Education 2030 and the Significance

of 21st Century Skills: Implications

for TVETMargarita Pavlova

Director

UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre ( Hong Kong)

17 April 2018

To cover

Education 2030: TVET’s Targets and Strategies

21st Century Skills - definitions

21st Century Skills and Green Skills in TVET (with

examples from the GRF project 18601515, Hong Kong)

Conclusions

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG Dashboard for the Middle East and North Africa (SDG Index Report 2017)

Qatar

Source: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/yvgzn5o4t19xigc/AAD_njArLUERLB0Upe_dYsOKa/Qatar-country-profile.pdf?dl=0

Education 2030: A new vision for education for the next fifteen years

Source: Incheon Declaration and Framework for Action for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 4 http://uis.unesco.org/sites/default/files/documents/education-2030-incheon-framework-for-action-implementation-of-sdg4-2016-en_2.pdf

It is transformative and universal, attends to the ‘unfinished business’ of the EFA agenda and the education-related MDGs, and addresses global and national education challenges.

Education 2030

Education 2030 devotes considerable attention to technical and vocational skills development. In this context, TVET is expected to address the multiple demands of an economic, social and environmental nature by

helping youth and adults develop the skills they need for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship

promoting equitable, inclusive and sustainable economic growth

supporting transitions to green economies and environmental sustainability

Source: UNESCO Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) (2016-2021)http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002452/245239e.pdf

Education 2030: Developing technical and

vocational skills for youth and adults

Targets:1. Better link TVET with the world of work2.Develop high level cognitive and non-cognitive skills3. Evaluate impacts and outcomes of TVET education policies and programs

Indicative Strategy:1. Gather and use evidence about changing skills to guide skills development.2. Engage social partners in designing and delivering education and training programs that are evidence-based and holistic.3. Promote the development of different forms of work-based and classroom-based training and learning.4. Ensure transparent and efficient TVET quality assurance systems5. Raise the quality of TVET programs.

21st Century Skills

“21st-Century Skills” is a term frequently used to define what students should know and be able to do to enter the workforce and make decisions in the modern world.

There is no single set of “21st-Century Skills” and hundreds have been suggested, including

life skills

workforce skills

applied skills

personal skills

interpersonal skills

non-cognitive skills

(adapted from Saavedra & Opfer, 2012).

Analysis of government policies on the integration of these skills into education and training in the Asia and the Pacific region (UNESCO, 2015) concludes that the rationale for including 21st century skills in education is based on a combination of socio-economic and value-based thinking.

Economic

Discourse

Social Discourse Humanity

Discourse

Global

Perspective

Competitiveness Understanding & Peace Global Citizenship

National

Perspective

GDP Growth HDI Growth Patriotism

Personal

Perspective

Employability Community/Harmony Moral Formation

Source: Kim, C.H., Tam, A. and Trzmiel, B. (in press) based on ERI-Net study, UNESCO, 2015

Rational for inclusion 21st

Century Skills

Gutman & Schoon’s summary of findings on non-cognitive (21st Century) Skills

Quality of

measurementMalleability

Effect on other

outcomes

Strength of

evidence

1. Self-perceptions

Self-concept of ability High Medium Not available Medium

Self-efficacy High High High Medium

2. Motivation

Achievement goal theory High Medium Low to medium Medium

Intrinsic motivation High Medium Low to medium High

Expectancy-value theory Medium Not available Medium to high Medium

3. Perseverance

Engagement Medium Not available Not available Low

Grit Medium No evidence No evidence Low

4. Self-control Medium Low to medium Low Medium

5. Meta-cognition Medium Medium to high Medium to high High

6.Social competencies

Leadership skills Low Not available No evidence Low

Social skills Medium Medium to high Low to medium High

7.Resilience & coping Medium High Low Medium

8. Creativity Medium Not available No evidence Low

Source: Gutman & Schoon 2013, p. 2

Source: Framework for 21st century learning http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/docs/P21_framework_0816.pdf

Partnership framework for 21st century learning (P21)

Although it is very important to teach these skills, “they cannot be taught independently, i.e. outside a particular knowledge domain such as those designated by traditional academic subjects, nor will students be able to apply such skills if they lack the appropriate factual knowledge on a particular domain” (OECD, 2014, p. 6).

Silva (2009) also suggests that “students cannot develop and use these skills without a core body of knowledge” (p. 632).

How to develop 21st Century Skills

How TVET can Accommodate 21st Century Skills to Support the Greening of Economies?

17

Specific green skills for new occupations

(new skills)

Topping up skills for greening existing

occupations

Positive attitude towards sustainability; green mindsets

Typology of Green Skills

21st

century

skills

Generic skills within environmental context

Generic technological processes

Green occupations

Greening occupations

Generic Green Skills

Cognitive competencies Environmental awareness and willingness to learn about sustainable developmentSystems and risk analysis skills to assess, interpret, and understand both the need for change and the measures requiredInnovation skills to identify opportunities and create new strategies to respond to green challengesHow to be a part of the solutionHow to think about things differentlyHow to be aware of the habits in what you do and thinkHow to deal with complexityHow everything is connectedHow to judge the truth of the matter

Technological competenciesQuantification and monitoring of either waste, energy or waterManagement systems of either waste, energy or water Selection and acquisition of goods and services from external sources that are appropriate in terms of quality and environmental impactMaterial use and impact quantificationImpact assessmentMinimization of environmental impactMinimization of materials usedWhat can be recycledEnvironmental laws and regulationsEnvironmental risk managementHow learnt skills contribute to greening of industry

Interpersonal competenciesStrategic and leadership skills to enable changeCoordination, management and business skills to develop approaches that encompass economic, social and ecological objectivesCommunication and negotiation skills Marketing skills to promote greener products and servicesNetworking, IT and language skills to enable participation in global marketsConsulting skills to advise consumers about green solutions and to spread the use of green technologies

Intrapersonal competenciesAdaptability and transferable skills to enable workers to learn and apply the new technologies and processes required to green their jobsEntrepreneurial skills to seize the opportunities of low-carbon technologies

Based on Pavlova (in press) Green skills as the agenda for the competence-movement in TVET.

19

ISCY -International Study of City Youth projectCategories to measure

The ISCY Study groups 21st Century Skills into three qualities that schools strive to instil in their students:

Creative learners, who think critically, make discoveries, use technology, solve problems, communicate their ideas to others and adapt to change with optimism and hope for the future.

Ethical citizens, who build relationships based on fairness, respect, empathy and compassion, and to contribute fully to the community and the world through teamwork and collaboration.

Motivated achievers, who create opportunities and achieve goals through hard work, perseverance and discipline, exercise leadership, and demonstrate confidence and resilience.

Generic Green Skills Sharing Similarities with 21st Century SkillsBased on Pavlova (2017) Green skills as the agenda for the competence-movement in TVET.

Creative learners Generic Green Skills

Creativity measures students’ ability and inclination to come up with new ideas.

Innovation skills to identify opportunities and create new strategies to respond to green challenges

Problem-solving measures students’ ability to devise solutions and overcome obstacles.

How to be a part of the solution

How to think about things differently

Systems and risk analysis skills to assess, interpret, and understand both the need for change and the measures required

Communication measures students’ skills in oral and written communication.

Communication and negotiation skills

Coordination, management and business skills to develop approaches that encompass economic, social and ecological objectives

Expertise with computers measures whether students are “expert” with computers.

Adaptability and transferable skills to enable workers to learn and apply the new technologies

Hope for the future measures students’ optimism and happiness with their future.

/

Generic Green Skills Sharing Similarities with 21st Century Skills

Ethical citizens Generic Green Skills

Teamwork measures students’ ability to work in groups and get along with others.

Networking, and language skills to enable participation in global markets

Perspective taking measures students’ open-mindedness and empathy with others.

Environmental awareness and willingness to learn about sustainable development

How to think about things differently

How to be aware of the habits in what you do and think

How everything is connected

Fair-mindedness measures whether students treat others fairly and value fairness.

/

Altruism measures students’ propensity to help others, including through voluntary work.

How to be a part of the solution

Strategic and leadership skills to enable change

Generic Green Skills Sharing Similarities with 21st Century Skills

Motivated Achievers Generic Green Skills

Conscientiousness measures the level of effort students apply to their schoolwork.

Adaptability and transferable skills to enable workers to learn and apply the new technologies and processes required to green their jobs

Perseverance measures students’ willingness to persist with difficult tasks.

Personal management measures students’ time management and organizational skills.

/

Leadership measures whether students believe they are good at leading others.

Entrepreneurial skills to seize the opportunities of low-carbon technologies

Life satisfaction measures students’ happiness with life outside of school, and overall.

/

Examples of Creative Learners from HK industries - Tsunami Sport Limited

Come up with new ideas + expert with “computer”: adopting sublimation technique, an eco-friendly printing technique, no dye gets into a water system which happens with many other dyeing processes, so no by-products created and the transfers papers can be reused.

Problem-solving : solving plastic waste – “Eco-fit” shirt made of around six recycled plastic bottles

Communication: sending out message to suppliers – do not substitute quality and eco-principles by just profit , maintain close relationship with factories and suppliers

Examples of Creative Learners from HK industries - Hyatt Hotels

Problem-solving : i) solving food waste - worked with an NGO on food rescue and food assistance; ii) enhancing Energy efficiency – installed a lightning and air-condition system that can be automatically adjusted based on the guest flow, temperature and humidity

Communication: Green Team having regular meetings to brainstorm ideas as well as put forward green initiatives. The green initiatives are disseminated through intranet, posters and social media platforms

Come up with new ideas + expert with technology: invented their own Aquaponics system. a sustainable close-looped farming system that combines fishing and growing vegetable and herbs. e Herbs are served in cocktails and drinks

Examples of Ethical Citizens from HK industries – Hotel Icon

Teamwork: Learning & Development team is responsible for organizing departmental training, disseminating training materials and delivering training to departmental trainers. The team focuses on mindset training, branding and advocating the hotel’s missions and vision to every staff

Open-mindedness and empathy: purchase sustainable seafood, offer electric transportation options to its guests

Volunteering: help out at Nat-Geo Earth Day marathon and organizing workshops on hospitality to local secondary schools

Examples of Motivated Achievers from HK industries – ChampwayLimited

Conscientiousness: collects used cooking oil from more than 5000 catering shops and hotels once or twice a week in Hong Kong

Perseverance : continue to run business despite of little profit made and poor prospect in the HK recycling business

Leadership: one of the two companies in HK that is recycling waste cooking oil and turn them into biodiesel

In conclusion

21st Century Skills are really important to develop for entering the workforce and making decisions in the modern world.

There are different approaches to identify them but there are some commonalities: Creative Learners; Ethical Citizens and Motivated Achievers

Green Generic Skills share similarities with 21st Century Skills

All skills can only be developed in the context, thus for 21st century skills the context of greening can provide a useful framework and rationale for inclusion in TVET curriculum or extra-curricular activities, and this will contribute to all three priority areas of the UNESCO’s TVET strategy