In a time of rapid technological advancement, automation and AI assistance, the employment landscape that awaits our students is changing rapidly. 21st century skills such as communication, collaboration and critical thinking remain integral attributes sought by employers across many fields. These are key skills that transcend our curriculum at Dover Court International School.
We couldn’t help but reflect on the exciting and purposeful events taken across both Primary and Secondary schools in Dover Court during the first term.
Key skills are actively promoted in both the Primary and Secondary schools through active discussion and reflection upon our ATL’s (Approaches to Learning). A greater understanding of these skills pulls back the curtain on the learning process and provides our students with greater awareness and agency over their individual learning journeys.
The first edition of Nord Anglia’s new education publication ‘Insights’ was released earlier this month. If the first issue is anything to go by, this series will prove to be a topical and thought-provoking series of educational publications.
The interesting article - ‘Life in the Skills Locker’ outlines current shifts in education away from traditional academic metrics, whilst also emphasising the ever-increasing value and importance of transferable skills in our evolving society. Emotional intelligence and critical thinking are among the vital skills discussed in this piece, which underscores how crucial they are for achieving success in the years ahead.
The article goes on to discuss how schools are beginning to integrate STEAM and problem-solving projects to prepare students for a world that is evolving at a rapid pace. At DCIS, our exclusive collaboration with MIT affords our students transformative STEAM-based learning opportunities, such as the annual MIT Challenges. Set by world-class experts, MIT students, professors and luminaries, these challenges provide our students opportunities to innovate and tackle real-world problems in alignment with MIT’s philosophy of purposeful education for practical application.
This year, as part of the ’Build Better’ MIT Challenges, students across the whole school are taking on the mission of creating a more sustainable future in a variety of ways. Exciting and authentic STEAM-based learning experiences like these engage our students’ interests and empower them to be active contributors and innovative leaders beyond the classroom – watch this space!
Robert Nolan and Charlotte Wright
DCIS STEAM Leads
