Transformation of 21st Century Science Skills: Perceptions of Secondary School Teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate science teachers’ perceptions of 21st-century skills, i.e., communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, called 4 C’s skills. This study employed a case study where participants were purposively selected in lower Dir Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A semi-structured interview was used for gathering data. Participants perceived the use of 4C skills for the effective teaching-learning process and the need for collaborative teamwork for the effective teaching-learning process. The data analysis proved the need to acquire 21st-century skills for teachers to be effective teachers, meet the needs of modern education, and be able to resolve issues skillfully that occur inside the classroom or outside the classroom. Further analysis of data revealed that the teachers are aware and perceive the usage of technological devices such as computers and the internet for education purposes as the need of the modern day. Fostering 21st-century beliefs by science teachers is an important goal for professional development, but care should be sought to emphasize broad teaching practices, including self-regulatory learning. Science teachers should develop creative, critical, analytical, problem-solving solving, and Metacognitive skills and should become broad-minded to constructivist teaching conceptions.