Estonian education needs a new direction, University of Tartu professors say

Estonian education should focus first on developing values and then on building general competencies, three University of Tartu professors write in an opinion article published by ERR.

Margus Pedaste, professor of educational innovation; Äli Leijen, professor of teacher education; and Rain Mikser, professor of education theory, say these competencies can be developed through natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, social sciences, physical activity, art and other subjects. This approach would also support the development of subject-specific competencies.

The authors say the world appeared considerably more stable a decade ago, when scientific solutions seemed to provide education with a firm and lasting foundation. Kindergartens and schools could use nationally established, research-based curricula to prepare young people to set and achieve goals.

That foundation is no longer sufficient, they argue. The coronavirus pandemic, rapid technological development and geopolitical instability have created a need to reconsider the aims of education.

Over the past two years, a University of Tartu research group that includes the authors has developed a new concept of general competencies for general and vocational education. The concept is intended to provide a basis for a curriculum for all young people in Estonia and to help learners cope in a constantly changing world.

The curriculum should also encourage all adults to continue learning so that people and society are prepared for present and future challenges, the professors write.

During the process, the researchers discussed the future aims of Estonian education with representatives of students, teachers, education leaders, civil society organisations, the private sector, teacher educators, researchers and policymakers.

Those discussions showed that Estonian education is increasingly recognising the importance of an interest in learning. To cope with uncertainty and manage change wisely, people first need the desire and then the skills to acquire new knowledge and abilities.

However, the authors say that one person’s knowledge or actions are not enough to solve complex problems. It is therefore important for everyone to want to support the development and well-being of others. They describe this as a foundation for making democratic and fair decisions.

A new vision for Estonian education

The work has led the researchers to conclude that the education system must support individual development while paying greater attention to the well-being and development of other people and society as a whole.

They also say that a people-centred approach must be strongly balanced by the goal of protecting the environment and biodiversity. Estonia’s vision for the future of education should therefore have three main aims: the individual, other people and the surrounding environment.

The proposed vision states that Estonian society should support every person’s interest in learning, growth in knowledge, development of skills, ability to make choices and pursuit of well-being.

It also says that everyone should contribute to supporting others and society more broadly by strengthening cohesion, helping ensure the vitality of the Estonian language and culture, and promoting a free, fair and democratic world. Together, people should responsibly protect the environment and biodiversity.

Competencies provide the ability to act

To help people become the best versions of themselves, support the well-being of others, achieve individual and shared goals, and protect the environment, competencies are needed, the authors write.

They define competencies as a combination of the will, knowledge, skills and attitudes that provides the ability to act.

Drawing on joint discussions, international literature, surveys and feedback, the researchers identified four groups of competencies: agency, or the ability to act; basic general competencies; other general competencies; and subject-specific competencies.