Symposium: A Demand-driven Education with Technology-enabled Pedagogy

Written based on the published report ‘The Future of Skills: Employment in 2030’, ‘Demand- Driven Education: Merging work & learning to develop the human skills that matter’ discusses how the increased automation of jobs and new models of teaching and learning will transform how learners perceive education and their selected career pathways.
As the future of work unfolds, what makes us human is what will make us employable. An education system fit for this changing world of work, one which will value those human traits, will require significant reform. We are now on the cusp of a third wave – Demand- Driven Education – where programs focus more strongly than ever on ensuring graduates are job-ready, hirable, and have access to rewarding careers over the course of their lifetime. Demand-Driven Education adapts to the needs of the learner and the employer and responds to signals from society to ensure alignment between courses, qualifications and training. One of the ways to achieve this alignment is through a technology-enabled pedagogy, paired with developing specific skills that will be most in demand.
Abstract (Paper 1)
The published report ‘The Future of Skills: Employment in 2030’, is based on a study conducted by Nesta and Oxford Martin School. In this study, a novel and comprehensive method is used to map out how employment is likely to change, and the implications for skills. The authors show both what we can expect, and where we should be uncertain. They also show likely dynamics in different parts of the labour market — from sectors like food and health to manufacturing. They find that education, health care, and wider public sector occupations are likely to grow. They also explain why some low-skilled jobs, in fields like construction and agriculture, are less likely to suffer poor labour market outcomes than has been assumed in the past. More generally, they shine a light on the skills that are likely to be in greater demand, including interpersonal skills, higher-order cognitive skills, and systems skills. Unlike other recent studies, the method also makes it possible to predict with some confidence what kinds of new jobs may come into existence. Through the report, the authors point to the actions that educators, policymakers and individuals can take to better prepare themselves for the future.
Authors: Hasan Bakhshi Jonathan M. Downing Michael A. Osborne Philippe Schneider
Presenter: Goh Lih Ing (Efficacy and Research Manager, Pearson Asia)
 
Abstract (Paper 2)
Demand-Driven Education: Merging work & learning to develop the human skills that matter’ discusses how the increased automation of jobs and new models of teaching and learning will transform how learners perceive education and their selected career pathways.
Demand-driven education takes account of the emerging global economy — technology- infused, gig-oriented, industry-driven — while also striving to ensure that new graduates and lifelong learners alike have the skills required to flourish. Bringing these practices to scale will require education systems to:
1. develop and measure the specific skills that will be most in demand, especially interpersonal skills and complex thinking;
2. utilize dynamic and work-based pedagogy to grow learners’ competencies, while also preparing educators to embrace new forms of teaching and learning;
3. respond to the needs of the labor markets to ensure continuous alignment;
4. create flexible and adaptive pathways to allow learners to rapidly convert learning to earning; and
5. support changes that make the entire education landscape function better, enabling traditional and alternative providers to participate in creating the future of education alongside industry.
The future of work is becoming clearer. But changes in isolated schools, postsecondary institutions, and training centers will not be enough to create a system that develops and values those uniquely human qualities in the workforce. Shifting from a static highway to a more dynamic network of pathways to employment will require individuals, industry, and education systems to take a more active, collaborative role.
Authors: Joe Deegan & Nathan Martin
Presenter: Goh Lih Ing (Efficacy and Research Manager, Pearson Asia)