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VIEWS & OPINION


Three methods to teach future-ready skills that any teacher can apply


Comment by GRAHAM GLASS, founder and CEO at Cypher Learning


Most, if not all, schools and teachers would agree that preparing students for the future is their number one priority. However, that is easier said than done because we can’t predict


what will happen in the future — the pandemic is a great example. Figuring out what students need is a constant challenge for teachers. On top of this, there’s the pressure to teach the curriculum, which sometimes results in a disproportionate focus on learning content instead of more practical skills. This is a missed opportunity since schools are an excellent venue for


equipping students with what they need to thrive in the future. Future readiness refers to transversal skills that students will put to good use regardless of their chosen career path or current aptitudes. According to the WEF’s Future of Jobs Report 2020, skills such as


analytical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and leadership are needed for the jobs of tomorrow. Each one of them is important, but let’s take leadership as an example. A good leader has high emotional intelligence levels, which in academia is known as social-emotional learning (SEL). Integrating SEL in the curriculum means that educators aren’t just focused on teaching a subject, they’re essentially preparing students to work in teams, communicate effectively and manage their emotions. The sooner teachers start prioritising these skills, the better, as it takes years and years of practice to develop them. The good news is that there are many methods that encourage


future-ready skills. Even better, they can be integrated into your regular lessons, so you don’t have to find extra time for specific activities. Here are three examples that all educators should explore more often:


Interactive lessons Making lessons more interactive requires a shift from a teacher- centered to a student-centered approach. This means that engaging students is more important than trying to focus their attention on you as the teacher. Even better, their attention should be on tasks that stimulate their problem-solving skills.


Teachers who successfully do this use many approaches including: • Learning stations: the teacher sets up different stations. Each one includes a task that students should solve (individually or in a group). That activity is supported by a hands-on task or an engaging edtech tool such as a learning management system; • Set up socratic seminars in which students debate different topics, but there is an added focus: teachers also observe how students interact with each other and give specific SEL-related feedback at the end of the discussion; • Game-based learning: for example, creating a trivia game instead of a pop quiz to see how much students understand certain concepts.


What is more important is that the learning tools that you use are


interactive themselves. For instance, after a quiz students can immediately see their results. If they need to improve something, teachers can set an automated message that gives them hints on how to do that. Another type of interactive learning is getting feedback from the


learning management system itself in the form of rewards such as points and badges. The idea is that there is more than passive consumption of learning content, students get immediate feedback for their actions within the platform.


March 2022


It’s time to teach the skills of tomorrow Future-ready skills equip students with the confidence to step into higher education or a junior position soon after graduation. Transversal skills also ensure that they’ll be more flexible in choosing career paths since they’ll apply to many jobs — the majority of which don’t even exist right now. That’s why incorporating more methods such as project-based learning or interactive lessons will set the stage for their future success.


Project-based learning (PBL) PBL is a great way for students to practice what they have learned, so in addition to developing transferable skills, they’ll also acquire more subject knowledge. In fact, it may be the best way to do this, even if it takes more time. Any PBL activity starts with a challenging question, such as “How


does recycling work?” Then, students should have time to actually learn by doing. For


example, if possible, they can visit a recycling center, research how the process works, and even create a 3D model of such a center to present to fellow students. While using the vast resources they have at their disposal is great, PBL helps students become researchers themselves and come up with their own conclusions. Inquiry-based learning enhances the entire process as they’ll need


to learn how to organise their time, how to ask the right questions and collaborate with peers. Edtech can help a lot in this case since it makes it easier for


students to organize their projects. For example, the teacher can set a team assignment, so students can communicate with each other wherever they are (they don’t need to meet face to face). Then, they’ll be able to organize their project documents in one place, which is especially important if the project takes place over a few months or even an entire semester. And last but not least, this entire process will actually teach students how to also organize their thoughts and ideas into a coherent project which they can present to their peers, teachers, parents and the entire school. Digital portfolios Digital portfolios should be a must. Why? Students spend many


years at school, yet they rarely get to showcase their progress. This can also affect how they perceive their own learning process and even confidence. For instance, the final result of a PBL initiative can be stored in such


a portfolio. Let’s imagine that a student is interested in programming and is learning how to create a simple website. They can showcase screenshots and even a link to the final result,


but the student can also be encouraged to add reflections to their portfolio, answering questions such as: • What problems occurred when writing in this particular language? • What was the most challenging aspect? • How did you solve the problem? • Did you ask your peers or teacher for help? These reflections are the true essence of deep learning, something


that will help students become more self-aware. Additionally, they can share their portfolios with other classmates, add feedback and even showcase collaborative work — all of which contribute to learning how to give and receive feedback and not just from teachers.


www.education-today.co.uk 23


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