EDU 214/313 Building and Enhancing Literacy Across the Curriculum with Emphasis on

the 21st Century Skills

MODULE 1- Introduction to Transversal Skills

LITERACY VS LITERACIES
1. LITERACY
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)- ‘the ability to understand and.
employ printed information in daily activities at home, at work and in the community’ – to achieve
one's. goals, and to develop one's knowledge and potential.
UNESCO- “the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using
printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of
learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and
to participate fully in their community and wider society.”
This definition has three key features:
1. Literacy is about the uses people make of it as a means of communication and expression, through a
variety of media;
2. Literacy is plural, being practiced in particular contexts for particular purposes and using specific
languages;
3. Literacy involves a continuum of learning measured at different proficient levels.
Alberta Education- ability, confidence and willingness to engage with language to acquire, construct
and communicate meaning in all aspects of daily living. Language is explained as a socially and
culturally constructed system of communication.
Literacy with Young Children
From the moment a child is born, his or her literacy journey begins. Children’s literacy abilities are
nurtured through their families and communities such as the infant smiling or crying to communicate
their needs to a parent; the toddler forming their first words; a young child interpreting the symbols
around them; a preschooler singing a song and, a parent and child laughing over a story.
Literacy with School-age Children
As children enter the school system, there is a strong focus on the development of reading and writing
skills. Children engage in learning opportunities that have them interacting with many different forms of
text, in print and digital forms, using words, visuals and graphics. Students begin to learn: the rules of
language; how to acquire information, evaluate it, and ethically use it; how to construct meaning from
various kinds of text and how to communicate effectively. As students move through the school system,
they continue to refine all of their foundational skills as they explore a wider variety of texts and
technologies. The vast amounts of information that are available through both print and the Internet
and the ability to communicate with wide and varied audiences around the globe have expanded the
ways our students read and communicate. Literacy for our students today also means preparing them to
be critical and ethical consumers of information.
Australian Curriculum- “students become literate as they develop the knowledge, skills and
dispositions to interpret and use language confidently for learning and communicating in and out of
school and for participating effectively in society. Literacy involves students listening to, reading,
viewing, speaking, writing and creating oral, print, visual and digital texts, and using and modifying
language for different purposes in a range of contexts.”
European Literacy Policy Network- ability to read and write at a level whereby individuals can
effectively understand and use written communication in all media (print or electronic), including
digital literacy.
Literacy, from being simply known as “the ability to read and write”, literacy is now viewed as inclusive of
other skills needed for one to cope in this fast-paced world.
To become fully literate in today’s world, students must become proficient in the new literacies of 21st-
century technologies. As a result, literacy educators have a responsibility to effectively integrate these
new technologies into the curriculum, preparing students for the literacy future they deserve.
There is extensive debate about what new literacies are— the term is used to mean many different
things by many different people. However, there are at least four common elements that apply to nearly
all of the current perspectives being used to inform the broader dimensions of new literacies research
(Coiro, Knobel, Lankshear, & Leu, 2008):
1. The Internet and other ICTs require new social practices, skills, strategies, and dispositions for
their effective use;
2. New literacies are central to full civic, economic, and personal participation in a global
community;
3. New literacies rapidly change as defining technologies change; and
4. New literacies are multiple, multimodal, and multifaceted; thus, they benefit from multiple
lenses seeking to understand how to better support our students in a digital age.
2. LITERACIES
- refer to new forms of literacy made possible by digital technology developments. Commonly
recognized examples include instant messaging, blogging, social networking, podcasting, photo sharing,
digital storytelling, and conducting online searches.
The Internet and other forms of information and communication technologies (ICTs) are redefining the
nature of reading, writing, and communication. These ICTs will continue to change in the years ahead,
requiring continuously new literacies to successfully exploit their potentials. Although many new ICTs will
emerge in the future, those that are common in the lives of the students include search engines,
webpages, e-mail, instant messaging (IM), blogs, podcasts, e-books, wikis, YouTube, video, and many
more. New literacy skills and practices are required by each new ICT as it emerges and evolves. Literacy
educators have a responsibility to integrate these new literacies into the curriculum to prepare students
for successful civic participation in a global environment (International Reading Association, 2009).
Building and enhancing new literacies across the curriculum is a new challenge in the classroom
instruction. It builds new concepts in education liberalizing ever changing needs of time, space and
circumstances. Critical and reflective teaching learning environment is the fore runner of intervention
across curriculum. It enhances new literacies in the field of (a) globalization and multi-cultural; (b) social;
(c) media; (d) financial; (e) cyber /digital; (f) ecology/environment; (g) arts and creativity.
SKILLS VS COMPETENCIES
A skill can be thought of as a specific ability that an individual possesses. Skills can be learned through
training or by experience. Skills are also performed at varying levels of expertise, sometimes based on
years of experience and / or an assignment or role performed within a given project.
It is common to hear a skill being referred to as ‘the what’ component of completing a task. What skills
are required to complete a job?
A competency is a broader concept, that combines skills, knowledge and behavior/attitude. While
competencies may include a specific skill, they are more than just that skill alone.
It is common to hear competencies referred to as ‘the how’ component of completing a task. How does
an individual perform the duties of their job?
The Technical Educational and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) defines skills is as the acquired and
practiced ability to carry out a task or job. (RA 7796/TESDA Law, while competency is defined as:
1. the acquired knowledge, skills and attitude in accordance to the standard performance in the
workplace.
2. the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values required for the performance and is conducted by the
supervisor. (Memorandum No. 209, s. of 2020) (TESDA-OP-AS-01)
3. the observable and vital knowledge, skills and attitude which are translation of capabilities
deemed essential for organizational success. (CSC Competency Model Building Intervention)
(TESDA Circular No. 119 s. 2019)
Excerpt from Research Report on Transversal Skills Frameworks -Skills and Competences What Do
Skills and Competences Refer to pp 3-4
The terms skills and the term competences are found in literature to be used inconsistently and
interchangeably. This is expected as different systems, researchers, practitioners, policy makers follow
various structuring models to constitute the elements of learning processes. For example, the use of the
one term or the other, also depends on the level of analysis of an area of skills or competences in a
defined taxonomy or framework.
The European Skills Competences Qualifications and Occupation (ESCO) classification indicates that while
sometimes used as synonyms, the terms skill and competence can be distinguished according to their
scope. The term skill refers typically to the use of methods or instruments in a particular setting and in
relation to defined tasks. The term competence is broader and refers typically to the ability of a person -
facing new situations and unforeseen challenges - to use and apply knowledge and skills in an
independent and self-directed way.
In the document of key competences for lifelong learning (EU, 2006), competences are defined as a
combination of knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the context, with key competences to be
those which all individuals need for personal fulfilment and development, active citizenship, social
inclusion and employment.
In the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) (EU, 2008, EU, 2011) knowledge, skills and competence
are approached as learning outcomes to be qualified:
1. Knowledge means the outcome of the assimilation of information through learning. Knowledge
is the body of facts, principles, theories and practices that is related to a field of work or study. In
the context of the EQF, knowledge is described as theoretical and/or factual.
2. Skills refer to the ability to apply knowledge and use know-how to complete tasks and solve
problems. They can be described as cognitive (involving the use of logical, intuitive and creative
thinking) or practical (involving manual dexterity and the use of methods, materials, tools and
instruments).
3. Competence means the proven ability to use knowledge, skills and personal, social and/or
methodological abilities, in work or study situations and in professional and personal
development. In the context of EQF competence is described in terms of responsibility and
autonomy, meaning the ability of the learner to apply knowledge and skills autonomously and
with responsibility.
An interesting approach for understanding competences and skills, is the revised Bloom’s taxonomy for
the 21st century learners (Anderson et al., 2001). The revised taxonomy revisits the six categories of the
Bloom’s Cognitive process -remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create- under the
Knowledge dimension -factual, conceptual, procedural, metacognitive. This new model, enables us to
tackle the learning process and outcomes, within the transversal skills development and assessment.
Excerpts from Transversal Competences: Their Importance and Learning Processes by Higher Education
Students- Defining Competence, pp 3-4
McClelland (1973) defined competence as “a sum of knowledge, skills and aptitudes, which contributes
to the capacity of a person to effectively perform the duties and responsibilities of the occupied job, in
other words, to be competent.”
Mulder, et al (2006) identified three basic approaches to the concept of competence:
1. Behavioral approach- with strong roots in the United States, places the emphasis on effective
professional behaviors. Competences are attained through training/education and development.
The features of this approach are behavior demonstration, observation and assessment, that is,
the traits of an individual that allows him/her to have a high-quality professional performance.
2. Generic approach, which seeks to identify abilities and features that explain variation in
performance and establishes the overall performance that is appropriate to a specific context.
3. Cognitive approach refers to the identification of common abilities that explain variations in
behavior. These competences are associated with a set of cognitive prerequisites that individuals
must possess to have a high-quality behavior in a given field. Other definitions of competence
are “the ability to perform the tasks and roles required to the expected standards; the ability to
successfully meet complex demands in a particular context through the mobilization of
psychological prerequisites including both cognitive and non-cognitive aspects.” According to
these definitions, this concept takes on a holistic nature, since: (i) there is a direct link between
competence and performance, insofar as competence relates to the successful fulfilment of
challenges and requirements; (ii) competence presupposes not one but a vast set of cognitive
and non-cognitive abilities; and (iii) competence refers to an “orchestration,” that is, the ability
to use various abilities in a deliberate way.
Cabrera Lanzo and Olmo [2010] added that competence is something that is permanently being built
and developed; it is not something that an individual has or does not have, that is, it is constantly
evolving. The authors stress that competence is not determined by what an individual knows but by
his/her ability to use that knowledge and those competences in a given environment to successfully
solve different situations. Therefore, competence involves action, that is, the ability to know how to act
and use the learning attained, in short, to be able to transfer accrued knowledge to a specific context.
The authors argue that competence is a composite concept, involving knowledge, know-how, abilities,
procedures and attitudes. However, it is not possible to speak of competence as such if knowledge is not
put into practice but rather of features or aptitudes.
TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCIES (TVSC) VS 21ST CENTURY SKILLS
Excerpts from Transversal Competencies Essential for Future Proofing the Workforce by S.T.
Whiitemore
Transversal competencies are also commonly referred to as soft skills, key competencies, 21st century
skills, and global competencies. They are “the cornerstone for the personal development of a person”
(EU, ESCO) and are fundamental for applying any knowledge or skill. As the OECD noted in developing
the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) framework: “A competency is more than
just knowledge and skills. It involves the ability to meet complex demands, by drawing on and mobilizing
psychosocial resources (including skills and attitudes) in a particular context”.
Transversal competencies have the following characteristics:
i. they are transferable across domains, geographies, work and life contexts;
ii. they typically relate to social and interpersonal relations;
iii. they are cross-functional and cross-curricular in training and education, but can be combined in
a blended learning approach, e.g., collaborative problem-based learning;
iv. communication is the key element in manifesting and evidencing transversal skills; if not
communicated explicitly, they can remain undervalued or unrecognized;
v. they are essential tools in any context of significant and accelerated change;
vi. they can be observed, evidenced and developed, whereas developing values such as integrity in
adults and changing ingrained character traits are extremely difficult;
vii. they are learnt through experience and development and cannot be easily taught, except
through highly interactive learning processes;
viii. in their development, they have a symbiotic relationship with improved self-awareness and self-
knowledge.
The early signs of the growing international consensus around the importance of transversal
competencies for the 21st century was evident in 1996 in UNESCO’s historic Report of the International
Commission for Education in the 21st Century. This identified the Four Pillars of education and in so
doing helped to shift the balance from teaching to learning: Learning to Live Together, Learning to Be,
Learning to Know, Learning to Do.
The Commission also concluded that “learning how to learn” is the key for individuals to adapt to the
rapidly-changing world. The first Pillar recognized the critical role of learning for mutual understanding in
balancing the threats and opportunities inherent in the new globalized, technology-driven, hyper-
competitive world. Learning to Be, emphasized the need, more essential than ever, for “greater
independence and judgement combined with a stronger sense of personal responsibility for the
attainment of common goals” (UNESCO,1996, p.23).
The recognition and development of these critical transversal skills in all spheres of life has not kept pace
with this unprecedented rate of change, and this leaves organizations, workers and citizens exposed to
the risk of marginalization. Therefore, an urgent need to improve the transversal skills of workers,
learners and citizens is recognized by many International Organizations, governments, businesses,
employers, and education and training providers worldwide.
What are transversal Competencies?
In 2012, the Asia-Pacific Education Research Institutes Network (ERI-Net), developed a working definition
for those skills competencies using the term ‘transversal competencies’ (TVC). TVC encompass skills,
values and attitudes that are required for learners’ holistic development and for learners to become
capable of adapting to change.

A number of frameworks have been developed independently around the world on transversal
competencies. It can be classified into three major frameworks:

1. Digital competences/skills frameworks - Digital competence is the set of skills, knowledge and
attitudes that enable the confident, creative and critical use of technologies and systems, such as
the UNESCO ICT Standards for Teachers (ICT-CST)
2. General frameworks of 21st century skills – these are general or unified vision for learning to
ensure student success in a world where change is constant and learning never stops. It outlines
learning outcomes, key skills and competencies across the school curriculum, such as the P21's
Framework for 21st Century Learning (P21)
3. National key skills frameworks – It is a quality assured national system for the development,
recognition and award of qualifications based on standards of knowledge, skills and values
acquired in different ways and methods by learners and workers of the country, such as the
Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF)

What are 21st century skills?

UNESCO- an overarching concept for the knowledge, skills and attitudes citizens need to be able to
fully participate in and contribute to the knowledge society.

- encompasses a wide-ranging and amorphous body of knowledge and skills that is not easy to
define and that has not been officially codified or categorized. While the term is widely used in
education, it is not always defined consistently, which can lead to confusion and divergent
interpretations. In addition, a number of related terms—including applied skills, cross- curricular
skills, cross-disciplinary skills, interdisciplinary skills, transferable skills, transversal skills,
noncognitive skills, and soft skills, among others—are also widely used in reference to the
general norms of knowledge and skill commonly associated with 21st century skills.

Most frameworks seem to converge on a common set of 21st century skills or competences, namely:
collaboration; communication; Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literacy; and social
and/or cultural competencies (including citizenship). Most frameworks also mention creativity, critical
thinking and problem solving. Across the various frameworks it is acknowledged that ICT is at the core of
21st century skills. Specifically, it is regarded as both (a) an argument for the need of 21st century skills,
and (b) a tool that can support the acquisition and assessment of these skills. In addition, the rapid
development of ICT requires a whole new set of competences related to ICT and technological literacy.
(Adapted from: Lai & Viering 2012).
RELEVANCE OF TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE TECHNICAL
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION TRAINING (TVET) IN THE CONTEXT OF THE USTP GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES

- both national governments and HEIs themselves have been working towards the convergence of
their educational offer, in order to seek to adapt the curricula of their programs to the needs of
the labor market and, more than that, to equip their students with transferable competences
that will enable them to apply their knowledge in various professional areas.
- for HEIs to be able to promote, develop and equip their students with transversal competences,
change is required at their macro, meso and micro levels and involves a large set of variables,
namely expectations, regulations, formal, non-formal and informal learning, the definition of
transversal competences and the curriculum and its implementation, the academic and teacher
culture, the institution’s relationship with the stakeholders, a teaching process that ascribes the
student a more active role and the use of new technologies and forms of assessment.

GRADUATE OUTCOMES (USTP ATTRIBUTES)

1. Thinking and Reasoning- think critically, creatively, and metacognitively. S/he is able to apply
analytical and quantitative reasoning in identifying problems and complex challenges, accessing
information, differentiating and evaluating theories and ideas, analyzing data, making reasoned
decisions, and transforming ideas or solutions into new forms.
2. Communication- communicates ideas, perspectives, and values clearly and persuasively while
listening openly to others. Developing strong oral, written, multimedia, nonverbal, and creative
communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts allows the graduate to actively
participate in a democratic society and to achieve success in his/her profession.
3. Diversity- apply knowledge of diverse and multicultural competencies to contribute to the
creation and maintenance of inclusive and just communities. Along with the ability to thrive,
grow, and develop in the face of adverse circumstances and uncertainties, s/he has the capacity
to interact openly and respectfully with individuals across the full range of human diversity
including race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation or preference, age and ability. S/he
should be able to recognize and understand the rich and complex ways in which individual and
group differences and interactions impact self and society.
4. Collaboration- work collaboratively and respectfully as an individual contributor and/or leader of
diverse teams and communities.
5. Sustainability- to act responsibly and sustainably in their personal and professional life at local,
national, and global levels. Through ethical behavior based on an understanding of how
individual choices and actions affect society and the environment, s/he can help build a
sustainable future that ensures environmental integrity, economic vitality, and a just society for
present and future generations.
6. Specialized Discipline- demonstrates expertise in a specialized discipline of study through the
integration of ideas, methods, theory and practice in various contexts, including inter-, multi-,
and trans-disciplinary engagements. Mastery of the terminologies, theories, methods, tools and
applications of a particular subject area prepares the graduates to engage in independent and
life-long learning in the broadest context of social, technological, economic, and environmental
changes.

PROGRAM ACCREDITATION AND CURRICULUM

 new pedagogical positioning- responsibility, proactivity, autonomy, adaptability, resilience and

transfer of competences.
 “One of the most important tasks of education is to form and develop competences, especially
transversal ones, which are basic and guarantee that individuals can handle their future roles”.

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION

1. redefining the goals of education;

2. paying special attention to students’ needs and learning motives;
3. introducing adaptive teaching strategies;
4. designing a dynamic environment which supports learning—flexible, mobile, guaranteeing
interaction and cooperation;
5. reaching a new level of monitoring and evaluating learning outcomes.”
CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION: ADOPTION OF CONTRUCTIVIST PARADIGM

i. that it views the student as a subject and not as an object of education;

ii. the adoption of methodologies that allow students to learn and apply actively and
independently;
iii. the promotion of students’ autonomy, by confronting them with real problems and situations;
iv. an integrative and multidisciplinary knowledge; and, finally,
v. a teacher who has the ability to organize, inspire and motivate his/her students in this new
educational approach.

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION: rethink and reorganize

1. curriculum
2. educational environment
3. expectations of institutional actors,
4. transformation of the teacher education, and
5. current teacher profile

CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION: Teachers should…

1. “bring the real world into the classroom.”

2. Design learning situations focused on case- and problem-solving- based projects, work-based
projects, collaboration, and use of new technology, and
3. Focus on the learner and the learning process.

TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES AND EMPLOYABILITY IN VET STUDENTS

- no longer enough for graduates to have academic or technical knowledge.

- employability, seen as having the skills, knowledge and attitude required to get a job, is gaining
importance.
- Internships are a key factor for integration in the work market. It will allow students to apply the
theoretical knowledge acquired in class, to develop and reinforce the professional skills in the
workplace and they also offer the possibility of demonstrating their abilities and skills to
entrepreneurs.

MODULE 2: THE SIX DOMAINS OF TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCIES

DOMAIN 1: CRITICAL AND INNOVATIVE THINKING

Students develop capability in critical and innovative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate
knowledge, clarify concepts and ideas, seek possibilities, consider alternatives and solve problems.
Critical and innovative thinking involves students thinking broadly and deeply using skills, behaviors and
dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and creativity in all learning areas at
school and in their lives beyond school. Thinking that is productive, purposeful and intentional is at the
centre of effective learning.
This capability combines two types of thinking: critical thinking and creative/innovative thinking. Though
the two are not interchangeable, they are strongly linked, bringing complementary dimensions to
thinking and learning.
Critical thinking is at the core of most intellectual activity that involves students learning to recognize or
develop an argument, use evidence in support of that argument, draw reasoned conclusions, and use
information to solve problems. Examples of critical thinking skills are interpreting, analyzing, evaluating,
explaining, sequencing, reasoning, comparing, questioning, inferring, hypothesizing, appraising, testing
and generalizing.

DOMAIN 2: INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

- encompasses communication skills, organizational skills, teamwork, collaboration, sociability,

collegiality, empathy, compassion, among others. Often called people skills.
- Interpersonal skills are traits you rely on when you interact and communicate with others. They
cover a variety of scenarios where communication and cooperation are essential. These skills
involve the ability to communicate and build relationships with others. People with the
strongest interpersonal skills adjust their tactics and communications depending on the
reactions of others.

DOMAIN 3: INTRAPERSONAL SKILLS

- encompasses self-discipline and self-motivation, ability to learn independently, flexibility and

adaptability, self-awareness, perseverance, self-motivation, compassion, integrity, self-respect,
among others.
- Intrapersonal (“within the self”) skills are the internal abilities and behaviors that help you
manage emotions, cope with challenges, and learn new information.
- When you have strong intrapersonal skills, you take personal responsibility for your own feelings
and emotions. This mindset is also known as intrapersonal intelligence. You learn how to focus
your attention, set priorities and goals, and engage in purposeful thinking and problem-solving.
- two broad skills that fall within this cluster: adaptability, and self-management/self-
development.

Intrapersonal Skills are talents or abilities that reside within the individual and aid him or her in problem
solving (National Research Council (US) Committee on the Assessment of 21st Century Skills, 2011).

DOMAIN 4: GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

- encompasses the values and attitudes of awareness, tolerance, openness, responsibility, respect
for diversity, ethical understanding, intercultural understanding, ability to resolve conflicts,
 democratic participation, respect for the environment, national identity, sense of belonging,
among others.
- the umbrella term for social, political, environmental, and economic actions of globally minded
individuals and communities on a worldwide scale.
- refer to the belief that individuals are members of multiple, diverse, local and non-local
networks rather than single actors affecting isolated societies.

A global citizen is someone who is aware of and understands the wider world – and their place in it. They
take an active role in their community and work with others to make our planet more peaceful,
sustainable and fairer. Global citizenship is all about encouraging young people to develop the
knowledge, skills and values they need to engage with the world. And it's about the belief that we can all
make a difference. Global citizenship helps young people to: build their own understanding of world
events, think about their values and what's important to them, take learning into the real world,
challenge ignorance and intolerance, get involved in their local, national and global communities,
develop an argument and voice their opinions, see that they have power to act and influence the world
around them.

a. Learn About the World.

b. Learn About Yourself.
c. Travel.
d. Become a Leader

Below are values and attitudes of a global citizen:

- Ethical understanding- This general capability has 3 parts: a. understanding ethical ideas and
issues – such as justice, equity, respect, fairness, freedom, and empathy b. considering the
reasons behind actions and decisions c. exploring values, right and responsibilities from different
points of view.

DOMAIN 5: MEDIA AND INFORMATION LITERACY

- encompasses ability to obtain and analyze information through ICT, ability to critically evaluate
information and media content, ethical use of ICT.
- In the Australian Curriculum, students develop Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
capability as they learn to use ICT effectively and appropriately to access, create and
communicate information and ideas, solve problems and work collaboratively in all learning
areas at school and in their lives beyond school. ICT capability involves students learning to make
the most of the digital technologies available to them, adapting to new ways of doing things as
technologies evolve and limiting the risks to themselves and others in a digital environment.

Students develop knowledge, skills and dispositions around ICT and its use, and the ability to transfer
these across environments and applications. They learn to use ICT with confidence, care and
consideration, understanding its possibilities, limitations and impact on individuals, groups and
communities.
DOMAIN 6: OTHERS

- The domain ‘others’ was created as a way for researchers to include competencies, such as
physical health or religious values, that may not fall into one of the other.