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WHAT ARE 21ST CENTURY SKILLS? Everybody seems to be talking about learning 21st century skills, but what does it all mean for the classroom teacher who needs better technology in education and more resources for tomorrow's mathematics or history lesson? Concerned about preparing today's children for tomorrow's world, the Partnership for 21st Century Skills and International Society for Technology in Education have drafted frameworks and guidelines that outline what our students need to know to meet the challenges of the modern age. Mastery of core content areas, such as language Arts (including English language arts, reading, Spanish, etc....), mathematics, science and history, remains the centerpiece. But these two organizations emphasize the importance of cultivating interdisciplinary themes, such as global awareness and financial, civic and health literacies, and weaving key skill areas (creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, research a