Which standards emphasize the skills and dispositions students need, including inquiry, critical thinking, and ethical use of information?

• A. Standards for the 21st Century Learner
• B. Information Literacy Standards
• C. Digital Literacy Guidelines
• D. Learning Outcomes Framework

Answer: (A)

The main idea is identifying standards that foreground the skills and dispositions students need for modern learning—inquiring, thinking critically, and using information ethically. Standards for the 21st Century Learner explicitly place inquiry, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and ethical information use at the center of student expectations. That focus matches the emphasis in the question on those specific abilities and attitudes. The Information Literacy Standards tend to concentrate on locating, evaluating, and using information, which is important but narrower. The Digital Literacy Guidelines center on using digital tools and navigating technology, which is useful but not as comprehensive about the broader dispositions. The Learning Outcomes Framework provides general goals without foregrounding the particular combination of inquiry, critical thinking, and ethical information use. So, the standards that best fit the described emphasis are the Standards for the 21st Century Learner.