What skills do people need to survive in the 21st century? It's a great question and one that is examined in painstaking detail by the authors of this 242-page report published by the National Academies Press. Released in 2012, the report responds to a charge from the National Research Council to define the set of key skills that are referenced by the labels "deeper learning, "21st century...

In the past week, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has issued two significant publications. This publication, The NPEC Sourcebook on Assessment Volumes 1 and 2, offer "a tool for researchers who are seeking comparative data about the policy-relevance of student outcomes measured in the primary skills areas of critical thinking, problem solving, and writing." This first volume...

In the past week, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has issued two significant publications. This publication, The NPEC Sourcebook on Assessment Volumes 1 and 2, offer "a tool for researchers who are seeking comparative data about the policy-relevance of student outcomes measured in the primary skills areas of critical thinking, problem solving, and writing." The second volume...