Analysis of leading countries points to defining features of world-class apprenticeships with lessons for the Middle East

A new report has been released in the Middle East from the University of Derby, supported by Pearson, which looks at some of the world's most heralded apprenticeship systems. The report is particularly useful for the Middle East, where many countries, such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, look to vocational education as a means through which economic diversification and reduced economic reliance on oil can be achieved.

The report’s main author, Dr Ruth Mieschbuehler, interviewed some of the world’s leading apprenticeship reformers in countries such as Germany, Denmark, Australia and the Netherlands. The following characteristics are identified in the report as being particularly important for a strong apprenticeship system:

• extended apprenticeships of between three to four years;
• broad and in-depth scientific and industrial skills and knowledge;
• the presence of a ‘master’ in the company to train an apprentice;
• high-quality knowledge-based education and training;
• recognition through an occupational title on completion of the training;
• apprentices to acquire all the skills and knowledge necessary to work effectively in an occupation;
• apprentices to become skilled workers in an occupational area with a critical and creative approach; and
• progression routes into employment as well as into further education and training.

Commenting on the report, Ruth Mieschbuehler said:

"This is the first time ever that world-class apprenticeship standards have been identified drawing on interviews with some of the world's leading apprenticeship reformers. The indicators can be used to create criteria against which all apprenticeship provision can be benchmarked and the recommendations will point towards a higher quality offering for apprentices and drive forward world-class apprenticeship standards in other countries.”

Mark Andrews, who is responsible for Pearson’s vocational offering in the Middle East believes that this report is timely for the GCC, as governments across the region seek to secure future growth through apprenticeship-based initiatives. He says:

“Commendably, the UAE and Saudi Governments, like others in the region, have made a strong commitment to vocational and apprenticeship-based education. This kind of hands-on, work-based education will play a key role in building highly diversified, industrial-driven economies that can compete in a competitive, globally-orientated market.

“This report is valuable as it provides concrete advice on what we need to do here in this region to ensure our apprenticeships are world-class. Giving young apprentices in the Middle East the skills and training they need to kick-start rewarding careers is just one of the benefits of a strong apprenticeship system. Another is reducing unemployment and the much-discussed ‘skills gap’ facing the region, as employers will have access to a growing number of highly capable apprentices, skilled in the areas necessary for success in 21st Century workplaces”.

Commenting, Rod Bristow, President of Pearson in the UK said:

“In addition to supporting this research Pearson has also convened a panel of world-leading education experts to advise us on the development of all our new qualifications. On apprenticeships the advice of the panel is clear: qualifications have a major role in supporting learner mobility and Pearson will focus work on those trailblazers including a qualification in their apprenticeship programme.”

The full report can be found at: https://www.pearson.com/content/dam/corporate/global/pearson-dot-com/files/press-releases/2016/World-Class-Apprenticeship-Standards-final-report.pdf
 

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Head of Pearson Middle East, Karim Daoud explores the link between STEM educationand long-term economic success, and provides an insight into how we can help our current generation of learners become more proficient in the STEM fields.

Anyone with an interest in education will know that STEM subjects, that is Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, are being given increasing attention in education systems not only here in the GCC, but in countries all around the world. This shift in focus comes as policy makers and educators realise the impact of failing to adequately equip today's generation of learners with STEM-based skills and knowledge.

More and more, our lives are becoming dominated by digital technology. Our current generation of school students need a high standard of STEM learning just to be able to survive, and thrive, in our modern world. Our workplaces and industries are becoming more dependent on STEM skills – and this dependenceis set to increase in the future.

But are we ready?

According to the United States' National Math and Science Initiative, only 44 percent of US high school graduates are ready for college level math, and only 36 percent ready for college level science - a trend echoed around the globe. We are also seeing an inadequate number of students choosing to pursue STEM-based tertiary education, as students opt for more humanities and arts based university programmes.

The result is a significant gap between the types of education our school and university leavers are acquiring, and that demanded by the needs of employers. According to a recent survey conducted by Pearson and CBI in the United Kingdom and Ireland, employers say there are widespread difficulties in recruiting people with STEM skills at every level, from new workplace entrants through to people with more than five years' experience in STEM related work. A similar predicament faces employers in this region, where employers regularly cite STEM skills shortages as one of their greatest business challenges.

Encouraging learners into STEM fields, and ensuring that quality STEM teaching and learning is available to them, is therefore of vital importance. STEM capability is essential for major drivers of economic growth – productivity, innovation, entrepreneurship. In a region where economies are driven by oil revenues, a high levels of STEM talent amongst the population becomes even more critical. And with these economies seeking to become more diversified and globally competitive, never has it been more important to build STEM capacity, starting at the most basic educational levels.

A quality STEM based education can enhance a graduate's job opportunities and earning potential. In our region, where youth unemployment rates are some of the highest in the world (believed to be as high as 30 percent in some Middle Eastern countries), improving STEM proficiency will be fundamental to getting our young people into meaningful employment.

So, what can be done to improve the STEM skills of today's learners, and in turn give them increased opportunities in tomorrow's technology-driven environments?

Modifying curricula for a greater emphasis on STEM subjects is one part of the solution. Here in the Middle East, making math and science subjects widely available through internationally recognised qualifications will help to make these subjects more accessible to a greater number of learners. But just as important is, encouraging a love of STEM studies from the earliest days of a child's education. This means having teachers who are passionate about these disciplines and who can pass this enthusiasm onto their students. It also means ensuring teachers themselves have met necessary standards in STEM training and have access to high quality on-going professional development that keeps them up-to-date with the latest thinking and pedagogies in the STEM fields. Equipping classrooms with the resources needed for effective STEM learning is also essential. This means allocating funding for classroom based technology and scientific equipment, and giving teachers the skills required to exploit it to its full potential.

We also need to look at improving pathways to STEM-based careers, giving students the information needed to make informed decisions about their futures, such as the requirements for progression into STEM-based tertiary programmes. Building links between education and STEM industries will also assist students in moving into STEM-based careers.

Encouraging girls into STEM-based learning and subsequent careers is another way we can build the manpower demanded by burgeoning STEM-based industries. More females in the Arab World than ever before are now pursuing STEM subjects, at both a school and university level. Providing opportunities for these women in the workforce will help to fill the STEM skills gap that is impacting both the region's public and private sectors.

How successful we are at building a workforce of the future will depend in a large part on how well we embed effective STEM-based learning into oureducation systems, at all levels. The rapid pace of change affecting our workforces and economies requires us to address this challenge with urgency. Working together across government, industry and education, with a view to improving the outcomes of STEM learners, must a starting point. I am confident that through existing enterprises and future initiatives current and future generations of learners in the Middle East will excel in the STEM fields and make significant contributions on the regional and global stage.

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Pearson launches "Intelligence Unleashed: An Argument for AI in Education" in Middle East.

In a world where digital tools support virtually every part of our lives, why is it that the full power of such tools has yet to be unleashed to those who might benefit most - educators and learners? In the latest of its series of publications concerning digital learning, Intelligence Unleashed: An Argument for AI in Education, Pearson, in collaboration with the UCL Knowledge Lab, maps out how artificial intelligence in education (AIEd) can be used to create learning tools that are more efficient, flexible and inclusive than those currently available; tools that will help learners in the Middle East prepare for an economy that is swiftly being reshaped by digital technologies.

The paper addresses a number of important and provocative questions that hold pertinence for policy makers, educators, parents and students throughout the Middle East region as it rapidly takes up emerging digital innovations. Such questions include: How can teachers and learners benefit from AIEd right now? How might learner outcomes be improved by AIEd in the very near future? And, how can AIEd contribute to systemic challenges facing the education sector at large?

The authors, led by Professor Rose Luckin and Wayne Holmes of the UCL Knowledge Lab, highlight existing and emergent technology that could be leveraged to address some of the most intractable issues in education, many of which are felt acutely here in the Middle East, such as achievement gaps. For example, technology available today could be applied to support student learning at a scale previously unimaginable by providing one-on-one tutoring to every student, in every subject. Existing technologies also have the capacity to provide intelligent support to learners working in a group, and to create authentic virtual learning environments where students have the right support, at the right time, to tackle real-life problems and puzzles.

Pushing the bounds of practice and theory, the paper considers a future where teaching and learning is supported by the thoughtful application of AIEd. Imagine lifelong learning companions powered by AI that can accompany and support individual learners throughout their studies - in and beyond school - or new forms of assessment that measure learning while it is taking place, shaping the learning experience in real time.

Ultimately, the tools of AIEd help respond to the new innovation imperative in education - the need, in a jobs market re-shaped by technology, to help learners achieve at higher levels, and in a wider set of skills, than any education system has managed to date. However, that vision isn’t possible without deliberate efforts to elevate the conversation about AIEd.

"AI is already impacting education. To fully benefit from what AIEd has to offer, we must involve teachers, parents and learners to ensure that AIEd tools are grounded in learning, and that they deliver what is genuinely needed. We call for a radical change in the way that AIEd is currently funded, to break away from the today's siloed and inefficient environment. It is our hope that this work will spark a positive and proactive debate," commented Rose Luckin, Professor of Learner Centred Design from the UCL Knowledge Lab.

In their recommendations, the authors hone in on three critical forces that must be managed as the future of AIEd in the Middle East emerges: involving teachers, students and parents in co-designing new tools so that AIEd addresses real needs of the classroom and other learning environments; embedding proven pedagogical techniques in the design of new AIEd-powered edtech products; and creating smart demand for commercial grade AIEd products that work.

Karim Daoud, Managing Director of Pearson in the Middle East said, "Countries in the GCC like to be ahead of the game when it comes to education, with many in the sector keen to embrace the latest and most innovative learning technologies available. Therefore, I think that it is likely that AIEd will have a great role to play in the future of education in this region. Equipping the large and growing population of young people in the region with an education that welcomes the role of AI and uses it to the advantage of learners is important, and this paper sets out ways in which this can be achieved".

Sir Michael Barber, Chief Education Adviser at Pearson said, "There is no doubt that AI will significantly influence what we teach and learn, as well as how we do it. The challenge is to ensure that it truly supports teachers, learners, and their parents. Many important decisions will need to be made as these technologies develop, mature, and scale; this paper offers some concrete options that will allow us to realize the potential of AIEd at the system level."

This paper is published as part of the Open Ideas at Pearson series. The series features some of the best minds in education - from teachers and technologists, to researchers and big thinkers - to bring their ideas and insights to a wider audience. Future pieces on digital learning will feature topics including adaptive learning and how we can build efficacy into learning technologies.

The full report is available here https://www.pearson.com/innovation/smarter-digital-tools/intelligence-unleashed.html

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New paper highlights common-sense approach to education with 'problem solving' at its core

The Problem Solvers, a new paper by leading authority on innovation and creativity Charlie Leadbeater launched in the Middle East today by Pearson, finds that the most successful schools across the globe are leveraging "dynamic learning" - a combination of four key ingredients - in order to prepare students to enter the jobs economy of the future.

Leadbeater finds that education in successful schools worldwide is a dynamic activity, providing a combination of four elements, which will be useful in shaping education in the Middle East going forward. These include:

• knowledge, starting with the basic skills of literacy and numeracy, moving onto knowledge of core content and then to higher order concepts and thinking skills;
• personal growth, including helping students to find a sense of purpose and ambition, and to build their resilience and persistence;
• social skills, to teach students how to deepen relationships with others, create dialogue and collaboration, and take action together to make and do things for and with other people; and
• agency, where students learn how to turn knowledge and ideas into action, to see that they can make a difference to the world.

The dynamic educators and pedagogy featured in the paper are successfully preparing students for a volatile world driven increasingly by innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition to an exploration of these four ingredients and examples of them in-action in schools around the world, the paper includes guiding discussion questions and resources for educators interested in implementing these ingredients in their classrooms.

Karim Daoud, Managing Director of Pearson in the Middle East, says of the Report:

“As governments across the Arab world seek to have education systems better meet the needs of increasingly diversified, globally orientated economies, this report provides answers on how we can best equip our current generation of learners with the type of education they need to thrive in the future world of work – an education that embraces innovation and that is highly dynamic.

Many countries in the Middle East have made great gains in providing high quality basic education. For example, literacy rates in Gulf states have soared in recent years. Looking to how education can now be furthered through the provision of 21st Century skills, and by harnessing the power of technology, is the next priority for educators in many parts of the region. This report sheds light on how this can be best achieved and provides practical guidance on how we can create learners who are highly creative and innovative, and who will become positive contributors and global citizens of the future”.

Discussing the findings of his paper, Charlie Leadbeater said: “Learning becomes more powerful when it becomes more dynamic. This happens when the elements overlap, when learning becomes a social, dialogic and collaborative activity; when knowledge is tested and put to use in the cause of making something; when learning becomes a personal journey requiring resilience and determination. Great places to learn are places where these four aspects of learning overlap, interact and gain momentum from one another.”

As educators around the world work to adapt education systems and classrooms many are shifting from teaching that is focused on following instructions and rote memorization, for example, to teaching that provides students with critical thinking and problem solving opportunities.

Michael Barber, Chief Education Adviser, Pearson, said: “This paper is reflective of what we hear everyday from our customers - schools, universities, governments and employers across the world - that education must do more to equip young people with the skills they need to succeed in the modern world. Literacy, numeracy and core knowledge are essential but not enough. Education today must prepare young people to flourish in a society awash with intelligent technology and to enter a job market shaped by rapid technological change; yet there are urgent challenges in the world that require human solutions from future leaders. The combination of learning elements identified by Leadbeater provides a recipe that, if adopted more widely, would produce a future workforce that is highly adaptable to leading change.”

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Mark Andrews, Head of Pearson Qualifications International (PQI) in the Middle East, believes that quality vocational education programmes will be instrumental in helping to achieve the vision of the newly launched Industrial Council.

On the 17th April 2016, the Cabinet of the UAE, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, endorsed the launch of the Industrial Coordination Council.

The establishment of the Council forms part of the UAE Government's 2021 vision to build a diversified, knowledge based economy. It is hoped that the new Council will drive the growth of the Emirates' industrial sector, helping to increase the sector's contribution to national GDP. The Council, to be led by the Minister of Economy, will drive unity and bring greater cooperation between the various legislatures in the UAE in regards to industrial development.

A globally competitive industrial sector is high on the agenda of the UAE Government, and having a unified vision and strategy to develop the sector will go a long way to meeting this goal. Equipping UAE workers with the skills and knowledge needed to drive industrial growth will be influential in building a robust, industry-based economy. This includes those workers already engaged in the workforce, as well as younger students currently enrolled in school or higher education.

There is little doubt that a growing and modernising industrial sector requires contributions from a diverse range of workers. Candidates with strong skills in the science, technological, engineering and mathematics fields will thrive in the future economy envisioned by the UAE’s leaders.

But strong industrial growth also depends heavily on having enough vocationally qualified candidates to fill new and existing roles. Industry-reliant jobs are now more technical and highly skilled then in the past, and often require specific and intensive training.

Mark Andrews, Head of Pearson Qualifications International in the Middle East says:

“With industry burgeoning in the UAE, employers often find it difficult to attract candidates with the level of vocational qualifications necessary to perform in a number of roles. Young people in the UAE, like in many other countries throughout the region and around the world, are entering university at unprecedented rates. And yet despite the high level of education achieved by university graduates, many of them find it difficult to secure meaningful work on completion of their degree.

“Encouraging more of our young people into vocational education will therefore alleviate two of the main challenges created by a rapidly expanding industrial sector. Firstly, it will help to create enough candidates with the skills and knowledge demanded by industrial sector employers, and secondly, it will help to reduce youth unemployment figures created, in part, by an over-supply of university graduates. In other words, it will help to overcome the colloquially termed ‘skills gap”’.

The announcement earlier this year from the UAE’s National Qualifications Authority (NQA) and Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) that some international qualifications will be recognised throughout the UAE is a step towards meeting employee demand for vocationally trained workers. Many qualifications, which have long been recognised by awarding agencies around the world, will now also be officially recognised by the UAE government, making it easier for employees to identify candidates with high quality vocational qualifications. This means for example, that a student completing a BTEC Higher National Diploma at Emirates Aviation University will now have his or her qualification officially recognised by employers, government agencies and institutions throughout the UAE.

Mark Andrews believes that there are other steps that can be taken to boost the number of high quality vocational candidates entering the workforce. He says:

“Increasing dialogue between industry and education will also help to create a workforce ready to contribute to a dynamic, 21st Century industrial sector. Understanding what organisations are looking for in terms of skills and talent, and mapping education and qualifications against these needs is key. Making work-based training a significant component of vocational qualifications also helps to create candidates that can quickly perform in a work environment. Having apprenticeship-style programmes widely available helps to produce a valuable pipeline of highly capable workforce entrants.

“But building workforce capacity in the industrial sector is not just about ensuring that quality vocational programmes are widely available. Young people – through educators, parents and other advisors – need to be made aware of the potential benefits a quality vocational education can bring. Often vocational education is still seen as a lesser choice to a more academic or university based education. Young people deciding on which education route to take need to be informed about the rewarding and often well renumerated career paths that a vocational education can lead to. Encouraging many of our best and brightest to follow a vocational path, will be fundamental to the UAE’s industrial sector meeting its potential”.
 

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Leading names in ELT separate fact from fiction in new report that has implications for Middle East ELT educators

A new report from Pearson and ELTjam, ELT: Fact or Fiction has been released in the Middle East.

ELT: Fact or Fiction questions ten of the most prevalent global ‘myths’ within the English language teaching sector today - asking which are fact and which are fiction. Some of the biggest and most influential names in English language teaching have been enlisted to tackle assertions such as: online language learning is inferior to classroom learning; advances in automated translation services spell the end of English language teaching; individual learning styles don’t matter, and whether computers can evaluate language proficiency as accurately or better than humans.

With growth rates of the Middle East ELT and digital learning sectors some of the highest in the world, the new report holds relevance for parents, educators and policy makers across the region. A study from Ambient Insight titled The 2013-2018 Middle East Digital English Language Learning Market found that in every Middle Eastern country analysed, mobile English learning ‘apps’ consistently rank among the best-selling ‘apps’. The countries surveyed consisted of UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar and Yemen. The report attributed the high levels of growth in the ELT sector on a number of factors, including government-led initiatives to bolster English language proficiency and private sector demand for industry-specific forms of English (such as ‘Aviation’ English or ‘Oil and Gas’ English).

Karim Daoud, Managing Director of Pearson in the Middle East believes the ELT: Fact or Fiction findings will have a powerful impact on teachers and institutions in the Middle East, where English language skills are closely linked to employment opportunities and earning potential. He says:

“Improved English language capability has been proven to enhance earning prospects and improve living standards. English language uptake at a national scale is also linked to private sector development in key industry growth areas. With English language skills such an important aspect of an individual’s ability to secure meaningful work and earn a good wage, and widespread economic growth, it is only natural that a burgeoning number of people across the Middle East, from all stages of life, are looking to find high quality English language learning opportunities. It is therefore important that we continually assess ways in which ELT education can be improved and stay up-to-date with the latest global developments”.

New data accompanying the report highlights that English as a Second Language teachers feel the sector has been transformed by the digital revolution, but many are sceptical about its benefits and the capability of digital solutions. Whilst 79% of the 600 surveyed agreed that technology has transformed English language learning and teaching, just 20% thought that online learning could be as effective as classroom learning. Only 9% felt that computers are as effective as humans when it comes to delivering assessment scores.

Mr Daoud says of the statistics:

“Many countries in our region are finding it difficult to secure a requisite number of appropriately trained English language educators to meet rapidly increasing demand. Improving the quality of ELT educators, and the quality of the teaching tools available to these educators will therefore be an important step in ensuring all English language learners in this region have access to a high standard of English language education. This report is very helpful in demonstrating how technology can be used more effectively to enhance ELT learning, and which ELT teaching myths are helpful (and which are not) in promoting student outcomes”.

The full report is available to download at www.english.com/ELTmyths/.
 

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Pearson aims to help schools meet new national standards and embed world-class systems and processes in UAE schools.

Pearson has announced a new School Improvement Service, designed to help UAE schools perform against the standards set out in the UAE's new School Inspection Framework. The Framework is designed to help meet the country's national agenda for education reform set about the UAE's 2021 vision.

The UAE School Inspection Framework was rolled out in 2015, unifying the many inspection and school improvement models that had previously been in place throughout the country. The Framework is an evaluation system that measures the quality of a school's performance, supporting school improvements through regular inspections. School inspections are structured around six performance standards including student achievement; personal and social development of students; teaching and assessment; curriculum; protection, care, guidance and support of students; and leadership and management.

The 2015-2016 Framework Guide, released by the UAE Ministry of Education, the Abu Dhabi Education Council, the Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority, and the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Training, states:

“To achieve the world-class education system to which it aspires, the UAE must apply a high quality evaluation system to measure reliably the quality of school performance and to support school improvements and students' outcomes through rigorous and regular school inspection. The UAE School Inspection Framework is based on comprehensive performance standards that define the essential aspects of a quality education”.

International school improvement expert, Dr Brad Ermeling, Principal Research Scientist at Pearson, believes there are four key elements to achieving optimal school improvement outcomes. He says:

“Research conducted through the Pearson Research and Innovation Network has shown that the best results come from school improvement programmes when four considerations are taken into account. These are:

1. Emphasis needs to be placed on doing the “ordinary”, day-to-day work well. It is often these seemingly insignificant tasks that have the greatest impact on how well a school performs overall;
2. The detail is exceedingly important – it is one thing to come up with a great idea or vision, but often the most difficult aspects of reform is in figuring out the details that will actually make the plan work.
3. Successful action (that is, getting things done) begets improved attitudes, beliefs and knowledge, and;
4. Everyone needs to be involved and school leaders are instrumental in bringing the entire school community on board with necessary changes.

Therefore, a holistic approach to school improvement that looks beyond individual areas of school improvement is necessary”.

Amanda Collins, Pearson's Regional Director for School Services, says that the new Pearson School Improvement Service maps this international research with the specific needs of institutions in the UAE. She says the Service is designed to meet the challenges faced by UAE schools in preparing for inspection and help them along the path of continuous improvement.

“Schools are consistently looking for ways to improve to give learners the best possible chance of meeting their potential, both academically and in other important areas of development. The new School Improvement Service helps schools to achieve that goal, whilst mapping against the specific criteria set out in the Inspection Framework. We work closely with schools to identify what areas require attention through a school-wide needs assessment. The team, which includes certified school inspectors, then sets about creating a tailored plan. This plan includes face to face and online professional development, policy support, in-class support and coaching that improves performance in identified areas, with on-going consultation and monitoring the cornerstone of the service”.

Ms Collins goes on to say that improving learner outcomes is the overarching aim of the School Improvement Service.

“There are many elements of a successful school improvement programme, professional development, staff appraisals and targeted teaching interventions to name just a few. However, improving learner outcomes is the ultimate goal of the whole process. We want to help create schools where learning thrives and where learners are excited about the future they can achieve”.

For more information visit: https://middleeast.pearson.com/Professionaldevelopment.html

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Education expert points to recent findings of WEF 'Future of Jobs' report to make the case for workplace education and training.

A recent report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) has found that developments in fields such as artificial intelligence and machine-learning, robotics, nanotechnology, 3-D printing, and genetics and biotechnology, will cause widespread disruption not only to business models but also to labour markets over the next five years, with enormous change predicted in the skill sets needed to thrive in the new landscape.

The Future of Jobs, released in January of this year, has great pertinence for the Middle East region, according to Frank Edwards, Head of Workforce Development at Pearson Middle East.

“As outlined in this report, the next few years will see widespread disruption in the workforce due to the technological revolution currently taking place, both here in the Middle East and around the world. Some industries will go into decline, but others will grow and new industries will be created. Increasingly, new skill sets will be demanded by employers looking to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the digital revolution unfolding. Meeting this new demand will require fostering 21st Century skills in school, secondary and higher education, but we also need to look at providing those already working with ongoing training and development so they can maintain – and increase – their value in the workforce”.

While the Report examines future workforce disruption from a global perspective, its findings and recommendations are particularly relevant for the Middle East region, where many of the region’s economies – heavily dependent on oil revenues – are looking to expand and diversify rapidly. With unemployment rates above global norms in many Middle East countries, there is some urgency with which the private and public sectors in the region need to build highly skilled and future-ready workforces.

Mr Edwards says:

“Nowhere is preparing for future workforce disruption more important than in the MENA region where unemployment rates – at between 21 and 25 percent – are some of the highest in the world, and where a skills gap is already one of the most urgent challenges for policy makers and educators. We therefore need to heed the recommendations of this Report and start to look at ways we can prepare the current and future generation of workers for the future reality of the world of work”.

Rethinking existing approaches to education should be an immediate focus, according to the Report. The Report suggests that traditional, 20th Century practices in classrooms and lecture halls are hindering the development of a highly effective and flexible labour market. The Report recommends that industry consult more broadly with governments and educators so that education systems become more closely aligned with labour market needs.

Frank Edwards agrees that embedding 21st century skills into all levels of curriculum, and providing learners with the transferable competencies employers demand is essential to building a future-ready flexible workforce.

“A 14 year old currently enrolled in high school will in all likelihood have a job in the future which does not even exist now. So how can we possibly educate that 14 year old for his future career? The answer is not about the content that we give to that student. The answer is about the general transferable competencies that an education can provide that student that are applicable across a variety of professions and industries. Communication, strategic, problem-solving and analytical skills are the skills that will help workers of the future succeed in work and become valuable to their employers. We therefore need to reassess the current focus of education on learning content and knowledge (although this remains important) and look to helping our students become proficient in the competencies that are most valued in the changing and dynamic world of work, both now and in the future”.

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Head of the Pearson Research & Innovation Network, Dr Kimberly O'€™Malley visits Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Digital technology has the potential to improve educational outcomes in the Middle East, if implemented thoughtfully. This is the advice from renowned educational researcher and advisor, Dr Kimberly O'Malley who leads the Washington D.C based Pearson Research and Innovation Network.

Dr O'Malley has been in the region to deliver an address at Ta'leem 2016, Saudi Arabia'€™s 5th annual International Exhibition and Forum for Education. Dr O'Malley led a discussion at the event on how investments in technology can promote post-secondary success.
 

Dr O'Malley believes that technology can help drive learner outcomes, if tools are carefully selected, used in ways that support learning theory, and implementation is accompanied by appropriate training for educators. She said:

“Our current generation of post-secondary learners are digital natives. Their understanding and use of digital devices can be beneficial in improving their educational performance. However, digital technology is no ‘magic bullet’ in the classroom. The type of digital tools selected, teacher training for their optimal use, and their role in supporting instruction needs to be carefully managed. Otherwise, technology can simply be used for technology’s sake. Best practice would be to gather evidence to show that the ways we deploy technology have a proven impact on teaching and learning before widespread implementation.”

Research from Dr. O'Malley's team at the Research & Innovation Network suggests that technology can have many benefits to both teachers and learners, including:

• increasing access to learning resources
• enhancing communication and feedback
• restructuring teacher time
• extending the purpose and audience for student work; and
• shifting teacher and student roles

The strong focus of GCC governments over recent years to increase the use of digital technology to realise some of the above-mentioned benefits is a trend echoed in many countries around the world. The USA has also invested heavily in bringing digital innovations to the classroom, with the expectation that digital adoption will foster innovation and future economic competitiveness. However, according to Dr O'Malley, the uptake of technology in schools has not always translated into improvements in learner outcomes. She says:

“The team at the Research & Innovation Network has undertaken in-depth research over a number of years to examine the role digital technology can play in improving education. Our research has shown that it is not always the case that the effects of digital education trump more traditional classroom instruction. Putting technology into classrooms is not enough to drive meaningful change. To realise the benefits of educational technology, we need to equip teachers with strategies that have proven to be beneficial in driving learning outcomes. Teacher training and professional development are key, as well as buy-in from school leaders and the wider community. We also need to be undertaking continued analysis of what is working and what is not, and use that information to drive ongoing improvements to teaching and learning.

“Technology has the power to realise many of the gains we want and need in education. As educators, advisors and policy makers, we owe it to students to make sure we exploit the potential technology offers, and implement it in a way that improves the experience and outcomes of the learner, because after all, that is what education is all about”.

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English language expert and author, Richard Harrison, releases new edition of widely popular language resource.

Dubai: Pearson has announced the publication of the latest version of Keep Writing, an English language writing course that has been used in the Middle East for the past 20 years.

The new fully revised and updated edition was launched at the 2016 TESOL Arabia Conference, which took place from 10th to 12th March in Dubai. The event brought together English language  experts from across the region to discuss developments and challenges in English language teaching.

Keep Writing author, Richard Harrison, participated at TESOL Arabia 2016, and while there launched the latest edition of the course. He stressed the increasingly important role strong English writing skills play in the Middle East workplace. Richard says:

“For many years we have recognised the importance of English speaking and listening skills in education and the workplace. However, more and more, employers are seeking candidates who have strong English writing skills, as well as these capabilities. As industries and economies turn more to the global marketplace, the demand for English writing skills becomes greater, with those who can communicate fluently via email and other written mediums highly sought after. These skills are also very useful for day-to-day life in our increasingly connected world, facilitating not only business ventures, but travel, education and personal pursuits. Having quality resources available that help learners to acquire such skills in an interesting and enjoyable way is therefore a key priority”.

Keep Writing has been especially created for learners in the Arab region, with culturally appropriate and relevant content – making learners more likely to engage in their English language learning.

We see the best results from English language learners when they can identify connections between their learning and their environment. Careful attention has been paid to making this course one that guides learners to take up new skills and knowledge in a way that is significant and contextualised to their own experience. This also makes the learning journey a more enjoyable one – something that we are always keen to achieve.

For more information about the latest version of Keep Writing, please visit http://www.pearsonmiddleeastawe.com/keepwriting
 

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