Global reforms in the educational sector have laid critical emphasis on acquisition of relevant skills for individual and society development in the 21st century and beyond. Kenya rolled out the competency-based curriculum in 2018, which focuses on identifying and gauging specific learning competencies that are required for real world practice. Kenyatta University has begun to train graduate teacher trainees under the competency-based curriculum. The study sought to explore the level of graduate teacher trainee acquisition and utilization of 21st century competencies while undertaking the novel research methods unit offered to 2nd year undergraduate students. The results showed that students acquired and utilized digital literacy and collaboration while undertaking the course. The study provides critical and useful information that would assist in designing interactive online course units and activities hence enhancing learner engagement, acquisition, and utilization of 21st competencies and skills.

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