Resumen de The development of 21st century skills in the knowledge building environment
Many of the most important problems facing engineers today have solutions that require not only technical expertise, butalso the application of 21st century skills. Knowledge building (KB) is an instructional approach designed to support bothdeep learning and the development of these skills. In KB learners engage in a sustained discourse to share knowledge,formulate and refine inquiries, and continually improve their collective ideas and understanding of authentic problems.This paper presents an example of applying KB in an undergraduate engineering mechanics course. Data from 77 studentsengaging in KB and the discourse record of a KB team consisting of 8 students was examined to look for indications of 21stcentury skill development. Evidence was found supporting high-level creativity and innovation, communication,collaboration/teamwork, information literacy/research, critical thinking and metacognition skills. The discourse alsoprovidedevidence thatthe class was centered onthe learner,knowledge, community, and assessment—allbest practicesfordesigning learning environments.
