MOOCs as Tool for Development of 21st Century Skills
Miro Puhek [miro.puhek@um.si], University of Maribor, Zvezdana Strmšek [zvezdana.strmsek@doba.si], DOBA Faculty of Applied Business and Social Studies, Slovenia
Abstract
If the key competencies for the lifelong learning that were provided by the European Parliament were the leading trend in 2006, then today they are substituted by the transversal skills and the skills for 21st century. The labour market defines guidelines for the most important skills for the 21st century skills, which are problem solving, creativity, analytic thinking, team work and communication. The skills are also described in the framework for 21st century learning. On the other hand, the importance of MOOCs (massive open online courses) as a tool for spreading the knowledge across the globe is increasing. Because they are often free of charge, majorities are using them for gaining new knowledge, expanding horizons, refreshing knowledge, introducing trends or even to make a selection among candidates for employment. Is it possible for MOOCs not only to develop professional but also to promote the transversal skills? The main aim of the research was to analyse MOOCs in the field of business and management (N = 829) regarding the ability to provide the transversal skills.
Abstract in Slovene
Evropski parlament je leta 2006 definiral ključne kompetence, ki so jih v današnjem času kot vodilne nadomestile strokovne in prenosljive kompetence oziroma kompetence 21. stoletja. Tako referenčni okvir za učenje 21. stoletja kot trg dela sta med najpomembnejšimi kompetencami izpostavila problemsko učenje, kreativnost, analitično razmišljanje, timsko delo in komunikacije. Po drugi strani pa so med trendi na globalni ravni na popularnosti pridobili množični spletni tečaji (MOOC). Ker je vključitev vanje pogosto brezplačna, jih uporabniki izkoristijo za spoznavanje novega ali ponovitev obstoječega znanja, lahko pa predstavljajo celo izbirno metodo za testiranje kandidatov pred zaposlitvijo. Pa so MOOC-i resnično uporabni zgolj za usvajanje strokovnih ali hkrati razvijajo tudi prenosljive kompetence? Namen prispevka je analiza MOOC-ov (N = 829) iz področja poslovanja in upravljanja na področju razvoja prenosljivih kompetenc.
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