Glossary

Skills needed in the 21st century that go beyond basic literacy. Students must be able to read critically, write persuasively, think and reason logically, and solve complex problems. A successful 21st century student must also be adept at managing information—finding, evaluating, and applying new content understanding with great flexibility. The specific 21st century skills that are referenced in this course are from Partnership for 21st Century Skills (www.21stcenturyskills.org). **Analysis** According to Marzano (2000), the five cognitive processes are matching, classifying, error analysis, generalizing, and specifying. **Assessment Instrument** A tool, such as a checklist, prompt, or rubric, that is used to assess student learning. **Assessment method** A process, such as observation, conferences, or journals by which data about student learning is assessed. **Collaboration** A process by which students learn while working with others by sharing ideas and skill, providing feedback, and supporting each other’s learning. **Constructivism** A theory that says that people create their own knowledge and meaning. **Content Questions** Fact-based, concrete questions that have a narrow set of correct answers. They often relate to definitions, identifications, and general recall of information that directly support the unit’s targeted standards. Understanding of Content Questions is necessary in order to be able to answer the larger questions of the unit. **Curriculum Framing Questions** Curriculum-Framing Questions guide a unit of study and include an Essential Question, Unit Question(s), and Content Questions. They are used to promote interest, relevance, and understanding. **Essential Questions** Broad, open-ended questions that address big ideas and enduring concepts that occur over several units or subject areas. Essential Questions often cross disciplines and help students see how subjects are related. **Descriptor** The cells in the table of a rubric contain descriptors of what the trait looks like for a level of performance or quality. **Heterogeneous groupings** Classroom groupings in which students of varying abilities learn together in cooperative learning arrangements. **Higher-order thinking** Higher-order thinking involves thinking beyond the literal level of identifying information. According to the revised Bloom’s **Taxonomy, the following skills are considered higher-order thinking: applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.** **Information literacy** A 21st century skill that includes the ability to identify an information need, and then to find, collect, organize, evaluate, and use the information to create new ideas and solve problems. **Inquiry Based Learning** An instructional approach where students seek answers by gathering information and data. **Know Wonder Learn How Chart** A K-W-L-H chart can be used at the beginning of a project to assess prior knowledge, help teachers plan to meet student needs, and set the stage for new learning.
 * 21st century Skills**