MIND – Development of Critical Thinking for Successful Future Career in EU

Project No. 94313-CP-1-2001-1-LT-COMENIUS-C2.1

Project duration: 21 December 2001–1 October 2003

Project co-funcers: EU Socrates programme, European Union Socrates Program Coordination Support Fund in Lithuania, Open Lithuania Foundation

Project coordinator: Šiuolaikinių didaktikų centras

Project partners:

8th Rhodes Primary School (Greece)

West Pirkanmaa District Municipal Federation of Education, Adult Education Unit (Finland)

Vocational College and Practical School, Nový Jičín (Czech Republic)

University of Malta, Faculty of Education (Malta)

Youth Career and Advising Centre (Lithuania)

Kaunas Jonas Jablonskis Gymnasium (Lithuania)

Project experts:

Dr. Kurt Meredith and Dr. Jeannie Steele, Northern Iova University (USA)

Project team

PROJECT RELEVANCE

In this age of information, everything changes faster than we can think. Technology changes, information changes, and new interpretations of one phenomenon or another emerge. What seemed unshakeable collapses, what seemed obsolete is rediscovered and reevaluated. The process of active learning and discovery is endless. In order to function successfully in a changing world, we must constantly rethink all the information we have and receive and select what is important and what is not.

 

Educators around the world, from politicians and administrators to curriculum developers and teachers, have been searching for some time for an answer to a fundamental question: how can we prepare students to succeed in the future if we cannot predict what that future will look like even ten years from now? Many countries are implementing educational reforms in an effort to answer this question. Depending on the traditions and needs of a particular country, there may be different answers and solutions to the problem. However, they all have one thing in common: the need to educate critically thinking and responsible citizens, because “everyone is responsible for making important decisions, so it seems obvious that we, as a society, should care about how those decisions are made” (Halpern D. F., Thought and Knowledge, 1996, p. 3).

 

There is no single definition of critical thinking. Many scholars and educators have debated the key characteristics of this concept. It is agreed that critical thinking is purposeful thinking that uses cognitive strategies and skills to achieve a desired outcome. Critical thinking involves searching for information, exploring ideas, expressing different points of view, solving problems, arguing, making decisions, and forming independent opinions. Many educational documents emphasize that each person’s success and well-being depends on their ability to learn and reflect on the ever-increasing and changing information.

 

It is estimated that approximately twenty-five percent of jobs will change in the near future: some will change significantly, others will disappear altogether, and new ones will emerge that will be needed due to changes in the social and economic situation. This changing situation forces us to take a fresh look at the concept of a career. Nowadays, people change their profession or job three, four, or more times during their lifetime. Therefore, the conclusion is very clear: it is impossible to teach and learn everything, but it is possible to educate people who are able to learn throughout their lives, think critically, and make successful personal and professional decisions. This is where critical thinking as a skill and tool meets career as a goal and object.

 

One of the fundamental tasks of the modern Lithuanian education system is to ensure the full development of the individual at all stages and to establish and strengthen students’ motivation to prepare for further studies and professional activity. Career education is particularly important at school age, as it is primary, secondary, and high school students who have to choose their field of study, profile, and specialization and link this choice to their future prospects, i.e., their future profession and work. With properly organized career education in school, students would be able to get to know themselves better, assess their options when choosing further education and a future profession, gain knowledge about the variety of jobs and professions, and create a vision for their future.

PROJECT AIMS
  • To develop skills of critical thinking and life-long learning.
  • To help the youth to adjust to the ever-changing society and to successfully plan its professional carrier.
  • To explore “good practice” in partner countries on the topic.
  • To establish long-term partnership contacts.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
  • To develop a set of certain methods and strategies for developing critical thinking skills as a tool for successful future career.
  • To create a universal career training programme which will be able to raise the person, capable identify himself or herself as European citizen, successfully living and meeting the challenges of new reality.
PROJECT TARGET GROUPS

Different subjects, grades and different secondary school levels teachers or teacher trainers.
The project is directed to educators who strive to implement democratic teaching methods in their classrooms and understand their new role – that of counselors and advisers of students towards their successful carrier.

PROJECT INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS

Critical thinking and career education: situation analysis and assessments (2021)

 

Projekto partneriai pateikė glaustas apžvalgas, kaip jų šalių strateginiuose švietimo dokumentuose, mokymo programose atsispindi kritinio mąstymo ugdymo ir ugdymo karjerai situacija bei poreikis.

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Kritinio mąstymo ugdymas sėkmingai ateities karjerai, integruota ugdymo programa, bendrojo lavinimo mokykla, Švietimo aprūpinimo centras, 2006
Critical Thinkink for Career Education: Integrated Programme and Guidebook (2006)

 

The goal of the Programme – to help young people to adapt to an ever-changing social environment and make informed career decisions through development of critical thinking and life long learning skills.
Programme is for any school level, any subject teachers, who care about their students’ future, successful personal and professional life and for this purpose decide to review their teaching by means of critical thinking development for future career of young generation.

Presented materials are grouped according very general school levels, describing knowledge, skills/competences, attitudes, values students need to acquire.

Programme structure
1. Pre-school programme for career education
2. Primary school programme for career education
3. Career education programme for basic / lower secondary school
4. Career education programme for the senior students / upper secondary school

Download LT, EN

Kritinio mąstymo ugdymas sėkmingai ateities karjerai, specializuota ugdymo programa, bendrojo lavinimo mokykla, Švietimo aprūpinimo centras, 2006
Critical Thinkink for Career Education: Specialized Programme and Guidebook (2006)

 

The programme assists teachers in introducing career development to students aged 11-16 years old (5-10 forms). The curriculum is designed to be used as an optional subject or extracurricular activity, depending on the teacher’s preferences and the school’s academic schedule.
This programme will help students learn about themselves and what is important to them, appreciate the importance of planning for their future careers, explore the world of work and make preliminary career choices, investigate their chosen occupations, understand the need for education, recognise that career development is a life long learning process, and acquire job seeking skills.
Guidebook includes lesson examples and descriptions that help better understand the Programme.

Download LT, EN

PROJECT RESULTS
  • The project brought together seven partner institutions (NGOs, general education, higher education, and special education schools) from five countries (Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Greece, Malta, and Finland).
  • Two intellectual outputs were developed – an integrated and specialized career education program for primary schools.
    A study of education systems in partner countries was conducted, covering a general overview of education systems, an analysis of the situation regarding the development of critical thinking skills and career education, and the needs for critical thinking and career education in the countries.
  • The final project conference was held on September 16, 2003, in Vilnius and was attended by 83 participants.

 

The project was directly focused on promoting and developing lifelong learning skills. Critical thinking skills, literacy skills, the ability to reflect on ongoing changes, and the ability to change were essential to the material created. The highest possible quality of education and opportunities for continuous updating of knowledge cannot be achieved without teachers working in accordance with the requirements of global educational change and without students who are able to use, adapt, and reconstruct the knowledge and skills they have acquired. The developed program was based on these key competencies. One of the innovative aspects of this project was that the developed methodological material requires a new approach to the role of the teacher: from a lecturer and knowledge transferer to a consultant, guide, assistant, and coordinator. Another aspect is the direct link between the material developed and professional life. This link covers all programs: from pre-school to upper secondary education. The topics included in the program ensure equal opportunities for women and men, as well as children with special needs.

 

The project was continued in 2004–2005 with “MIND 2 – Developing critical thinking skills for a successful future career in the EU. Practical Approach” , during which a teacher training program was developed for educational institutions of various levels and types of schools.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the National Agency. Neither the European Union nor National Agency can be held responsible for them.

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