Approaching twenty-first century education from a cosmopolitan perspective

A Functional Contextualist Approach to Mastery Learning in Vocational Education and Training

“…Given the return of interest in VET as a mechanism for community and societal development (from a more international development perspective), which considers the purposes, natures, and possibilities of VET as a mechanism for human development, McGrath (2012) argues that it is time to return to theorizing VET learning. From this human development perspective, VET should entail a more inclusive view of education that goes beyond work and productivity and the orthodox view of VET for economic development ( Choo, 2017 ). Rather, it should move toward the broader “vocation of being human.” Anderson (2009) asserts that the human condition is complex and interdependent, and the source of meaning of one’s occupation is inextricably linked to social relations, cultural understandings, and contextual aspects of their surrounding environment.…”

“…People are not just potential workers, they are human beings, family members, and citizens with a wide range of needs, relationships, duties, interests, hopes, and goals—all of which go beyond their role as mere labor. Ideally, the learning theories from which we derive our VET educational models would reflect this context-bound nature of life, living, working, and learning ( Robeyns, 2006 ; Choo, 2017 ).…”

“…“As VET is about humans learning, working and living, it is imperative that it draws more consciously from a rich stream of theoretical insights” ( McGrath, 2012 , p. 625). The current performativity approach lacks interest in ethical questions concerning human flourishing and developing human capabilities, well-being and security, and matters of equity and social inclusion ( Choo, 2017 ).…”

Learning to innovate : How to foster innovation competence in students of Built Environment at universities of applied sciences

“…A study by Jones (2009) revealed that although educational policy makers have emphasized the role and relevance of educating for innovation competence in higher education for decades, there has often been a lack of consistency between beliefs about innovation competence relevance and the degree to which innovation competence is focused on in classroom teaching practice. Studies have shown that innovation competence has not yet been addressed or has been addressed in very different ways in teaching (Beghetto & Kaufman, 2014;Choo, 2018;Edwards-Schacter et al, 2015) and assessment (Keinänen & Kairisto-Mertanen, 2019;Kivunja, 2014;Marin-Garcia et al, 2016;Passig & Cohen, 2014). This may be because educators in general do not have 1 sufficient expertise or access to design principles or instructional strategies to enable them to foster innovation competence in their classrooms (Beghetto & Kaufman, 2014;Passig & Cohen, 2014;Root-Bernstein & Root-Bernstein, 2017).…”

“…Other studies have reviewed stakeholders' perceptions of the presence of innovation supportive teaching in their learning environment (Hero, 2017;Kasule et al, 2015). These studies have shown that innovation supportive learning environments in higher education domains are not yet well developed, and that findings are often based on personal accounts rather than on research evidence (Beghetto & Kaufman, 2014;Choo, 2018;Edwards-Schacter et al, 2015). Their assessment is also not yet well developed (Keinänen & Kairisto-Mertanen, 2019;Kivunja, 2014;Marin-Garcia et al, 2016;Passig & Cohen, 2014;Root-Bernstein & Root-Bernstein, 2017).…”