces other research, as the main use of computers by students is more related to Internet access and entertainment to academics, or the use digital media in schools is essential to reduce the digital divide due to socioeconomic differences among students.

As to how that affects the use of ICT to the results, these are the main conclusions of the OECD:

• Familiarity with ICT impact on performance : results of the students vary significantly depending on the time period during which they have used the computer. Between a student who has used less than one year and used it for five years, there are differences of up to 61 point lead for the final.

• more impact at home: Most of the countries reviewed, the benefits of increased computer use tend to be better when used at home than at school.

• use if, but rather : frequent computer use is not synonymous with good academic performance. Those who benefit from its use are students who can use it as a learning tool and use it to make school-related tasks.