text: DEC Scan Journal : Volume 33 Issue 3, Page 20
  2014 Volume 33, Issue 3 20 Contents Editorial Currents Teaching & learning Research Curriculum support Share this Resource reviews Learning and literacy for the future June Wall is an independent consultant for elearning and libraries. June has broad experience as a teacher librarian, educational leader and consultant, professional association executive and president at state and national levels. June is passionate about digital learning and pedagogies and future oriented libraries. Karen Bonanno is an online educator and consultant, the founder and director of Eduwebinar. Karen's focuses are innovative teaching and learning, and resourcing future oriented curriculum design and delivery. Karen has extensive experience as an educational leader nationally and internationally. AMALGAMI/shutterstock.com Introduction The Young Adult Literacy Services Association forum report (YALSA), The future of library services for and with teens: a call to action. (Braun et al., 2014), indicates that success for today's teens in an increasingly global and competitive society will depend on having a set of skills that goes beyond traditional academic skills. The report states the expanded set of skills includes learning and innovation skills (i.e. creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration), and information, media and technology skills (i.e. information literacy, media literacy, digital literacy, and ICT literacy). (Braun et al.,p. 3) There is a concern that young people entering the workforce do not have this skill set. Research into how teens do research in the digital world revealed positive and negative results. Students are able to access a greater variety of information on the topics that interest them, but teachers specifically identified the following as emerging concerns: In this article, June Wall and Karen Bonanno provide an introduction to the research base behind the need for students and teachers to develop new learning skills, formerly known as 21st century learning skills. An outcome of this research has been the recognition of the need for teachers to upskill in these new areas. It presents the argument for, and research about, the new skills. It will be followed up with a second article on how a capacity building toolkit may be implemented in schools.