The integration of 21st century skills in the curriculum of education

Abstract

The premise of this study, utilizing content analysis and descriptive qualitative designs, posited that teachers' comprehension of 21st-century/4Cs skills' could define the caliber of educational materials in higher education institutions. The study aimed to ascertain how 21st-century skills were incorporated in teachers' term evaluations and instructional plans, and to explore teachers' understanding of these skills. From 2022 to 2023, this research was carried out at the Faculty of Education in one university in Indonesia. There were 54 documents collected, which included 27 teachers' term evaluations and 27 instructional plans. Four teachers were interviewed to collect information related to their 4Cs competencies’ familiarity, opinions, and the challenges of the 4Cs competencies integration. To evaluate the collected documents, this study utilized the Career Technical Education (CTE) Career Ready Practices checklist, a 21st-Century Skills/4Cs rubric encompassing “Communication,” “Creativity,” “Critical Thinking,” and “Collaboration.” The research indicated that teachers' term evaluations and instructional plans have incorporated 4C skills in the categories of “Not yet reached competency” and “Approaching competency.” The research suggests that teachers' understanding of 4Cs competencies can be initially assessed through their instructional materials, 4Cs competencies, familiarity, positive opinions, and challenges. Teachers must have familiarity with 4Cs competencies in order to provide these skills in their instructional materials/plans and develop teaching with the 4Cs competencies. A multifaceted strategy is needed for the next research, including focused professional development, collaboration among educators, institutional leaders' support, and alignment with larger educational priorities and goals.

1. Introduction

The 4Cs-communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking as emphasized by the US-based Partnership for 21st Century Skills highlight the importance of these skills that are increasingly recognized as essential intellectual competencies. University graduates are anticipated to possess the skills because these competencies are crucial for effectively navigating and succeeding in the complex and dynamic demands of the 21st-century workforce. Taking part in the 21st-century skills revolution will include paying close attention to curriculum, instructor quality, and assessment [1]. Obviously, the first and main objectives in facilitating students' learning as addressed by school curriculum have been the 21st-century demands. The advancement of 21st century skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork, is a necessity for education in the current century [2]. A reevaluation of conventional curricula and pedagogies is necessary, emphasizing personalized instruction and the development of moral consciousness [3].

Technology can help this modern approach to learning, but learning skills and subjective well-being need to be given more attention [4]. The major goals of curriculum-based learning facilitation for students are to equip them with the skills necessary to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century, which includes encouraging lifelong learning, using cutting-edge technologies, and developing 21st century abilities. According to Ref. [5], these adjustments necessitate the creation of new curriculum models that adapt to the varied needs of students and get graduates ready for the workforce. The focus of this Century is on individuals' skills and attitudes that are aligned with the demands of the twenty-first century. Therefore, to address the goals of students' learning in developing the 4Cs competency, it is essential to implement effective teaching activities and provide supportive educational materials.

Educational resources play a vital role in nurturing the 4Cs competencies. In fact, many of these teaching and learning resources fall short in addressing the varied interests and needs of students. It is now imperative for educators to go beyond merely imparting existing knowledge. They must also focus on preparing students to acquire essential skills for real-life challenges and future demands, particularly in the 4Cs competencies areas. When focusing on the 4Cs competencies, teachers must be able to foster and empower students' critical thinking by being able to identify issue origins and solutions. Pupils are motivated to engage in creative thinking by using a novel idea or fresh method for addressing problems.

Improving students' openness to sharing ideas, opinions, and criticism might be a useful strategy for improving their communication abilities. The capacity to explain someone's ability to give explanations and convey information so that listeners may comprehend has become the hallmark of modern communication. This ability is then categorized into three types of communication: verbal, written, and social skills [6], which is defined as a parameter of a people's readiness to compete in real life and building long term concepts [[7], [8], [9]].

Actually, a number of experts put up a number of standards for judging the caliber of instruction, one of them being the caliber of the supplemental resources that educators and students would utilize. Indonesian education is still changing to meet the needs of the twenty-first century, which define the 4Cs. This is demonstrated by the most recent college curriculum shift to the Indonesian National Qualifying Framework (INQF), also known as Kerangka Kurikulum Nasional Indonesia (KKNI). Chapter I, Article 1 Paragraph 5 of Regulation No. 49 of 2014 by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture states: “The Indonesian National Qualification Framework, hereby abbreviated as INQF” is a framework for competency certification that can match, equalize, and integrate work experience, education, and job training domains to identify work capabilities in line with job structures across a range of industries.

The INQF embodies the quality and identity of Indonesia through its national education system, job training system, and learning outcomes assessment system. Its purpose is to cultivate productive and highly skilled human resources in the country. This curriculum, in some respects, aims to blur the lines between students studying domestically, whether in a private or public setting, and those learning overseas.

Additionally, Minister of National Education Decree No. 232/U/2000, Minister of National Education Decree No. 045/U/2002, and Higher Education Content Standards from Badan Nasional Sertifikasi Profesi (BSNP) (2010) are followed in the development of the Indonesian higher education curriculum. The INQF Guidelines from the Ministry of National Education and Presidential Decree No. 8 of 2012 serve as the legal foundation for the INQF's preparation. It is envisaged that this non-arbitrary curriculum revision will result in even more advancements in Indonesian education. The main objective of the curriculum is to develop graduates who are competent and possess strong intellectual abilities, particularly the 4Cs skills, to excel in the competitive landscape of the twenty-first century.

The Indonesian curriculum is designed to produce competent graduates with strong intellectual skills, particularly the 4Cs' skills for success in the 21st century [[10], [11], [12]]. This emphasis on 21st century competencies is driven by the need to prepare students for global competition, technological advancements, and media saturation [11]. However, the implementation of this curriculum faces challenges such as teacher competency, literacy and numeracy skills, and the engagement of education sector stakeholders [10]. Strategies to enhance the 4C competencies include discussions, extracurricular activities, and collaboration with relevant organizations [12].

In fact, the practice of teaching and learning in Indonesian higher education institutions has fallen short of expectations. It has been reported that the learning practice does not place a high value on the level of application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation [13]. Put differently, the technique does not incorporate any further steps to integrate teaching planning and assessment; rather, it concentrates only on the degree of students' knowledge and comprehension of the materials. One could argue that implementing the finest practices of 21st-century learning may be hampered by teachers' inadequate grasp of the 4Cs. The research on 4Cs competencies mentioned above has been widely conducted by promoting collaborative, creative, and critical thinking skills in students in learning environments [2,[14], [15], [16]]. The general conclusions of the research are that the practice is not well done and matched as expected by the learning philosophy.

The parts of teachers' preparation for creating teaching and learning documents that support the 4Cs and assessment for improved accomplishment have not been the focus of prior study. Similarly, the objectives of the teaching profession are insufficient without assessing how teacher assistance 4Cs competency is integrated in teaching. Teachers' roles include not only promoting students' academic performance, but also equipping them to have soft skills, which are required for 21st-century learning. Consequently, it is suggested that a study be conducted to investigate how teachers are prepared and trained for the acquisition of 21st-century skills in pedagogy, curriculum, and evaluation.

Teachers' readiness is an influential aspect in completing 21st-century skills for students and should be regarded as an important first step to monitor. It is possible to measure classroom instructional quality by observing teacher practices and the classroom process. To promote successful learning, teachers' mastery of the 4Cs competences must be demonstrated in a developmentally appropriate manner. According to research conducted in the context of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by Refs. [17,18] educators possess a skill set inadvertently limited and superficially tied to test-based accountability.

A prevailing force in educational policy and practice, according to Ref. [19], is the concept of 21st century learning, which encompasses a range of competencies and skills. Unfortunately, some argue that this focus on abilities and skills ignores education [20]. It is believed that educational psychology had a significant role in developing this new understanding of learners [21]. Furthermore, neoliberalism is associated with 21st century learning curricula that place a strong emphasis on students' future readiness [22].

This happens the most because there is no clear assessment to hold them accountable. No teacher's performance on a test causes immediate, significant issues that would hinder the learning of the 4Cs skills. As a result, disseminating school documents that outperform expectations could assist teachers in understanding the demonstrable importance of 21st-century learning outcomes. Teachers require training and implementation to gain a broader understanding of instructional practices. Giving teachers feedback and support on the documents they use (e.g., syllabus, tasks, tests, materials) can help them develop effective pedagogical skills. Professional teachers with effective teaching skills may aid in the preparation of the effective 21st learners.

This current research proposes to uncover the establishment of the 4Cs competencies incorporated to the teachers' instructional materials, after intertwining the issues in terms of the importance of the 4Cs competencies development with the students' future life and career cultivation in 21st-Century education. Assuming that the 4Cs competencies are the fundamental pillars defining the quality of instructional materials in higher education institutions, this study formulated three research questions.

• 1.How is 21st-century skills/4Cs evaluated from teachers' term evaluations at Faculty of Education and Teachers Training?
• 2.How is 21st-century skills/4Cs evaluated from teachers' instructional plans at Faculty of Education and Teachers Training?
• 3.What are the teachers' comprehension of 21st-century/4Cs competencies at Faculty of Education and Teachers Training?

By evaluating how 21st-century skills/4Cs are assessed through teachers' term evaluations, the study can provide valuable insights into current assessment practices. Examining how 21st-century skills/4Cs are integrated into teachers' instructional plans can highlight best practices and areas for improvement in curriculum design. Understanding teachers’ comprehension of 21st-century/4Cs competencies can inform professional development programs. By identifying gaps in knowledge or misconceptions, the research can guide the creation of targeted training initiatives that empower teachers with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively teach 4Cs competencies. With regard to institutional impact, the findings can help higher education institutions refine their curricula and assessment practices, aligning them more closely with the demands of the 21st-century educational landscape. This can lead to the production of graduates who are better.

2. Methods

This study used a content analysis design to identify the integration of the 4Cs competencies as one of 21st-Century skills in teachers' teaching documents and followed by a descriptive qualitative research to gain information related to the teachers comprehension on 21st-century skills/4Cs' competencies. This research was conducted at the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training, in one university, in Pekanbaru, Riau, Indonesia. The researchers used documents of: 1) teachers' instructional plans; 2) teachers' term evaluations; and 3) the interview results (from 4 selected teachers) that relate to the teachers' 4C skills familiarity, opinions, and challenges in integrating 4C skills. The researchers gathered 54 documents, including 27 teachers' instructional plans and 27 teachers' term evaluations. To examine the collected documents, the researchers used 4Cs rubric's checklist from the Career Technical Education/CTE Career Ready Practices as presented in Table 1.

Table 1.

21st century Skills/4C rubrics to document 4Cs competencies.

COMMUNICATION	SCORE 4-3-2-1	CREATIVITY	SCORE: 4-3-2-1	CRITICAL THINKING (PROBLEM SOLVING)	SCORE 4-3-2-1	COLLABORATION	SCORE: 4-3-2-1
Communicating well		Creating ideas		Reasoning skills		Engaging actively and respectfully
Communicating through presentation		Researching ideas		Using information		Respecting other ideas
Communicating new ideas		Reflecting on ideas		Understanding the system		Listening well
Timely listening/speaking		Originality		Asking to understand		Sharing and supporting
Listening well		Applying ideas		Using multiple techniques		Open to compromise
Communicating with technology		Working by self-direction		Using feedback		Participating
Communicating with written form		Innovation through diversity		Learning from the past		Balancing all views
Sub-Score		Sub-Score		Learning from mistakes and success		Understanding culture
Divide By	7	Divide By	7	Seeking solutions		Understanding the larger community
SCORE		SCORE		Sub-Score		Sub-Score
				Divide By	9	Divide By	9
				SCORE		SCORE

Individual's Name:	Total of all Scores		Score Key:
	Divide By	4	4 = Exceeds Competency
			3 = Meets Competency
	Total Score		2 = Approaching Competency
			1 = Not Yet Reached Competency

Source: CTE Career Ready Practices (downloaded from https://www.nd.gov/dpi)

This 21st Century Skills/4Cs rubric, adapted from the CTE Career Ready Practices, served to evaluate how well the skills are incorporated into instructional documents. It measured proficiency in the essential skills element of the Choice Ready Framework through 32 specific indicators: 7 for Communication, 7 for Creativity, 9 for Critical Thinking, and 9 for Collaboration. The clear description of the instructional documents’ evaluation is presented Table 2.

Table 2.

Teachers’ term evaluations and instructional plans analysis based on 4Cs indicators in numbers & percentages.

No	4Cs competencies Levels with 32 indicators	The number of integrated Indicators	Percentage 4Cs competencies Integration	Score
1	Not Yet Reached Competency	1-8 indicators	0 %–25 %	1
2	Approaching Competency	9-16 indicators	26 %–50 %	2
3	Meets Competency	17-30 indicators	51 % - < 100 %	3
4	Exceeds Competency	32 indicators	100 %	4

The documents of teachers’ term evaluations and instructional plans were assessed using 4Cs indicators. Documents with 100 % integration (32 indicators) were scored “4" (Exceeds Competency). Documents with 51–99 % integration were scored “3" (Meets Competency). Those with 26–50 % integration were scored “2" (Approaching Competency). Documents with less than 25 % integration were scored “1" (Not Yet Reached Competency).

The 54 teaching documents in this study were evaluated by two raters. The two raters chosen were the lecturers with a background in education (Ph.D in education) and a good understanding of 4Cs implementation in classroom teaching. They double-checked both teachers' term evaluations and instructional plans using the 4Cs' indicators. The scores were assigned on a scale of 1–4 based on the availability of 4Cs indicators integrated into the instructional documents. When reviewing teachers' term evaluations, the raters matched the test instructions (oral and written tests, projects, and presentations) to the 4Cs indicators. In evaluating instructional plans documents, the raters focused on materials, learning methods/strategies/activities, class assignments, and learning outcomes that matched 4Cs indicators. The interrater reliability was evaluated and found to be “fair.” Then, the scores obtained from evaluating documents based on 4Cs competencies checklist rubric were analyzed using descriptive statistics to know the Means of 4Cs integration in teachers’ instructional documents.

Following an analysis of the teaching documents, the researchers conducted interviews with four selected teachers (teacher 5, 6, 17, and 18) from the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training. These teachers had achieved high scores (3.00–3.67) in the integration of 4C skills as determined from their teaching documents. The data gathered from these interviews was utilized to serve an additional horizon into the integration of 4C skills within instructional documents.

3. Findings

• 1.The analysis of 21st-century skills/4Cs in teachers' term evaluations at the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training revealed that the competency level was “Not Yet Reached."

The first research question seeks an answer focusing on 21st-century skills/4Cs evaluated from teachers’ term evaluations at Faculty of Education and Teachers Training.

Table 3 displays the results of 4Cs integration in teachers' term evaluations. The use of the 4Cs rubric has documented 4Cs proficiency. The first C “Communication” element has a Mean = 1.89, indicating “not yet attained competency” as required by 21st-Century skills. Mean = 1.92 for the second C, “Creativity”, indicating “Not yet attained competency.” The third C, “Critical Thinking” (M = 1.92), and the fourth C, “Collaboration” (M = 1.57), continue to indicate “Not yet attained competency” for the four Cs. M = 1.82 is the grand mean of the teachers' term evaluations that have been analyzed. In summary, the integration of 4Cs competencies analyzed from teachers' term evaluations at the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training was classified as “Not yet reached competency”. Furthermore, Table 4 of descriptive statistics analysis of 21st-Century skills/4Cs rubric scores evaluated from teachers’ term evaluations provides more explicit information about the four calculated elements.

Table 3.

21st-Century skills/4Cs rubric scores from teachers’ term evaluations based on 4 indicators.

No	4Cs' Skills in teachers' term evaluation	Communi-cation	Creati-vity	Problem Solving/Critical Thinking	Teamwork Collabo-ration	Mean
1	TTE Teacher 1	2.00	2.50	2.50	2.00	2.25
2	TTE Teacher 2	3.00	3.00	2.50	2.50	2.75
3	TTE Teacher 3	2.50	2.50	2.50	2.50	2.50
4	TTE Teacher 4	2.00	2.33	2.33	2.00	2.16
5	TTE Teacher 5	1.66	2.33	2.00	2.00	2.00
6	TTE Teacher 6	2.00	2.00	1.50	1.50	1.75
7	TTE Teacher 7	1.33	1.00	1.33	1.00	1.16
8	TTE Teacher 8	1.00	1.66	2.00	1.00	1.41
9	TTE Teacher 9	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
10	TTE Teacher 10	1.00	1.00	2.00	1.00	1.25
11	TTE Teacher 11	1.50	2.00	1.50	1.00	1.50
12	TTE Teacher 12	2.50	2.50	2.00	1.50	2.13
13	TTE Teacher 13	1.66	1.33	1.66	1.00	1.41
14	TTE Teacher 14	2.00	2.00	2.00	1.00	1.75
15	TTE Teacher 15	2.00	2.00	2.00	1.50	1.88
16	TTE Teacher 16	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
17	TTE Teacher 17	2.00	2.00	2.00	1.00	2.25
18	TTE Teacher 18	3.00	2.66	2.66	2.66	2.75
19	TTE Teacher 19	1.50	2.00	2.00	1.00	1.63
20	TTE Teacher 20	1.33	1.66	1.66	1.66	1.58
21	TTE Teacher 21	2.00	1.50	1.50	1.00	1.50
22	TTE Teacher 22	2.00	2.25	2.25	2.00	2.12
23	TTE Teacher 23	2.50	2.50	2.50	2.50	2.50
24	TTE Teacher 24	2.50	2.50	2.50	2.50	2.50
25	TTE Teacher 25	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00
26	TTE Teacher 26	2.00	1.50	1.50	1.00	1.50
27	TTE Teacher 27	2.00	1.00	1.50	1.50	1.50
	Mean	1.89	1.92	1.92	1.57	1.82 (GM)

Note: 4Cs competencies' scores are calculated on a four-point scale [[1], [2], [3], [4]], TTE stands for Teachers' Term Evaluations.

Table 4.

Descriptive statistics of 4Cs scores evaluated from teachers’ term evaluations.

	N	Range	Minimum	Maximum	Sum	Mean	TTE. Deviation
Communication	27	2.00	1.00	3.00	50.98	1.8881	0.56471
Creativity	27	1.66	1.00	2.66	51.89	1.9219	0.46501
Critical Thinking	27	2.00	1.00	3.00	51.72	1.9156	0.58683
Collaboration	27	1.66	1.00	2.66	42.32	1.5674	0.60442
Valid N (listwise)	27

Note: M and TIP are calculated on a four-point scale 1-4.

Table 4 shows how the 27 scores were calculated using descriptive statistics analysis. Minimum scores are 1.00, while maximum scores are 3.00. The four Means of each “C" skill are less than 2.00. The elements with the highest 4Cs scores were “Creativity” (Mean 1.92) and “Critical thinking” (Mean 1.92). Meanwhile, the low Standard Deviations from 0.46 to 0.60 indicate that the group performance score with the Grand Mean = 1.82 was homogeneous. That is, almost all of the 27 teachers’ term evaluations at the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training integrated the “Not yet attained competency” level of 4Cs proficiency.

4. 21st-century skills/4Cs rubric scores from teachers’ instructional plans based on 4 indicators was in the level of “approaching competency"

The second research question focuses on “how is 21st-century skills/4Cs evaluated from teachers’ instructional plans at Faculty of Education and Teachers Training?”

Table 5 shows the results of 4Cs integration in teachers' instructional plans. The use of the 4Cs rubric has documented 4Cs proficiency. The first C, “Communication”, element has a Mean = 3.07, indicating that it “Meets competency” as defined by 21st-century skills. The second C, “Creativity,” has a Mean of 3.01, indicating that it “Meets competency.” The third C, “Critical Thinking” (M = 2.90), and the fourth C, “Collaboration” (M = 2.99), were in the “Approaching competency” levels of all four Cs. Furthermore, M = 2.99 is indicated by the Grand Mean of the evaluated teachers’ instructional plans. In summary, the analysis of 4Cs competencies in teachers' instructional plans approached competency. Additionally, as depicted in Table 6, the descriptive statistics analysis of 21st-century skills/4Cs scores from teachers' instructional plans provided clear data insights.

Table 5.

21st-Century skills/4Cs rubric scores from teachers’ instructional plans based on 4 indicators.

No	4Cs' Skills in teachers' instructional plans	Communi-cation	Creati-vity	Critical Thinking	Collabo-ration	Mean
1	TIP Teacher 1	3.00	2.85	2.88	2.77	2.87
2	TIP Teacher 2	3.00	3.00	2.80	2.70	2.87
3	TIP Teacher 3	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00
4	TIP Teacher 4	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00
5	TIP Teacher 5	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00
6	TIP Teacher 6	3.00	3.00	3.33	3.33	3.16
7	TIP Teacher 7	3.00	2.28	2.66	2.77	2.67
8	TIP Teacher 8	3.00	3.00	2.77	2.88	2.91
9	TIP Teacher 9	3.00	2.28	2.66	2.77	2.67
10	TIP Teacher 10	3.00	3.00	2.88	2.88	2.94
11	TIP Teacher 11	3.00	2.71	2.77	2.88	2.91
12	TIP Teacher 12	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00
13	TIP Teacher 13	3.00	3.00	2.80	2.70	2.87
14	TIP Teacher 14	3.00	3.00	2.80	2.70	2.87
15	TIP Teacher 15	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00
16	TIP Teacher 16	3.00	3.00	2.80	2.70	2.87
17	TIP Teacher 17	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00
18	TIP Teacher 18	4.00	3.60	3.70	3.40	3.67
19	TIP Teacher 19	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00
20	TIP Teacher 20	3.00	2.10	3.00	3.00	2.77
21	TIP Teacher 21	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00
22	TIP Teacher 22	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	2.94
23	TIP Teacher 23	4.00	3.40	3.70	3.60	3.67
24	TIP Teacher 24	3.00	3.00	2.80	3.00	2.95
25	TIP Teacher 25	3.00	3.00	4.00	3.70	3.42
26	TIP Teacher 26	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00
27	TIP Teacher 27	3.00	2.10	3.00	3.00	2.77
	Mean	3.07	3.01	2.90	2.99	2.99 GM

Note: 4Cs competencies' scores are calculated on a four-point scale [[1], [2], [3], [4]], TIP stands for Teachers' Instructional Plans.

Table 6.

Descriptive statistics of 4Cs scores evaluated from teachers’ instructional plans.

	N	Range	Minimum	Maximum	Sum	Mean	TTE. Deviation
Communication	27	1.00	3.00	4.00	83.00	3.0741	0.26688
Creativity	27	1.34	2.66	4.00	81.35	3.0130	0.31926
Critical Thinking	27	1.50	2.10	3.60	78.32	2.9007	0.34067
Collaboration	27	1.00	2.70	3.70	80.78	2.9919	0.25412
Valid N (listwise)	27

Note: M and TIP are calculated on a four-point scale 1-4.

Table 6 details the statistical analysis of the 27 scoring evaluated teachers' instructional plans. Minimum scores range from 2.10 to 3.00, while maximum scores range from 3.60 to 4.00. (as the highest point scale). The four mean scores for each “C" skill range from 2.90 to 3.07. According to descriptive statistics, the “Communication” element has the highest Mean (3.07), and the “Creativity” element has the second highest (3.01). Meanwhile, the low Standard Deviation scores ranged from 0.25 to 0.34, indicating that the group performance scores with the Grand Mean = 2.99 were homogeneous. Indeed, 27 teachers' teachers’ instructional plans at the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training integrated 4Cs proficiency significantly better because the score result was in the level of “Approaching competency".

5. Teachers’ comprehension on 4Cs competencies

The third research question focused on teachers' comprehension of the 4Cs competencies in the classroom that delve into: 1) teachers' 4Cs familiarity, 2) teachers' 4Cs opinions, and 3) teachers' challenges of integrating 4C skills. The researchers interviewed 4 selected teachers (teacher 5, 6, 17, and 18) from the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training who had good scores (3.00–3.67) in 4Cs competencies integration. Data findings from the teachers' interview were used to give further information about 4Cs competencies’ integration in teaching documents.

5.1. Teachers’ familiarity of 4C skills due to training in education, teaching experience, professional development, and research in educational context

Q1: How familiar are you with 4C skills?

The level of familiarity that teachers have with 4C can vary widely depending on factors such as: 1) teaching training, 2) teaching experience, 3) professional development opportunities, and 4) research activities in the educational context in which they work. The researchers highlight the interview results from some teachers as follows;

Teacher 5: “I think the teachers who have received formal training in education or have completed professional development courses may be more familiar with the concept of 4C skills. I believe that I have knowledge about the importance of these skills in promoting student success and I have been introduced to strategies for integrating them into my teaching practice”.

According to teacher 5 “training in education” is useful to be familiar with 4C skills. After he received formal training in education or completed professional development courses, this training gave him familiarity with the concept of 4C skills. He learned about the importance of these skills in promoting students’ success and may have been introduced to strategies for integrating 4C skills into teaching practice.

Teacher 6: In my opinion, being experienced in teaching may help me to understand 4C skills and help me to promote the skills in the classroom.

Teacher 6 explains that an “experienced teacher” (having teaching experience in many years) may have developed a deeper understanding of the 4C skills through their years of teaching practice. He may have observed the benefits of fostering these skills in his students and may have developed effective strategies for promoting 4Cs competencies development in the classroom.

Teacher 17: I think the way I become familiar with 4C skills, when I have opportunities to join any workshops, seminars or online courses with project-based learning. So, I will know the current issues related to teaching and learning. For example is the implementation of 4C skills in today’s education.

According to teacher 17, teachers who have had “opportunities for professional development” focused on 21st-century skills or competency-based education are likely to be more familiar with the concept of 4C skills. Workshops, seminars, conferences, or online courses on topics such as project-based learning, inquiry-based instruction, or social-emotional learning often emphasize the importance of developing these skills in students.

Teacher 18: I think by doing research related to 4C skills development in the educational context can make teachers familiar, understand, and can integrate 4C skills in their classrooms.

Teacher 18 mentions that “research activities in educational context” may lead to teachers’ familiarity with the concept of 4C skills. Teachers can conduct research that prioritizes 21st-century skills development that may have more exposure to initiatives, resources, and support for integrating the 4C skills into their teaching practice.

Overall, while some teachers may be highly familiar with the concept of 4C skills and actively integrate them into their teaching practice, others may have varying levels of awareness and may benefit from additional training, support, and resources to effectively enhance the skills’ development in their students.

5.2. Teachers’ opinions of 4Cs competencies importance due to future preparation, problem solving and decision making, effective communication, and global citizenship

Q2: In your opinion, why are 4C skills important in today's education landscape?

Based on the interview results from the 4 teachers, the 4Cs competencies are crucial in today's education landscape for several reasons; 1) future preparation, 2) problem solving and decision making, 3) effective communication, and 4) global citizenship.

Teacher 5: I think teachers have to prepare the students with 4C skills since there will be many challenges for them in the future, the students must be able to adapt and innovate in order to be successful in this global competition

According to teacher 5, teachers have to prepare the students’ future with 4C skills. In a rapidly changing and increasingly complex world, students need skills that go beyond memorization and rote learning. The 4C skills equip students with the ability to adapt, innovate, and thrive in diverse personal, academic, and professional contexts.

Teacher 6: Yes, 4C skills strongly relate to problem-solving and decision-making. I think one element in 4C skills that is critical thinking is very important to facilitate students to analyze and solve problems.

Teacher 6’s opinion about the importance of 4C skills relates to problem-solving and decision-making: Critical Thinking skills enable students to analyze information, evaluate evidence, and make informed decisions. In the globalized era characterized by information overload and misinformation, the ability to think critically is essential for navigating complex issues and solving real-world problems.

Teacher 17: I think that 4C skills can be very useful to students in terms of effective communication since the communication activities have been global with no border anymore and reached everyone easily. So, we need to be able to be successful speakers.

Teacher 17 proposes the idea that 4C skills can develop communication skills that are fundamental for expressing ideas, sharing information, and building relationships. In this digital age, students need to be able to communicate effectively through various mediums, including written, verbal, and digital platforms. Strong communication skills are essential for academic success, career advancement, and civic engagement.

Teacher 18: I think 4C skills can support us and our students to be good citizens in the global world and also develop our understanding about other people from different cultures.

Teacher 18 asserts that 4C skillscan prepare students to be successful in terms of global citizenship and cultural competence: The 4C skills are essential for preparing students to be active and engaged global citizens. Collaboration and Communication skills enable students to interact respectfully and effectively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Critical Thinking skills help students critically evaluate cultural norms, beliefs, and perspectives, fostering empathy and understanding.

In short, all teachers have positive opinions about the importance of integrating the 4C skills into education not only prepares students for future academic and career success but also empowers them to become responsible, ethical, and contributing members of society. These skills are essential for addressing the complex challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

5.3. Teachers’ challenges of 4Cs competencies integration due to time constraints, lack of resource, classroom management, and lack of training and support

• Q3: What are the teachers' problems with integrating 4C skills?

Based on the interview results from the four teachers, while integrating 4C skills into the classroom, teachers may encounter several challenges in the process due to 1) time constraints, 2) lack of resources, 3) classroom management, and 4) lack of training and support. Some of the common problems are presented as follows:

Teacher 5: As a teacher, I have to perform many tasks assigned by the curriculum. To design classroom activities integrated into 4C skills is somehow challenging within a lot of school duties.

Teacher 5 explains about the problem of integrating 4C skills in the classroom that is related to “time constraints”. Teachers often face time constraints due to packed curricula, standardized testing requirements, and limited instructional hours. Finding time to design and implement activities that effectively foster 4C skills can be challenging within the constraints of the school schedule.

Teacher 6: I think, in developing students' 4C skills, we need a good supportive system pertaining to adequate resources/facilities like ICT.

Teacher 6 mentions that “lack of resources or facilities” can be a problem in developing students’ 4C skills. Teachers may struggle to access appropriate resources, materials, and tools to support the integration of 4C skills into their lessons. This includes access to technology, collaborative workspaces, and professional development opportunities.

Teacher 17: I think classroom management can be a problem in developing and integrating 4C skills because while we are promoting collaboration and active learning can present classroom management challenges, particularly in large or diverse classrooms.

According to teacher 17, “classroom management” in a big class can be a challenge. Fostering collaboration and creativity in the classroom requires a shift in traditional teaching approaches, which may pose challenges for classroom management. Teachers may need to adapt their classroom routines, procedures, and behavior management strategies to support student-centered and inquiry-based learning.

Teacher 18: I think teachers need support from the faculty. I think teaching training in forms of workshops, seminars and so on are needed to develop teachers' knowledge and experiences in developing 4C Skills in students.

Teacher 18 explains that “teaching training” pertaining to 4C skills is very important. Several teachers may not have received sufficient training or professional development on effectively incorporating 4C skills into their teaching practice. Without the necessary knowledge, skills, and support, teachers may struggle to implement innovative approaches and address students' diverse learning needs.

Overall, addressing the aforementioned challenges in 4Cs competencies integration requires a multi-faceted approach that includes targeted professional development, collaboration among educators, support from school leaders, and alignment with broader educational goals and priorities. By addressing these challenges, teachers can create learning environments that effectively promote 4C skills and prepare students for success in the 21st century.

6. Discussion

The Partnership for 21st-Century Skills identifies communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking as fundamental skills crucial for learning and innovation in the current century. These skills are vital in today's globalized world because they encompass the essential abilities that students must possess to succeed in their future professions. Enhancing teachers' instructional quality to improve 21st-century teacher abilities, which in turn support student skills, has drawn a lot of attention to the development of competencies known as 21st-Century skills [17]. In the meantime, this study discovered that the “Not yet reached competency” level of 4Cs proficiency was merged with term evaluations utilized by teachers at the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training. According to this research, pupils are not yet receiving enough exposure to and instruction in 21st-century skills in the classroom. Explore how students perceive 21st-century skills and their attitudes towards these competencies is crucial for gaining fresh insights into how pre-service teachers understand these skills during their education [23].

Teachers need to recognize the importance of educating students on 21st-century skills, which demand that individuals be knowledgeable and proficient to adapt to the swiftly advancing technology in the global workforce. Indeed, this study discovered that teachers’ instructional plans at the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training integrated 4Cs proficiency reached the level of “Approaching competency”, which has not yet met 4Cs competency. To address the issue, by providing opportunities and resources, teachers can help students develop 21st-century skills [24]. They can also explore innovative learning approaches to assist students in discovering their strengths and aligning with appropriate pathways for a successful future in education and the workforce.

Teachers can integrate media into creative teaching methods in schools to emphasize 21st-century skills, covering topics such as social innovation techniques, educator management knowledge, media-enhanced classrooms, sustainable media education initiatives, and open educational contexts that help to empower teachers' roles in schools [25]. Furthermore, there is a critical need to equip today's students with noncognitive, or 21st-century, skills in order to prepare them for a more science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-based job market [26].

This study also discovered that the integration of 21st-century/4Cs competencies in teaching documents derived from teachers' term evaluations and teachers’ instructional plans is not well matched. This fact demonstrates that the teaching and learning process integrated with 4Cs competencies has not been successful. This is in line with other studies looking at higher education in Indonesia, which do not give application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation much weight [13]. Put another way, effective integration of teaching preparation and assessment is not as highly valued in current teaching practices as students' knowledge and comprehension of the materials. Certainly, this reality has an impact on the integration of 4Cs competencies in the classrooms.

Some studies have focused on developing students' 21st-Century skills by fostering the skills in the learning environments [2,14,16,27]. Importantly, this study discovered that the 4Cs elements of “Critical thinking” integrated in teachers' teaching documents (teachers’ term evaluations and instructional plans) were in the levels of “Not yet reached competency” and “Approaching competency” or below “Meet competency.” These findings, of course, describe the teachers' understanding of encouraging students' critical thinking.

To address this reality, the impact of collaborative learning (CL) on critical thinking skills across various subjects was examined, revealing a significant and positive effect on learners' critical thinking abilities [28]. CL also assisted them in maintaining their critical thinking abilities. Furthermore, other research explores how the problem-based learning (PBL) model combined with assessment rubrics influences the development of students' critical thinking in the classroom [29]. In Indonesia, the curriculum is designed to produce competent graduates with strong intellectual abilities, especially the 4C skills (critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration) for success in the 21st century [[10], [11], [12]]. So an emphasis on 21st century competencies is very important to encourage students' needs in preparation for facing global competition, technological advances, and media saturation [11].

7. Limitations and implications

We realize that in this research there are limitations, one of which is that this research was only carried out at the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training at one university in Pekanbaru, Riau, Indonesia. This aims to focus research on teachers with educational backgrounds. In future research, research can be carried out in more diverse faculties. Based on the research findings, it is necessary for universities to provide training in designing teachers' term evaluations and instructional plans that are integrated into 21st century skills.

8. Conclusion

This study investigated the integration of 21st-century skills, specifically focusing on the 4Cs within the context of teachers' term evaluations and instructional plans at the Faculty of Education and Teachers Training. The analysis yielded the key insights with regard to teachers' term evaluations that indicated the competency level in 21st-century skills/4Cs was assessed as “Not Yet Reached.” This suggests that there is a significant gap between the desired competency level and the current attainment among teachers. In terms of instructional plans, the rubric scores derived from teachers' instructional plans, evaluated against 4Cs indicators, demonstrated a competency level categorized as “Approaching competency.” While teachers are making progress in integrating 21st-century skills into their instructional plans, there remains room for improvement to achieve full competency. The last is teachers’ comprehension of 4Cs competencies imply teachers' understanding and comprehension of the 4Cs competencies varied. Further qualitative investigation revealed nuances in how these skills are perceived and applied within educational contexts. Overall, these findings underscore the importance of ongoing professional development and targeted interventions to enhance teachers' integration of 21st-century skills into their teaching practices. Addressing these findings could lead to more effective educational outcomes aligned with the demands of the 21st century.

Future research could benefit from conducting longitudinal studies to track teachers' progression in 21st-century skills/4Cs over time, comparing integration practices across different educational contexts, and employing qualitative methods to delve into teachers' perceptions and challenges. Intervention studies should be designed to test the effectiveness of targeted professional development programs, while also exploring the impact of teachers' competency on student outcomes and curriculum alignment with 21st-century skills goals. Cross-cultural analyses and investigations into technology's role in skill development could further enrich understanding and inform strategies for enhancing educational practices in preparation for a globalized world.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Herlinawati Herlinawati: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Visualization, Validation, Software, Resources, Project administration, Methodology, Investigation, Funding acquisition, Formal analysis, Data curation, Conceptualization. Marwa Marwa: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Resources, Project administration, Methodology, Investigation, Conceptualization. Noriah Ismail: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Software, Resources, Methodology, Formal analysis, Data curation. Junaidi: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Supervision, Funding acquisition, Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Supervision, Funding acquisition, Formal analysis. Ledya Oktavia Liza: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Project administration, Formal analysis, Data curation. Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang: Writing – review & editing, Validation, Supervision, Formal analysis.

Declaration of competing interest

Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang has a position to declare that he is one of the members of the journal's Editorial Teams or Associate Editor. However, this article is handled by another unknown Associate Editor and reviewed by the Reviewers objectively and double-blind, based on applicable regulations from Elsevier, Heliyon, and Cell Press.

Appendix A. Supplementary data

The following is/are the supplementary data to this article: