4D Framework

The Center for Curriculum Redesign’s 4D, or 4-Dimensional, Framework is so named because we believe today’s students must develop in four dimensions – Knowledge, Skills, Character, and Meta-Learning – to serve themselves and society to the most fulfilling extent possible.

Of the four dimensions, traditional education pays the most attention to KnowledgeKnowledgeKnowledge is what we know and understand. It is often referred to as academic information or discipline content, ranging from traditional disciplines like science and history to modern ones like technology, engineering, and social sciences., with content like mathematics, reading, and writing. But with a world of information at your fingertips, Knowledge is no longer enough. And although attention is being paid to SkillsSkillsSkills are how we use what we know. They are often referred to as 21st Century skills. Qualities include communication and critical thinking. and CharacterCharacterCharacter is how we behave and engage in the world. It is often referred to as social-emotional learning (SEL). Qualities include courage, ethics, and leadership., teaching any dimension in isolation limits its value.

However, when teachers dynamically infuse Skills, Character, and Meta-LearningMeta-LearningMeta-learning is how we reflect and adapt -- basically, how we learn how to learn. Its qualities are growth mindset and metacognition. into a modernized approach for Knowledge instruction (through CCR’s 12 4D Competencies and 60 Subcompetencies), learners are better able to transfer what they’ve learned to new contexts and to apply those principles outside that discipline. That is the goal of a 4D Education: a whole learner for a whole world.

 

Download or print this page