The 21st Century Skills in Different International Frameworks A comparative Analytical Review Study

Abstract

The tremendous technical developments that took place by the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century have demonstrated the need for new skills and values in the labor market, and there is a serious pursuit by major commercial companies and leading educational institutions around the world in order to provide and enhance the skills and values required for graduates of the twenty-first century, so that their skills suit the needs of the labor market. In this regard, several frameworks have emerged to define “twenty-first century skills”. Despite the multiplicity of these frameworks, this research focuses on five frameworks that are considered the most famous frames at the global level. These frameworks are: (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory -NCREL)  (2003), the OECD Framework (2005), the European Union Framework for Key Competencies (2006), the 21st Century Skills Partnership Framework (2007), and the UNESCO sponsored Learning Metrics Working Group (2012) .