Business Education as a Panacea for wealth creation among youths with specific reference to 21st Century skills.

 
CHAPTER ONE
1.0    BACKGROUND OF STUDY
WHAT ARE 21ST CENTURY SKILLS?
In a knowledge-based economy, learning to collaborate with others and connect through technology are essential skills that are required.
Some researchers have grouped 21st century skills into four (4) broad categories. These include:
a.    Ways of Thinking: This has to do with creativity, critical thinking, problems solving, decision-making and learning.
b.    Ways of Working: How communication and collaboration are key.
c.    Tools for working: This includes information and communications technology (ICT) and information literacy.

d.    Skills for living in the world: Citizenship life and careers, and personal and social responsibility are of paramount importance here.
With the above four  categories of 21st century skills, there is the urgent need to move from conceptual to practical, working with two  skills that  covers  all four categories.
i.    Collaborative Problem Solving: This entails working together to solve a common challenge, which encompasses the contribution and exchange of ideas, knowledge or resources to attain the goal.
ii.    ICT Literacy: Learning in the digital networks. Here, learning is by digital means e.g social networking, ICT literacy, technological awareness and simulation. Each of these elements enhances the individual to function effectively I social networks and contribute meaningfully to the development of social and intellectual and capital. Hence the concepts are put to practice.
In today’s world, there is significant shift in advanced economies from manufacturing to emphasizing information and knowledge services. The idea that knowledge itself is growing ever more specialized and expanding exponentially cannot be over-emphasized.
The natures of how work is conducted as well as the meaning of social relationships are being transformed by information and communication technology.
In today’s world, information sharing, teamwork, innovation and decentralized decision making are key. It is now evident that success in being able to communicate, share and use information to solve critical problems and in being able to  adapt and innovate in response to new demands and changing circumstances as well as ability to marshal and expand the power of technology to create new knowledge and expand human capacity and productivity.
Research have revealed during the last decade, how new social practices evolve due to increased use of new digital technologies, especially among young people (Buckingham and Willet, 2006). Such practices create re-conception of important skills, not defined from a system level, but from the everyday lives of people in our societies.  An example is research done n on computer games and online communities (Gee root). When problems solving is defined as a key component of such practices. Such experiences of problem solving need to inform us in the way we design and define key skills.

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