/EINPresswire.com/ -- WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - April 24, 2017) - P21, the Partnership for 21st Century Learning, today kicks off its Skills for Today week across the country to emphasize how the P21 Framework for 21st Century Learning and the 4Cs -- communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity -- can empower all learners to gain the skills they need for success.

Throughout the week of April 24-28, P21 will partner with its Exemplar schools and districts, and member organizations nationwide to showcase how the 4Cs are transforming learning in the classroom, and why these skills are essential to education and the workforce today. Useful resources for educators will be shared on Participate, an online professional development platform, and new research on the importance of collaboration conducted by P21 and Pearson will be highlighted throughout the week.

Representing over 5 million members of the global workforce, P21 serves as a catalyst for 21st century learning, building collaborative partnerships among education, business, community, and government leaders so that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a world where change is constant and learning never stops.

"If we want to set our children up for success in college, career, and life, opportunities to learn 21st century skills are essential," said David Ross, CEO of P21. "The Skills for Today week will not only help shine a national spotlight on the importance of these skills for our students but also highlight the critical elements of a successful education in the 21st century and the resources, research, and best practices that bring these skills to the classroom."

To kick off the week, P21 will co-host a roundtable event with Pearson and Two Rivers Public Charter School, one of P21's 21st Century Learning Exemplars, in Washington, D.C. The participants in the roundtable will discuss the importance of 21st century learning from the student, parent, educator, and researcher perspectives. Their discussion will be shared on Facebook Live.

At the roundtable event, a new research brief by P21 and Pearson will be released. "Skills for Today: What We Know about Teaching and Assessing Collaboration" is the first in a new series of research briefs on the 4Cs. In this first paper, the two organizations have joined together in an effort to focus on how to teach and measure collaboration at the K-12 and higher education levels.

"Employers tell us that the most successful employees in their workplaces have not only mastered technical skills and content knowledge, but also professional and social skills like being a good collaborator," said Leah Jewell, Managing Director of Career Development and Employability at Pearson. "This report demonstrates that having collaboration and teamwork skills allows people to work more effectively and productively in the early stages of their careers and beyond and to contribute to the growth of more civil discourse everywhere."

Throughout the rest of the Skills for Today week, P21 member organizations will join together to participate in themed days that showcase how 21st century learning is essential in a variety of settings -- from early learning and beyond school to STEAM and global learning. P21 member organizations will share new tools, information, and resources to support educators as they bring the 4Cs to their classrooms. Each day will also feature a webinar with key stakeholders and other resources.

P21's Exemplar schools and districts will celebrate and highlight examples of successful 21st century learning using social media, webinars, and events at schools across the country. The exemplars will share their celebrations and success stories using the hashtag #SkillsForToday.

To learn more about the week and how it serves as a catalyst for 21st century learning, visit SkillsForToday.org

About P21
P21, the Partnership for 21st Century Learning recognizes that all learners need educational experiences in school and beyond, from cradle to career, to build knowledge and skills for success in a globally and digitally interconnected world. Representing over 5 million members of the global workforce, P21 is a catalyst organization uniting business, government and education leaders from the U.S. and abroad to advance evidence-based education policy and practice and to make innovative teaching and learning a reality for all. Learn more at www.p21.org and follow P21 on Twitter @P21Learning