Understandably, you might ask ” Why are the 4C’s critical to the future of education? “, or even just why you should care.
The fourth industrial revolution moves us increasingly into a world of ever-present connections. We live with constant change and uncertainty. Managing this ambiguity requires us to place an emphasis on higher-order skills. This includes skills like critical and independent thinking, along with a renewed interest in creative exploration.
One of the few things experts inside and outside the formal education system agree on, is that we should be teaching students to master the 4c’s.
- Creativity
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Critical Thinking
The 4C’s gives us a set of foundational skills to help make our children future fit.
Creativity
There are many definitions of creativity, but simply put it is the ability to look at an opportunity and perceive it in a different way. Many people believe that creativity is about being able to make previously unseen connections and to generate fresh thoughts and ideas that can translate into something new. Sir Ken Robinson defines creativity as “the process of having original ideas that have value”.
Communication
Communication is the act of sharing information, ideas, and understanding between individuals or groups of people. Good communication is about storytelling. It is the ability to give meaning to experiences felt or observed and in turn share those experiences with others. When someone says “that person is a good communicator” they are also saying that person is a good storyteller.
Collaboration
Collaboration is the art of working together. It is the process of cooperating with others to understand, create, and produce. Successful collaboration is not about getting your own way, but rather seeking common ground so that a team can achieve their goals together.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate an idea or issue in a meaningful way. This requires good observation, analysis, reflection and evaluation skills. In addition, critical thinking is understanding information and giving feedback that is meaningful, balanced, and constructive.
The 4C’s will become core to the life skills development of young people across the world. Actually, all these skills have one thing in common: they are relationship skills. Despite the wealth of technological progress, we need to get back to basics: people.
The 4C’s are a set of learned skills. Developing these skills takes time. They become hard-wired into our brains and developed, over time. from childhood to adult life. These skills become easier the earlier a student starts to learn them.
We believe that when a student learns the 4C’s, he or she will be better prepared for the future.
Students will be better equipped to be global citizens and to solve the unpredictable challenges of the future. At Ayara we give students the tools and skills they need to succeed in the future by connecting them with certified educators that teach the 4C’s.