Teaching competencies for the 21st century

 

Teaching competencies for the 21st century

Tulio Barrios Bulling, Ed.D.

 

Abstract

This work presents a series of competencies that a teacher should possess or develop to respond to the new educational needs in a society in constant change. Additionally, it seeks to contribute to this topic by presenting a proposal of competencies of a value cut that may give greater importance to the role of the teacher in today’s demanding world.

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The constant and marked changes in the contemporary world mean that teachers must develop new skills and abilities to provide an adequate response to the recent demands that society makes on education. This paper seeks to shed some light on the topic in the study by compiling some contributions from various authors about teacher training and the new skills that teachers require for the 21st century.

 

In one way or another, the competencies that teachers must achieve will be related to the tasks they must perform, which make it necessary to identify and comprehend them. Imbernón (1998) groups these tasks into three large categories, which are interdependent. The teacher concerning the community, the teacher about the school as an institution, and the teacher with the student and the class group. The first classification requires the teacher to have a deep knowledge of the community where he or she works to incorporate the community’s cultural values ​​and traditions into his practice. In the author’s words: “This knowledge of the environment is directly linked to decision-making to design curricular projects, since all these elements of the environment must be present in the curriculum, dispensing with unique manuals that say what to teach in any circumstance.” (1998: 30) One can see how the author breaks with the rigid schemes that seek uniformity and takes an option to incorporate local contextual variables in the planning and management of the teaching-learning process.

 

The second category refers to the knowledge that the teacher must possess about the educational system so that he or she can integrate and adapt it to achieve full development. The following are a series of characteristics or possible competencies one can extract from Imbernón’s (1998) postulates:

–    Cultural preparation

–    Critical analysis

–    Reflective ability

–    Technical knowledge

–    Adaptability

–    Teamwork and cooperation

–    Organisational capacity

–    Administrative competence.

These characteristics are all highly desirable in any teacher, and they provide the first sights about the new teaching associated competencies.

 

The third area, teacher-student relationship and class group, is, according to Imbernón (1998), the most important one. The better the teacher knows his or her students, the better he or she can adapt the pedagogical interventions to the degree of maturity, needs and interests of the students. The author suggests that the teacher should tend to find the best way to evaluate the students’ learning process and also to evaluate himself.

 

Continuing with the new demands and what is asked of the teachers today, the OECD and UNESCO (2001) point out that expectations are higher every day. In the opinion of these institutions, there is a growing demand for higher academic qualifications and they show the need for continuous updating, both in the didactic expertise and in the knowledge of the teachers. For the OECD and UNESCO, this is essential “because to provide tomorrow’s world with the knowledge and skills on which economic and social progress so critically depend, educational institutions and teachers need to respond by developing and delivering appropriate educational content.” (2001: 10) They add that it is necessary to complement the teachers’ disciplinary command with pedagogical competence to facilitate the development of high-level competencies in their students. Within these competencies, motivation to learn, creativity and cooperation seem to be crucial.o

 

For the OECD and UNESCO (2001), technology applied to vocational education has become a new feature of TVET. This fact forces the teacher to understand the pedagogical potential f this tool and to be able to integrate it efficiently into the teaching-learning process. Besides, these international organisations consider teaching should become a group or cooperative process within the scope of schools as learning organisations. Under this conception, teachers must enrich their knowledge and pedagogical management with the experiences of others, base their decisions on the characteristics of the environment where they work and take a more leading role in the management of the school system.

 

Another interesting contribution to the subject of competencies for the knowledge society is made by Rychen (2002). The author explains that key competencies have an individual basis and are important both at a personal and societal level, and they are applied transversely in the different areas of knowledge In Rychen’s opinion, new competencies must help to face the growing challenges and problems of today’s society. The author identifies the following:  rapid social and technological changes, economic and cultural globalisation (standardisation and a trend toward uniformity), growing individual and social diversity, competition, liberalisation, large-scale value changes, instability of norms, and substantial global inequality of opportunities, conflicts of poverty in all its forms, HIV / AIDS, and ecological destabilisation.

 

These problems manifest themselves in different contexts and at different levels so that essential skills become insufficient. Thus, the development of higher-order mental skills becomes essential, constituting a crucial element in the process of identifying key competencies. Based on some of his studies and the existing literature on the subject under discussion, Rychen (2002) proposes three categories of essential competencies: acting autonomously, interactive use of tools, and functioning in socially heterogeneous groups. The first category is related to relative autonomy and identity, the second to the interaction of the individual with the world using physical and sociocultural tools, and the third to the ability to interact with people. Each category is related to a series of relevant competencies such as the capacity to defend oneself and make rights count, capacity to develop and conduct life projects and personal plans, skills to perform within a broad context, skills to use language, symbols and texts interactively, skills to use knowledge and information interactively, capacity to use new technology interactively, skills to relate well with others, to cooperate, and capacity to solve conflicts. These competencies are interrelated and, therefore, are more influential as a group than individually.

 

More information about the skills required for the knowledge society is provided by the OECD (2001). This international organisation seeks to answer the question of the competencies required to participate successfully in today’s society. Before delivering the results of several studies, the OECD warns us that there is no agreement on the definition and measurement of these skills and competencies, nor their specific impact on the knowledge economy. Consequently, this paper focuses mainly on the competencies that are most frequently cited in the studies of the OECD.

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From the market perspective, these competencies would be:

–    Ability to use information

–    Ability to use communication technology

–    Ability to solve problems

–    Capacity for teamwork

–    Ability to supervise and lead

–    Ability to undertake continuous learning

 

Regarding personal skills or competencies, these are

• Communicational and intra-personal skills
• Ability to learn
• Problem-solving
• Teamwork
• Self-regulation
• Initiative
• Motivation

 

The need for individuals capable of developing these competencies leads to the notion of knowledge workers. According to the OECD (2001), they will be the ones who will access the best jobs in today’s society. These knowledge workers will distinguish themselves by being highly enlightened and educated, combining formal knowledge with training and work experience, combining technological skills with business, managerial and administrative skills. They will be able to operate in changing environments, to handle non-routine and abstract work processes, to make decisions or assume responsibilities, to work and interact as a team, and they will achieve a broad and systemic understanding.

 

The changes and demands of the knowledge society are impacting at all levels, not only in demanding new skills from workers, but also from the institutions that prepare this workforce. Laurillard (2002) argues that by offering many companies training to their employees and thus equipping them with the skills they require to efficiently carry out their work, many have begun to question the benefits of university education in consideration of its high cost. This is how, in the author’s opinion, universities that seek to respond to the new demands will have to resolve two large and complex questions: how to balance expert knowledge and practical knowledge in the curriculum and to what extent a university degree ensures an individual a long-term basis or sustenance.

 

To answer these questions, Laurillard (2002) delivers six propositions: (i) sustain the competitiveness of universities in the face of knowledge industries by maintaining their essential values; (ii) a shift toward a curriculum geared toward high-level, long-term cognitive skills; (iii) a realignment of research and teaching that leads to teaching methods that develop generic skills in students; (iv) introduction of learning technologies that reinforce the ways of learning in students; (v) research and development (R&D) programmes that build design tools or generic models of learning activities; and, (vi) a new approach to professional teaching that reflects the focus of the research being done.

 

The first proposition includes inquiry-based teaching and a curriculum that responds to the long-term cognitive skill needs of individuals. The second involves an evolution in teaching methods, moving from a curriculum that teaches what is known to one that teaches how to get to know. The third proposition transcends the mere acquisition of knowledge to focus on the teacher-student dialogue, which, according to the author, must take place at two levels: the discursive, theoretical and conceptual level and the active, practical and experiential level. The fourth proposition uses technology to support learning that contributes to the acquisition of academic skills of a high cognitive level, as well as the development of skills based on practice and the knowledge of practical concepts. The fifth presupposes the use of programmes for the development of tools and activities that support the learning of academic skills in students. Finally, the sixth proposition implies a change of approach to bring universities closer to the needs of the knowledge society.

 

In the field of teacher training, Berliner (2000) responds to a series of criticisms that are made to formal teacher education programmes.

1. Good teachers must develop pedagogical knowledge and knowledge of pedagogical content. Knowledge of the contents of your area alone is not enough. Being smart is not a substitute for being knowledgeable in an area. Thorough knowledge of the context of that particular area is the most important characteristic that a teacher working in complex environments must possess.
2. Teachers require seven years to maximize the performance of their students and approximately five to evolve from the novice level to the advanced beginner level.
3. Teacher educators must and have the right to protect the public from substandard training programmes that may be offered.
4. High-quality teaching methods emphasize techniques and principles that facilitate the conversion of subject knowledge into cognitive structures that are useful and accessible to students.
5. Pedagogy students are as intelligent and gifted as students of other specialities so they should be treated and demanded according to their true abilities.
6. To facilitate future teachers’ understanding of life in schools, teaching methodology programmes should be applied in public schools with the participation of real students and teachers.
7. Universities should develop teacher training programmes that bridge the gap between the instruction and training delivered and the classroom. Hence, talented and experienced mentors and teachers can be counted on to work alongside the novices and help them integrate the theoretical knowledge of the university with practical knowledge.
8. It is desirable to have general and codified principles of instruction.
9. Teachers and their trainers, as experts in their areas of knowledge, must have a voice and be considered by legislators and government leaders when presenting laws and projects that may affect them.
10. The criticism of the younger teachers towards their elders and that of the experienced ones towards the novices is positive since it generates learning.
11. It is advisable to monitor graduates for at least five years through surveys of their employers to maintain strengths and correct weaknesses in the teacher training process.
12. Teacher education, as deliberate practice, requires hours and hours of preparation before pre-service teachers achieve mastery of something as complex as teaching.

 

Doubtlessly, these considerations, due to their validity and clarity, can serve as inspiration when planning or evaluating a teacher training programme.

 

Another important contribution to the field of effective teaching is presented by Brophy (1999). As the author establishes, his work is not only related to generic aspects of the curriculum, instruction and evaluation, but also to the organisation of the classroom and the administration of practices that contribute to teaching and the learning achievements of students. The twelve principles he delivers are a supporting classroom atmosphere, learning opportunities, curricular alignment, establishing learning guidelines, coherent contents, well-thought discourse, practice and applied activities, supporting students’ task fulfilment, teaching strategies, cooperative learning, goal-oriented assessment, and achievement expectations. Brophy’s principles contain a fair balance between theory and practice that constitutes an interesting teaching guide worth considering.

 

One cannot finish work on teaching competencies, without including some reference to what can be called value or axiological competencies. We have seen how teaching competencies are associated with social, psychological, managerial, and pedagogical work. However, only an axiological scheme will return pedagogy to its true essence, endowing teachers with a foundation full of meaning and authenticity. In this regard, González’s words (1993) can be enlightening:

 

To exist authentically as a person is nothing else for the human being than to allow oneself to be challenged by values; develop that capacity of the spiritual being to create, maintain, and transmit values. This is precisely Education: creating, maintaining and transmitting values. The life of the spirit will be nothing other than an inner force centred on values that are driven by a lucid reason for ‘being’. (p.45)

 

To give a sense of value to pedagogy, González (1993) presents five postulates of educational axiology: (i) values ​​are chosen but are also cultivated, for this the family environment and the school climate can be used as a means; (ii) values ​​constitute motives as reinforcing ideas and criteria to judge and value existence; (iii) values ​​are objective goods; therefore, immutable, attractive and desirable; (iv) social values ​​must foster cooperation and solidarity; and (v) values ​​must be developed through teamwork and collective duties. In short, values ​​are gestated in our experiences and in the information we receive, then we chose them through the exercise of our free will. After that, they mature and become the basis for our decisions. How important this issue is for those who make decisions about the training of our students daily.

 

Within his conception of the axiological dimension of educational endeavour, González (1993) identifies ten key values.

1. Respect
2. Joy
3. Authenticity
4. Availability
5. Love
6. Freedom
7. Responsibility
8. Communication
9. Work
10. Solidarity

 

These values are meaningful to any human being but especially relevant to teachers. We are called to train our students in the ethics of values, thus helping to recover the meaning of life and the individual.

 

As a final synthesis, it only remains to point out that this work has made a brief overview of some of the main issues related to teaching skills for the century in which we live. Firstly, we referred to the tasks that teachers must tackle within their environment, the educational community, their relationship with students, and their practice inside and outside the classroom. Then, we addressed the new demands that teachers must face and the type of competencies that are required to face them successfully. Mention was also made of the role of new technologies and the changes that universities must implement if they wish to maintain their validity within the knowledge society. Additionally, we went through some basic concepts and suggestions related to the training of teachers and, and how to make their practice more efficient. Finally, we expressed a special appreciation of the axiological dimension that teachers must develop to fulfil his ultimate mission at its best.

 

References

Berliner, D. (2002). A Personal Response to Those who Bash Teacher Education, Journal of Teacher Education, (51) 5: 357-371

Brophy, J. (1999: Teaching, Educational Practices Series-1 IAE/UNESCO, http://www.ibe.unesco.org

González, J. (1993): Los Valores y su Integración al Currículum Escolar, Revista de Pedagogía

Imbernón, F. (1998): La Formación del Profesorado, Barcelona: Editorial Laia

Laurillard, Diana (2002): Rethinking Teaching for the Knowledge Society, Educause Review, (37) 1: 358-371

OECD (2001): Competencies for the Knowledge Economy, http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/42/25/1842070.pdf

OECD/UNESCO (2001): Docentes para la Escuela de Mañana, Francia: Ediciones OECD

Rychen, D.S. (2002): Key Competencies for the Knowledge Society, http://www.oecd/DeSeCo/Rychen