The Ohio Education Opportunity Act:

Integrates Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills into the Classroom

In 2009, Governor Strickland and the state legislature passed the most comprehensive education reform law in the country. House Bill 1, known as the Education Opportunity Act, creates a foundation for Ohio’s long-term progress by investing in children and their education. The law places an emphasis on teaching and learning in the classroom; a new school funding system that provides equal opportunity; stronger parent, school and community partnerships; and greater academic and fiscal accountability.

The Ohio Education Opportunity Act prioritizes teaching and learning in the classroom by integrating critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed for the changing workplace.

Why Teach Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills?

  • By fostering 21st century skills like critical thinking and problem-solving, schools help better prepare students for the tasks they’ll face in the modern workplace.
  • Jobs in rapidly growing technology and science-based sectors now require more than the basic skill sets traditionally taught in schools; they require higher-order skills developed through problem-solving and critical thinking exercises. 1
  • By developing curricula that emphasize both core subjects and problem-solving skills schools have helped students achieve success both in school and in the workplace. 2

What This Means for Ohio:

  • The top five fastest growing occupations in Ohio all require mastery of critical thinking and problem-solving skills:
    • Medical assistants
    • Network systems and data communications analysts
    • Computer science and systems software engineers
    • Environmental engineers
    • Database administrators 3
  • In conjunction with the passage of the Education Opportunity Act, Ohio has aligned itself as a “leadership state” with the national Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a national organization that advocates for 21st century readiness for every student.4

Resources:

For more information about Partnership for 21st Century skills visit  http://www.21stcenturyskillsohio.org or  http://www.p21.org/

Click here to download the Partnership for 21st Century Skills 2009 MILE Guide: Milestones for Improving Learning and Education

REFERENCES

1. Kirkley, Jamie. Principles for Teaching and Problem Solving. Rep. Plato Learning, 2003. Web. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.117.8503&rep=rep1&type=pdf

2. Kirkley, Jamie. Principles for Teaching and Problem Solving. Rep. Plato Learning, 2003. Web. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.117.8503&rep=rep1&type=pdf

3. “Fast Facts – KnowledgeWorks Foundation.” KnowledgeWorks Foundation – Empowering Communities to Improve Education. Web. 09 June 2010. http://www.kwfdn.org/fast_facts/fastfact.aspx

4. “What Is 21stcenturyskillsohio.org?” 21st Century Skills Ohio. Web. 09 June 2010. http://21stcenturyskillsohio.org/?p=174

 

Click here to download this fact sheet