2022

21st century Skills Labs

The Skills Labs is an innovative school module, which advances soft and digital skills, as well as fundamental life skills (related to health, safety, and social interactions). Particular emphasis is laid on communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity.

This initiative aspires to bring about a paradigm shift in education: moving away from a knowledge-centric model to a skills-based approach. The workshops are combined with Flexible Curricula. Students make better use of knowledge and respond more effectively to modern challenges.

The module is part of the mandatory national curriculum in compulsory education. Educational materials are developed by civil society, while being selected and monitored by the Institute of Educational Policy. Since September 2021, a rollout to all classes throughout the country has been achieved.

The skills Labs are divided into four thematic areas, which arise from the Global Sustainable Development Goal Indicators:

• Well-being
• Environment
• Social empathy and accountability
• Creative thinking and innovation

In particular, the thematic areas are the following:

Skills are grouped into four circles:

A) 21st Century Skills (4cs)

A1. 21st Century Learning Skills (4cs) (Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity)

A2. 21st century digital learning (4cs in a digital environment) (Digital communication, Digital collaboration, Digital creativity, Digital critical thinking, Combined skills of digital technology, communication and collaboration)

A3. Productive learning through the arts and creativity.

B) Life skills

B1. Social life skills (Self-care, Social skills, Empathy and sensitivity, Citizenship, Adaptability, Resilience, Responsibility)

B2. Digital Citizenship Skills (E-Government Proficiency, Digital citizenship, Safe internet browsing, Protection from addictive behaviours in technologies, Resilience)

B3. Mediation and social empathy skills (Empathy and sensitivity, Mediation, Conflict resolution, Citizenship)

B4. Entrepreneurship skills (Initiative, Organisational ability, Planning, Productivity, Efficiency).

C) Technology, engineering and science skills

C1. Technology skills (Skills for creating and sharing digital creations, Skills for analysing and producing content in printed and electronic media, Skills for interdisciplinary and cross-curricular use of new technologies)

C2. Media Management Skills (Information literacy, Digital literacy, Technology literacy, Media literacy, Safety in internet)

C3. Robotics (Modelling and simulation skills, Scientific/Computational thinking).

D) Cognitive skills

D1. Strategic Thinking (Organisational thinking, Case study and problem solving)

D2. Lateral thinking (Creative, Productive, Holistic thinking)

D3. Thinking routines and reflection

D4. Constructions, games, applications

D5. Computational thinking skills (Scientific/Computational thinking, mediation).

The skills Labs promote and bring into effect the UN Sustainable Development goals, especially Goal 4.7 (By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development in education).

The programme has received the Global Education Network Europe (GENE) Global Education Award (2020/21).

2020

Skills Labs

Law 4692/2020 introduces in pre-primary (nipiagogeia), primary (dimotika) and secondary education, a pilot action titled «Skills workshops». The action involves   the introduction of new thematic cycles in pre-primary education and the compulsory curricula of primary education, on a trial basis. The aim is to strengthen the fostering of soft skills, life skills and digital and science skills to young pupils.