There is a global movement happening in education. Around the world education systems are increasingly inclusive of a broad range of skills in curricula to prepare students for the complex challenges of this century. As with change more generally, transformation in education happens in different ways and at different rates. As part of the Skills for a Changing World project, this global mapping study seeks to explore this movement and identify how national education goals and policies reflect changing perspectives on the ways to equip students with the skills needed for the 21st century – including literacy and numeracy but going well beyond these competencies to include skills such as collaboration, problem solving, and creativity.
Our study looked at how countries translate their commitment to breadth of skills, noted by aspirational statements into the specific skills they value and approaches to curriculum. We mapped four categories of criteria for selected countries – skills mentioned in mission and vision statements, specific skills identified in any documents, skills present in curriculum, and whether a skills progression is notified.
For more information and an initial analysis of data, read the full report: “Visualizing the Breadth of Skills Movement Across Education Systems”
Key
Mission and Vision Statements. The education system’s aspiration, as expressed in its mission and vision statements, is clearly linked with the development of a broad range of knowledge and competencies that include 21st century skills and characteristics that are enabling for the individual learner.
Skills Identified. Specific skills beyond literacy and numeracy are noted in government documents. Examples of these skills may be collaboration, problem solving, information literacy, creativity, communication, empathy, and so forth. This identification implies that governments value these skills and intend that they are developed through the education system.
Skills in the Curriculum. A description of the curriculum or the curriculum itself outlines how or where the identified skills will be addressed within the provision of basic education. This provides evidence that opportunities for embedding skills into the education system has been explored.
Skills Progression. There is some documentation of how skills are understood to progress over time and across different education levels. The description of the progression may indicate the understanding that learning is hierarchical, and is associated with progression through the curriculum in general.
Breadth of Skills Not Present / No Data Found. Either the relevant information is not publically available or what is online does not align with the criteria listed above.
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