Where are we?

Change is the one constant facing education today. Whether it is to the curriculum, administration, funding, or technology all present undeniable challenges. The pandemic caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) has been like no other time in education history. It has challenged our view of education. It has disrupted and created a new “normal” within education and has afforded us the opportunity to rethink what education could and should look like. The demanding nature and complexity of the teacher’s role has become more transparent over this period as well as the inequity of access to hardware, software and internet connection which has served to widen existing inequalities. The pandemic has stress tested the system of education and only the most agile have thrived. In turbulent times, now more than ever before, the voice of those who can influence and reshape our education system for this century is needed. It is not simply teachers nor educational leaders who should shoulder this responsibility, we all have a part to play. A considered approach is needed which is collaborative not reactionary, where policy is done with teachers not to them. We need a shared view of what education should look like in this decade. If we can do this as educators, policymakers, business leaders and as a community, then we can change the goals of our education system and how they are achieved.

Education is built into the DNA of nation building and this has led to an intense level of scrutiny and critical discussion. The world has changed, and that change is accelerating.

This new era provides an opportunity to change the landscape of education, ending the current industrial model grounded as it is in language, logic and recall. We have the opportunity to create a system which equips learners with the necessary skills, knowledge and habits of mind to thrive in what is becoming an increasingly unknowable future. Leading critics of the current educational system complain that it no longer provides the workforce skills, knowledge and habits of mind needed to thrive in work and life. Some have sought to move away from the traditional view of bricks and mortar schooling and timetabled classes which focus on a manufacturing line approach, to one which recognises the complex nature of learners and this reinvention is gaining traction. If we want a more flexible learning environment that prepares our children for an unknowable future, we are talking about a deep culture change. We need to explore the fundamental shifts required when moving from the industrial model of education to a post-industrial model, recognising the kind of change we need to lead. In the complex undercurrents of the 21st Century, learners are increasingly at sea navigating the world and their role in it. Much remains to be done to ensure that students are equipped with the skills, knowledge and habits of mind needed to thrive in society and in the workplace. There are critical challenges in all countries of the world irrespective of the levels of development. Increasingly the gap between the years that students are spending in school and the years of learning equivalence, is impacting their prospects. There is an urgent need to transform education and training, to harness inherent opportunities for economic prosperity, societal progress, and individuals to thrive. Literacies associated with the industrial model of education are not addresing the current global challenges. Students need opportunities for deeper learning which harness the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in work and life.

We need a learning revolution

Why the learning revolution? The world is changing profoundly and the education system is playing catch up. Key drivers of change include:

Digitalisation

The boundaries of the traditional “classroom” have changed, with vast quantities of the world’s information able to be accessed at the click of a button. The teacher is no longer the only source of content. In this era, it is not simply about what students know, but what they do with what they know. This presents a dilemma for educators as they grapple with what this means for teaching, learning and assessment. A report within The Economist predicted that there would be employment upheaval for both skilled and unskilled workers as technology and automation become more prevalent in the workplace.i This disruption will have a knock-on effect on education and institutions which fed the skills pipeline. Andreas Schleicher, Director for the Directorate of Education and Skills, notes that the challenge facing teachers is that the skills which are easiest to teach and test are also the skills that are easiest to digitise, mechanise and contract out.ii

Globalisation and societal trends

Education is the engine that fuels the development of citizens who will contribute effectively to society and economic progress. What do trends like population aging, urbanisation, climate change and digital transformation mean for the future of work? What are the skills, abilities and knowledge individuals need for life and work in this era? There are opportunities to boost growth – if our education system is agile enough. In this complex landscape learners need new ways of thinking, working and being as well as tools to successfully navigate this. The OECD skills report emphasises that the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector is agile enough to respond quickly to changes taking place in the workplace because of its strong links with industry and notes that when “properly designed, VET systems can offer high levels of employability and access to high-quality jobs, including emerging sectors such as the digital economy”. iii

Shifting Higher Education

Increasing access to university has been a traditional response to the need for a workforce with more complex skills. However, a recent Gallup poll noted that just over half of adults in the U.S. consider a college education (higher education course) to be ‘very important’.iv Extrinsic motivation has been at the heart of the current educational model, but learners want a ‘return’ now, not in three years’ time when they graduate. Diminishing confidence in the relevance and worth of Higher Education qualifications may in part be due to the cost verses value debate and scepticism that this will ‘pay off’.

Northern Ireland

Within Northern Ireland over twice as many men as women are unemployed. The majority of unemployed men are low skilled and low qualified and therefore less likely to secure employment in the long term without upskilling.v Despite there being a slower

growth in workforce requirements, three-quarters of businesses in Northern Ireland lack confidence in their ability to fill highly skilled roles. This shortage will inevitably constrain labour productivity in the region.vi To fully leverage the potential of this workforce we need an education system that equips them with futureproof skills to help them take advantage of continuous retraining and upskilling. Demographic trends note that with improved health and increased life expectancy, some older employees are choosing to remain in the workforce for longer. The rate of employment amongst the younger population is decreasing, yet the rate of employment in the over 65s is increasing year on year, due in part to personal debt and later in life mortgages.vii Skills based training is needed to help this age group transition to more suitable job roles. There is a rise in the number of new graduates unable to find suitable employment or taking on low skilled work. Research by the Education and Employers Taskforce found that students who have multiple encounters with businesses while at school are less

likely to end up not in employment, education, and training (NEETs). 36% of schools in Northern Ireland do not provide opportunities for students to engage with businesses.viii Governments want high value, high skills economies. Often qualifications are seen as a proxy for skills, but increasingly employers are noting the need for skills beyond exam or test based qualifications. The most recent Pearson/CBI Education and Skills survey for Northern Ireland identified that almost three-quarters of businesses are not confident they will be able to fill highly skilled roles.ix Skill shortages are costly and hamper growth. OECD Skills Strategy 2019 notes that “To thrive in the world of tomorrow, people will need higher levels and different types of skills.” x Human centric skills such as creativity, collaboration, adaptability and emotional intelligence were identified in Linkedin’s 2020 Workplace Learning Report, as the trending soft skills employers look for.xi UNESCO defines these skills as transversal skills and have been refined by CCEA and the Department of the Economy (DfE) as: xii 1. Self-management 2. Working with others 3. Work professionalism 4. Problem solving/decision making 5. Digital Literacy 6. Citizenship/participating in society

According to a study reviewed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) employers reported that a lack of soft skills (e.g. having the right attitude, flexibility, communication, punctuality and the ability to make a professional introduction) as a reason why someone may not be employed. The report highlights that employers and industry require employees to have: people skills, communication skills, ability to work in a team, problem solve, adaptability, time management skills, have self-confidence and a strong work ethic. “57% of businesses reported soft skills are more important than hard skills”.xiii The report notes that education tends to focus on the acquisition of hard skills but needs to integrate opportunities for learners to develop the soft skills employers need. Next generation learning needs to go beyond language, logic and recall.