New ways are needed to teach and test young people in the skills of the future
Major theme at Davos points to abilities in responsiveness to change required rather than scores against outdated IQ and EQ measures of intelligence
A major theme at 2019’s World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos was how we deliver the skills of the future. We desperately need a shared language that speaks precisely to the skills and capabilities we need to develop in young people to thrive in a world of volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity. Depending on which authority you refer to, the touted “skills of the future” focus on digital skills such as coding, data science and cybersecurity to be able to be relevant to the challenges faced by business; digital literacy, collaboration and communication to be able to participate in the gig economy; or people-focused abilities such as empathy, leadership, emotional intelligence and branding. Others focus on nebulous abilities such as agility, complex problem-solving, creativity, sense-making and design thinking. But which is it? And exactly how are such capabilities developed? The oft-used quote relating to the writings of Charles Darwin, “It is not the stronges...
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