Helsinki Education Week

WEBINAR AGENDA prepared by Greg Twemlow

1. Skills Studio pedagogical models - 15-minutes 
2. Skills Studio - Experiential Pathways Learning Initiative (EPLI)© - 5-minutes
3. Design of the nine programs - 15-minutes
4. Introduction to the assessment model - 5-minutes
5. How stakeholders are impacted by the programs - 5-minutes
6. Pathways that emerge for ongoing skills reinforcement - 5-minutes
7. Questions - 10-minutes

About Me - I live in Sydney, Australia in a region called Northern Beaches

1. Skills Studio pedagogical models 

1. Pedagogy is essential for effective teaching, learning, and the development of higher-order thinking skills. 
2. These pedagogical models are framed within the context of the past, unfolding present, and the future. 
3. The Skills Studio pedgaogical models adhere to one of the most powerful pedagogical philosophies where students and teachers produce work and learn together. 
4. The teacher's role is that of a mentor or coach, guiding students to achieve the learning goals. 

2. Skills Studio - Experiential Pathways Learning Initiative©

1. prepare students to become workforce-ready graduates or next-generation innovators
2. elevate the entrepreneurial thinking of the existing workforce
3. develop a skillful, empowered mindset that exposes opportunities, ignites ambition, and fosters the attitudes and skills that empower people of any age to succeed

Use-Case Examples

1. ages 10 to 12
2. ages 13 to 15
3. ages 16 to 18
4. special needs schools
5. pre college, post college
6. ages 50+
7. entrepreneurs of 20 and older
8. parents
9. teachers

3. design of the nine programs

1. Life or Humanities Skills Program 

Workshop Format - 14-hours of Experiential Learning

This program comprises eight sessions. Schools can schedule the program over 8-weeks or 2-days. The program is in effect a journey through the 9 key skills in the pedagogical model. There are numerous use-cases.

2. STEM Skills Program 

Workshop Format - 14-hours of Experiential Learning

The program format is the same as program #1. When we talk about STEM skills, we’re talking about the individual skills needed to do science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and those needed to use technology effectively. These are the 9 key skills for people of all ages who have or are deciding to, pursue a STEM career. 

3. Skills Studio Hybrid Program 

Workshop Format - 14-hours of Experiential Learning

Skills Studio is a program that helps people of all ages, but likely from about 16 to about 75. We know that the age range is broad and that the motivation for learning these skills varies according to age; a younger person is thinking about their career and an older person may simply want to expand their intellect.

4. Student Collaborative Problem-Solving Online (SCPSO) 

Online 6-hours of experiential learning

Focuses on developing the skills of: A. Analytical, B. Creative, C. Self-Manages, D. Collaborator

This program uses Microsoft Teams or Zoom and the private channels feature to allow the cohort to be assigned to teams of up to 6 students. The motivation for the program is anchored in assisting students to work on diverse problems in a collaborative format.

5. How parents can learn how to enhance their children’s life skills

1-day experiential learning workshop

Skills Studio believes that parents can play a vital role to help their children develop and refine skills that provide a solid platform to propel them headfirst into all that life can offer. This program is a 1-day workshop of experiential learning for parents to learn the secrets of developing their children's skills.

6. Entrepreneurs Business Design Program

2-day Program - Day 1: 0900-1600, Day 2: 0900-1730

This program is primarily for senior students who believe they have an idea for a new business. It can also be used for students who are generally interested in becoming entrepreneurs but may not have a specific idea they wish to develop.

The 2-day program will benefit students to either confirm that their idea has genuine potential or help them to fail-fast by invalidating their idea and then helping them to decide whether to pivot to a new idea.

It can also be used by entrepreneurs to find a team for their project. All 14-hours are facilitated experiential learning using the Minimum Viable Canvas, a tool that will define their business idea and business model.

7. Skills Immersion Program for High Schools

runs over 2 x 10-week school terms

A new program called Skills Immersion is designed to run over 2 x 10-week school terms and for approximately 24-hours. There are elective 2 tracks, one LIFE skills, and the other STEM skills.

During the first 10-week term students focus on the 4 core skills shown in the pedagogical model. 

In the second 10-week term students focus on 5 elective skills, either LIFE or STEM skills, depending on their personal interests.

8. Experiential Pathways Certification Training

prepares participants to deliver Skills Studio Programs

Skills Studio programs are experiential, problem-based learning interventions designed to inspire and engage participants in the fundamental aspects of a skillful mindset. With this methodology, facilitators do not need to be subject matter experts in the field of experiential pathways. The role of the instructor is to facilitate learning by supporting, guiding, and monitoring the learning process. Rather than providing specific directives, the facilitator encourages participants to solve identified problems, find and apply new knowledge, take action, and cope with uncertainty and challenges that they confront. 

People who complete these 2-day programs are certified to deliver Skills Studio programs under license.

9. Student Sustainability Boards (SSBs)

runs over the entire school year

The motivation for the program is anchored in students' passion to help change the consumption habits of their entire school community. SSBs is a concept for school communities to embark on an innovative journey to encourage greater sustainability. The SSB program integrates what are normally silos of community stakeholders and brings them together in pursuit of a constructive, real-world solution to developing sustainable models for the entire school community.

4. an introduction to the assessment model

1. Skills Studio began the research that culminated in the design of our contemporary pedagogical model in 2013
2. the research identified nine skills, each with three primary behaviors,  meaning there are twenty-seven deltas
3. the STEM skills pedagogy was added in 2020, also with 27 deltas
4. the assesment protocols encourage students’ self-reflection

STEM Skills Pedagogy and Assessment Deltas

All 27 deltas can be summatively assessed to provide an objective view of the learners progress.

All nine programs can be summatively assessed in any or all of four perspectives in this diagram.

5. how stakeholders are impacted by the program

1. students

2. teachers

3. parents

4. business owners

5. community stakeholders such as politicians

Read this report on the programs that we delivered in Term 2, 202, to view the reactions of all stakeholders.

6. Pathways that emerge for ongoing skills reinforcement

Given the eight programs are designed for experiential learning, each program offers the opportunity for ongoing skills development. We typically call these opportunities 'Pathways'.

The pathways are obvious and non-obvious.

Examples of Obvious Pathways:

1. Students and business owners collaborate enabling each to assess the other

2. We have seen an awakening of business and entrepreneurship in about 20% of student cohorts

3. Teachers learn new methods for engaging students in solving real-world problems

Examples of Non-Obvious Pathways:

1. Students can leverage their Skills Studio learning certificate to help differentiate themselves

2. Curriculum designers in schools envisage how they can map their interventions to the nine skills

3. Schools develop relationships with local businesses and their owners

7. Questions

Contact the Skills Studio designer, Greg Twemlow, to discuss how you can apply the pedagogical model and workshops or to discuss a custom-designed workshop program.