What skills do people need to survive in the 21st century? It's a great question and one that is examined in painstaking detail by the authors of this 242-page report published by the National Academies Press. Released in 2012, the report responds to a charge from the National Research Council to define the set of key skills that are referenced by the labels "deeper learning, "21st century...

The Irascible Professor is the brainchild of Dr. Mark Shapiro, a professor at California State University-Fullerton. Begun in 1999, the prime purpose of the site is "to provide intelligent commentary on the successes, failures, and foibles of the American education establishment." The Web site features commentaries by Dr. Shapiro, along with periodic contributions by outside contributors, on the...