Background
The world is changing quickly, and education has to deal with many worldwide and local problems. Around the world, education systems are being pushed to change to meet the needs of the 21st century, which is marked by fast technological progress, globalization, and the need for workers who can think critically, communicate effectively, work together effectively, and be creative (the 4Cs). Because of these issues, we need to switch from old-fashioned teaching methods to more flexible, skill-based methods that prepare students for an unsure future (Darling-Hammond et al., 2010). The COVID-19 pandemic has also sped up the use of online learning and testing, which shows how important it is to have robust, adaptable educational systems that can handle these kinds of problems (Woldeab & Brothen, 2019).
Local education systems face specific problems, such as unequal distribution of resources, different teaching preparation levels, and different student success results. For example, there is a big difference between urban and country schools in many places regarding quality teaching and access to technology for learning (Dimkpa, 2015). More so, problems like test nervousness and how well online proctoring systems work have worsened, which hurts student success and shows how these issues need to be fixed locally (Woldeab & Brothen, 2019). Socioeconomic factors affecting school access and fairness worsen these local problems. Another issue that worries people is the uneven use of STEM education and how it affects students’ 21st-century skills (Nurlenasari et al., 2019).
Many studies need to be done on successfully teaching and testing 21st-century skills in various school settings, even though these problems exist. Despite the large body of writing on the theoretical foundations of 21st-century education, not many look at how these ideas are used in classes (Schrum & Levin, 2013). Also, the link between teachers’ freedom at work and student success in the 21st century has yet to be thoroughly studied (Caldwell, 2016). Also, more study needs to be done on how longer professional development in project-based learning affects how well teachers do their jobs and their students do in school (Hixson et al., 2012). For instance, Coronel and Tan (2019) pointed out that self-blend methods affect how well students do in math, which needs more research. Also, more studies need to be done on how mixed learning can help English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students do better in school and practice 21st-century skills (Hadiyanto et al., 2022).
This study’s importance comes from its ability to fill in these gaps in research by showing how 21st-century learning models are used and how they affect student happiness and success. This study aims to give information that can help shape education policy and practice by looking at how the 4Cs, teacher liberty, and professional growth all work together. Also, knowing these forces can help teachers and policymakers make better classrooms that meet the needs of all students. This will improve overall academic performance and prepare students for future challenges (Limna et al., 2022). For complete educational plans, researchers need to know how 21st-century skills affect students’ success in different topics, like math (Varona, 2020). Additionally, the fact that 21st-century skills affect how well college students do in their classes shows their importance at all levels of education (Amin et al., 2022).
Recurring Themes on Student Performance in the 21st Century
1. 21st Century Skills and Student Performance
Several studies look at the link between 21st-century skills and student success, showing how important it is for schools to change to meet new needs. Limna et al. (2022) examine how the 4Cs (critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and creativity) affect student success and happiness, showing that these skills are essential for good learning results. Coronel and Tan (2019) also use a self-blend method to examine how 21st-century skills affect math success. They say combining these skills can help students improve in certain areas. Varona (2020) also says that 21st-century skills improve classroom success and stresses their importance in today’s schools.
2. Tests of education and how well students do
One crucial aspect is the role of testing in building 21st-century skills and how it affects student results. Darling-Hammond et al. (2010) discuss how performance tests can help students learn more by focusing on essential skills instead of memorizing facts. Woldeab and Brothen (2019) talk about how online proctoring and test worry affect students’ performance, showing that we need ways to test that help students succeed instead of getting in the way. Sambell et al. (2019) list eight problems with how tests are used in the 21st century and call for new ways to help students learn.
3. How teachers work and how they can improve their skills
Improving 21st-century learning depends on how teachers act and how they grow as professionals. Dimkpa (2015) says that current teaching methods are essential for raising student achievement and calls for teachers to keep learning. Hixson et al. (2012) look at how longer professional development in project-based learning affects how well teachers do their jobs and how well their students do in school. They show how intensive training programs can help. Schrum and Levin (2013) use examples of outstanding leadership in 21st-century schools to show how strong leadership can help students do better in school.
4. Learning that uses both technology and a mix of it
Another important theme is the use of technology and mixed learning methods together. Hadiyanto et al. (2022) look into how mixed learning affects EFL students’ performance and use of 21st-century skills and find good results. Nurlenasari et al. (2019) look at how 21st-century skills grow in STEM classrooms and see that technology-enhanced learning can help build these skills.
5. Making policies and plans for the curriculum
Developing policies and lessons is crucial to ensuring schools teach 21st-century skills. Caldwell (2016) talks about the autonomy premium and how giving teachers more professional freedom can help their students do better in school. Andrade (2016) looks at the parts of a curriculum needed for students to do well in the 21st century and gives curriculum designers a framework for their work. Alismail and McGuire (2015) examine the latest studies and practices on 21st-century standards and education. They stress the need for significant policy changes.
6. Models of ideas and theoretical points of view
Conceptual models and theoretical views help us understand and study education in the 21st century. DiBenedetto and Myers (2016) suggest a way to think about how to study student readiness in the 21st century. This model can be used as a starting point for more research. For example, Williams (2021) looks at how federal and state policies can help close performance gaps in young children by connecting policy efforts to how well students do in school.
7. Problems on a global and regional scale
Several writers discuss the global and regional problems of adopting 21st-century education. Vegas and Petrow (2007) talk about how hard it is to get students in Latin America to learn more, pointing out the differences in the level of education across the area. In 2010, Voogt and Roblin wrote a discussion paper about 21st-century skills. It shows the problems and chances that different education systems worldwide face.
