21st Century Teacher Skills and Their Contribution to the Educational System According to Expert and Teacher Views

Background/purpose – In the 21st century, humankind has experienced an unprecedented level of change and we should therefore ensure that the new generations are educated with the skills appropriate to this ever-developing technological era. However, in order to adequately equip students their teachers first need to acquire these 21st century skills. In this respect, this study aims to reveal what these 21st century teacher skills are and, according to the opinions of teachers and experts, how their acquisition by teachers contributes to the education system.

Materials/methods – The research was designed as a qualitative phenomenological study. The participants consisted of six academicians who are each experts in the field of teacher training, plus 13 working teachers. The study’s data were collected through a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers. Content analysis was then used in the analysis of the data.

Results – It was revealed that teachers should possess many varied and versatile skills. Once these 21st century skills have been acquired by teachers, they can actively contribute to both parties’ futures according to many different aspects.

Conclusion – Education plays a crucial role in shaping the future generations. However, fulfillment of these roles is only possible through teachers who first acquire and master these 21st century skills, and then learn to impart these skills to their current and future students.

Keywords: skills, 21st century skills, teacher skills

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