Paul Mahoney's List: LT5

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner offer vision for teaching and learning to both guide and beckon our profession as education leaders. They will both shape the library program and serve as a tool for school librarians to use to shape the learning of students in the school.

In this digital age, intellectual capital drives progress, so political, social, and economic advances in the 21st century will be possible only if the intellectual potential of America's youth is well developed. To accomplish this, we must meet the changing learning needs of all students.



The enGauge 21st Century Skills were developed through a process that included literature reviews, research on emerging characteristics of the Net-Generation, a review of current reports on workforce trends from business and industry, analysis of nationally recognized skill sets, input from educators, data from educator surveys, and reactions from constituent groups. Sources are listed and cross-matched in a matrix included in the full report

Educational technology standards are the roadmap to teaching effectively and growing professionally in an increasingly digital world. Technology literacy is a crucial component of modern society. In fact, the globalizing economy and technological advances continue to place a premium on a highly skilled labor force.

Based on and aligned with national standards from the American Library Association*, Colorado's information literacy standards are tailored to this state and its educational needs. They describe the standards that students must achieve to be “information literate”. Similar in format to Colorado’s other educational standards, the following nine standards offer information literacy concepts with a rationale and indicators similar to classroom standards.