Key Competencies for a Successful Life and a Well-Functioning Society

Abstract

Background information Apart from basic skills «what competencies do we need to lead a successful and responsible life and to face the challenges of the present and future»? The OECD project DeSeCo - Definition and Selection of Competencies: Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations (1998-2006????) - was designed to complement international comparative assessments by stepping back from an immediate concern of how to measure or develop competencies in order to focus on questions such as what is a competence and which competencies are important and important for what. Its main mission was to define a comprehensive, theory-grounded set of key competencies and to provide a basis for an overall long-term strategy for international assessments and a reference point for the development of important competencies from a lifelong learning perspective. Conceptual clarification and definitional criteria: Key or core competencies / 21st century competencies Reviews of various initiatives revealed a lack of rigor and consistency in the use of terms related to competence. In public discourse and sometimes also in specialized literature, there was – and still is – a tendency to use terms such as skills, literacy, qualifications, education goals, and competencies either imprecisely or interchangeable. One of DeSeCo’s added value is the provision of a research based, conceptually sound definition: A competence is defined as the ability to successfully meet complex demands in a particular context through the mobilization of knowledge, (cognitive, metacognitive, socio-emotional and practical) skills, attitudes and values. Underlying is an action competence model. Building on the concept of competence the research process resulted in a widely accepted definition of key competencies, namely that they are learnable and, to some extent, teachable; contribute to highly valued individual outcomes (gainful employment, income, personal health and safety, political participation, intellectual resources, social networks, cultural participation) and societal outcomes (economic productivity, democratic processes, solidarity, social cohesion, human rights and peace, equity and equality, ecological sustainability); are instrumental for meeting important, complex demands in a wide spectrum of contexts; are important for all individuals; involve a higher level of mental complexity, identified as reflectivity/reflectiveness or reflective practice implying the use of metacognitive skills, creative abilities and taking a critical stance. A common vision of the world as a backdrop Conceptual clarifications, theoretical models and definitional parameters were important inputs into the conceptualization of a set of key competencies. Yet defining, selecting and developing important competencies is an attempt to explicitly value some competencies over others. What is considered important or necessary depends on the socio-economic and cultural context and the development we are aiming at. «If one wants to go beyond an individual’s adaptation level to the world of today with its limited possibilities of further development, and change the world by providing people with the appropriate competencies, it is necessary to choose a normative starting point, and not an empirical one, when defining key competencies» (Weinert, 2001). Broad societal goals and global challenges served as a backdrop for defining and selecting key competencies for the 21st century. DeSeCo referred to international conventions and agreements, in particular, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Rio Declaration on Environment, and the World Declaration on Education for All to delineate some desirable common goals. The assumption that there are common features and shared values was underpinned by the philosophers’ contribution. Canto-Sperber & Dupuy (2001) identify – consistent with any major moral theory – key values that account for the good life in general: close relationship with others; an understanding of oneself and one’s world; autonomous interaction with one’s physical and social environment; and a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment. DeSeCo’s conceptual framework for key competencies Defining and selecting key competencies was at the heart of the international, interdisciplinary, and policy-oriented research project DeSeCo – Definition and Selection of Competencies: Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations carried out under the auspices of the OECD. Three categories of key competencies – interacting in socially heterogeneous groups, acting autonomously, and using tools interactively – grounded in a holistic model of competence, constitute a core element of DeSeCo’s overarching conceptual frame of reference. The construction of the three categories of key competencies and the identification of particular key competencies within each of the three categories followed different, though complementary logics. The three categories of key competencies were constructed by way o