Download Core Competencies in the Knowledge economy

Core Competencies and Skills
in the Knowledge Economy
- Implications for OECS
Eduardo Velez
May 16-17, 2006
[email protected]
Presentation Structure
Knowledge Revolution and Implications
for Education and Training
 Measuring Education and Training in a
Knowledge Economy Perspective
 Key Competencies in the KE
 International Benchmarking
 Towards a More Effective and Efficient
System

Knowledge Revolution

Increased global knowledge and development of new
technologies, rapid speed of innovation, shorter
product life cycles, productivity and upskilling of labor
force, as well as intensified globalization and
competition have all characterized the “Knowledge
Revolution”.

The workforce is “upgrading”, both in terms of the
average educational level of workers and the types of
job that they are performing.

The ability to create, access and apply knowledge is
thus becoming fundamental determinant of global
competitiveness.
World GDP/capita and Population –
Role of Knowledge
World GDP/capita and Population
A Two Millennium Perspective
GDP per
capita
World Population
(mill)
6000
7000
5000
6000
5000
4000
4000
3000
3000
2000
2000
1000
1000
World GDP per capita (1990 international $)
1998
1950
1870
1800
1720
1640
1560
1480
1400
1320
1240
1160
1080
1000
920
840
760
680
600
520
440
360
280
200
120
0
0
0
World Population (Million)
©Knowledge for Development, WBI
Implications for Education & Training

Knowledge Revolution means
– Risk of knowledge divide across and within
countries
– Constant need for new skills for people out of
school and in labor force
– Higher levels of education necessary to use,
adapt, and create new knowledge


Education and training therefore are the key
enablers of the knowledge economy
Necessary to increase educational attainment
and provide continuous training of labor force
©Knowledge for Development, WBI
Demand for Knowledge Workers Constantly on Rise 1980-98
Average
annual %
Change
in total
employment
Human Capital and Knowledge are the
Keys for Productivity
Hours worked
Level of education
Hourly GDP per efficient unit of labour
Labour productivity
5
4
3
2
1
0
Source: OECD
New Zealand
France
Canada
Germany
Norway
Italy
United Kingdom
United States
Australia
Portugal
Denmark
Sweden
Finland
Ireland
-2
Netherlands
-1
A Framework for Knowledge
Economy

Economic incentive and institutional regime
that provides incentives for the efficient use of
existing and new knowledge and the
flourishing of entrepreneurship

Educated, creative and skilled people

Dynamic information infrastructure

Effective national innovation system
Characteristics of a Globalized
Knowledge Economy
Rapid and continuous change
 Function of global trading agreements
 Quality as important as price
 Organizational changes at firm level
 Short job tenure in competitive sectors
 Fundamentals of macro stability,
openness, competition, good
governance

Knowledge Assessment
Methodology (KAM)
KAM: 76 structural/qualitative variables
to benchmark performance on 4 pillars
 Variables normalized from 0 (worst) to
10 (best) for 121 countries
 www1.worldbank.org/gdln/kam.htm
 Basic scorecard for 14 variables at two
points in time, 1995 and 2002

Measuring Knowledge for
Development
Measuring Education and Training
Core Competencies in the KE
There is no universal definition so far;
 The Definition and Selection of
Competencies (DeSeCo) Project of the
OECD reviewed 12 countries on
competencies for a knowledge society;
 Despite wide variations in definitions of
competencies in the 12 countries, the
DeSeCo found some competencies
appearing in most reports.

Key Competencies Frequently Cited in
DeSeCo’s Country Reports
High
Medium
Low
Social competencies/
cooperation
Self-competence/selfmanagement
Health/sports/physical
competencies
Literacy/intelligent and
applicable knowledge
Political competence/
democracy
Cultural competencies
(athletic, creative,
intercultural, media)
Learning
competencies/
lifelong learning
Ecological
competence/
relation to nature
Communication
competencies
Value orientation
(Source: Reychen and Salganik 2003)
Key Competencies Have
Multiple Dimensions



Complexity and uncertainty of modern life
requires people to apply more than one type
of competency to tackle tasks and issues that
they face.
Given this background, the DeSeCo sees that
key competencies have many dimensions (for
example: cognitive, motivational, ethical, and
social components) and they are interrelated.
Based on extensive research then, the
DeSeCo identified three groups of key
competencies.
Key Competencies Identified by DeSeCo
Interacting in
socially
heterogeneous
groups
To relate well to
others
Acting
autonomously
Acting within the big
picture or the larger
context
Using tools interactively
Using language, symbols, and
text interactively (written and
spoken, communication,
mathematical skills in multiple
situations)
To cooperate
Forming and
Using knowledge and
conducting life plans information interactively
and personal projects
To manage and
resolve conflict
Defending and
asserting one’ rights,
interests, limits, and
needs
(Source: Reychen and Salganik 2003)
Using technology interactively
(understanding the potential of
technology and identifying
technological solutions to
problems)
Source:
Shapiro et al., 1998
Key Competencies and Skills from
Employers’
Perspective

Employers’ hiring criteria in the US
Employers Response to the Question:
"what characteristics or attributes are most critical in
making your hiring decision?"
Average of Responses
on a scale of 1 to 5:
1= not at all important …
to 5= essential
Characteristics
Applicant's attitude
Applicant's communication skills
Previous employer references
Previous work experience
Industry based credential
Years of completed schooling
Academic performance
Score on test administered as part of the interview
Teachers recommendations
Experience or reputation of applicant's school
1994
1997
4.6
4.2
3.4
4
3.2
2.9
2.5
2.5
2.1
2.4
4.6
4.1
3.9
3.8
3.2
2.9
2.5
2.3
2
2
Source:
Shapiro et
al., 1998
In the United Kingdom, employers reported that communication skills,
learning ability, problem-solving skills, team work and the capacity for selfmanagement were more important than technical, ICT or numeracy skills as
criteria in the recruitment of graduates.

Workplace Competencies: The World
Bank view
The mostly agreed upon workplace competencies include:
 Inter-personal skills:
– Team work and the ability to collaborate in pursuit of a common objective
– Leadership capabilities

Intra-personal skills:
–
–
–
–
–
–

Motivation and attitude
The ability to learn
Problem-solving skills to cope with risk and change
Effective communication with colleagues and clients
Analytical skills
Knowledge and participation in civil society
Technical skills (literacy, foreign languages widely used, math & science,
analytical skills)

Technological or ICT skills
Learning in Knowledge Economy
Then
Information based
Rote learning
All learners do same thing
Teacher directed
Just in case
Formal education only
Directive based
Learn at a given age
Test given to prevent
progress
Terminal education
Now – Lifelong Learning
Knowledge creation/application
Analysis and synthesis
Individual learning plans
Collaborative learning
Just in time
Variety of learning modes
Initiative based
Incentives, motivation to learn
Assessments are given to guide
learning
Lifelong learning
International Tests

PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) assesses the
15-year-old students on reading, mathematic, and scientific literacy.
PISA aims to measure student ability to apply acquired knowledge in
real life situation.

TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study)
assesses Grades 4, 8, and the final year of secondary education on
science and mathematics. While PISA attempts to measure student
ability to apply knowledge in every day life, TIMSS is a curriculumbased assessment, which assesses skills and competencies that
national curricula intend their students to learn.

IALS (International Adult Literacy Survey) is a literacy proficiency
assessment, conducted in the 1990s. It assesses literacy of adults
aged between 16 to 65 years olds. There are 3 domains: (1) prose
literacy; (2) document literacy; and (3) quantitative literacy.
PISA-Student Performance in Mathematics
and GDP Per Capita (PPPs), 2000
Source: OECD
Level 2 or below
Level 3 and above
Source: OECD
Peru
Indonesia
Albania
FYR Macedonia
Brazil
Chile
Mexico
Thailand
Argentina
Bulgaria
Luxembourg
Israel
Latvia
Russian Federation
Portugal
Greece
Hungary
Poland
Liechtenstein
Germany
Italy
Czech Republic
70
Spain
80
Switzerland
Denmark
OECD average
United States
France
Norway
Iceland
Austria
Belgium
Sweden
United Kingdom
Australia
New Zealand
Ireland
Japan
Canada
Hong Kong-China
Korea
Finland
Percentage of Students Level 2 or Below vs. Level 3 or Above in
Reading Proficiency in PISA 2000
100
90
60% of OECD
students reach
Level 3 or above
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Workers with Better Literacy Skills Receive More
Training
Source: IALS 2000. Note: Data refer to employed persons aged 26-65 years. Training refers to employer-sponsored VET.
Alternative Delivery
Mechanisms

Increase access to learning opportunities
Increase variety of ways learners can learn
Give access to knowledge resources

Enhance quality through technology
Learning by doing
Self-directed learning
Continuously updated curriculum
Networks of good practice
Governance for Lifelong
Learning
Requires multi-sectoral collaboration
 Enabling environment for pluralistic
approaches
 Focus on equity
 Demand-driven policy

OECS in Perspective
Most Caribbean countries have made
significant public investment in education
over the last decades, averaging 6-7
percent of GDP.
 Considerable progress has been made in
UPE and in secondary education.
 However tertiary enrollments has slowly
increased.
 And there are still many challenges
regarding quality of education as measured
by the Caribbean Examination Council.

Major Challenges for OECS’s VET
Low levels of training of the labor force.
 Supply-driven programs, lacking
flexibility and relevance to changing
market needs.
 Uneven quality of training programs,
with no objective quality assessment
and assurance mechanisms.
 Lack of private participation in training
design and provision.

Towards a More Productive VET System







Strengthening the cross-sectoral coordination of relevant
agencies.
Increasing the role of the private sector in financing and
provision of education and training, especially VET.
Strengthening the linkages between training supply and the
market through employers’ participation in course design
and training activities.
Implementing the occupational standards and qualification
systems by which work skills and training programs can be
tested and certified.
Spurring VET by providing more incentives, such as tax
credits, individual accounts, part-time study, etc.
Enhancing the efficiency and quality through better
evaluation, input-output analysis, and curricula.
Further harnessing the power of distance learning, e.g., ...
Thank You!
Eduardo Velez
[email protected]