Creativity and/or employability

Blaženka DivjakUniversity of Zagreb

Faculty of organization and informatics UNESCO Chair – Round Table

5-6 March 2010

History of Bologna in Croatia

• 2002 – discussion on Bologna started • 2001 – Croatia joined the Bologna family • 2003 – Act on HE• 2004 – National council for HE and National Science Council • 2004 – National Agency for Science and HE• 2005 – ENIC/NARIC • 2005 – Accreditation of the first Bologna Study Programs• Development plan for education… 2006-2010 • 2006 – Working group for Croatian Qualification Framework• 2008 – Beginning of the external evaluation process of HEIs• 2009 – Act on QA and HE• 2010 – Act on study programs and founding HEI• ? New Act on Universities

Popular nostalgic view

Comparision

• Traditional system Teach what professor

consider important Students should take

time to study, to understand, to get involved …

to equip themselves for their private and professional life

Study time is romantic, relaxing and exciting

Students follow their interest and talent

• “Bologna system” Take care about

market needs and employability of students

Students have to fulfill learning outcomes and finish study asap

Study time has to be used to built foundations for life long learning

Study period is compared with factory work (ECTS workload)

Students have to achieve employability

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Problems in Cro HE before Bologna

- bottom up driver for change - • The level of education in Croatia Only 12% of population over the age of 15 completed some higher

education level• Labour demand growth in the intellectual service arena

proficiency in modern technology generic skills LLL

• Links between education and labour market • 4 years of pre-Bologna study – at least 5 years • High drop-out rate in HE – almost 70% in 2004• Under-financed HE • Universities were not autonomous • Technology imperative• Digital divide• ...

Therefore …

• we needed a change • 2003 – new Law on HE – enforce Bologna system • ? To soon, without enough preparation, without

funds to support it • Yes

But some were prepared through international projects (Tempus!), cooperation and analysis

• Now it’s time to analyze where we are• But not to glorify the old system • Consider factors coming outside of HE system

Purpose of this contribution

• To analyze one segment and to contribute to discussion

• Is there real conflict between creativity and employability?

• Why this question? • In a sphere of influence of most of us

• Firstly, open question, investigate terminology, definitions

• Secondly, connections• Thirdly, contribute to a solution

Employability

• BFG: Employability is ability to gain initial employment, to maintain employment, and to be able to move around within the labor market

• HE: equip students with knowledge, skills and behaviors Subject specific Generic (transferable)

Ability to review skills and knowledge Reflection on society, market, (self)employability

Creativity

• Creativity - the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination. http://dictionary.reference.com

• Creative industries - a range of economic activities concerned with the generation or exploitation of knowledge and information

• “the industries of the twenty-first century will depend increasingly on the generation of knowledge through creativity and innovation," (Landry, Charles; Bianchini, Franco (1995), The Creative City, Demos).

• In business originality is not enough. Idea must also be appropriate - useful and actionable. And not harmful.

• American Creativity Association: Creativity with Accountability http://www.amcreativityassoc.org/index1.htm

Innovation

• Innovation - the act of introducing something new (method, device) http://www.thefreedictionary.com/innovation

• Process by which an idea or invention is translated into a good or service for which people will pay. To be called an innovation, an idea must be replicable at an economical cost and must satisfy a specific need. http://www.businessdictionary.com

• Creativity refers to the act of producing new ideas, approaches or actions, innovation is the process of both generating and applying such creative ideas in some specific context

• Innovation = Creativity + subject specific knowledge + a bit of luck

Employers …

• Employers are increasingly valuing creative skills • Example: A report by the Business Council of Australia

2006 (New concepts in Innovation – The Key To Growing Australia) - has called for a higher level of creativity in graduates Business innovation in the era of the knowledge industries is

no longer driven by science and technology but by the human capital of employees and their ability to be able to apply their knowledge and experience to lead, manage and drive creativity and innovation within their organizations.

the importance of developing not only technical skills in the workforce but those associated with communication, team work, problem solving, creativity, cultural understanding and leadership.

The Creative Skills Training Council

• the need for creativity in modern industry

CRO, 150 employers, 2006

European Ministers, Leuven, 2009

• The Bologna Process 2020 – Preambule: • In the decade up to 2020 European higher

education has a vital contribution to make in realizing a Europe of knowledge that is highly creative and innovative. New learners and new types of learning Student- centered learning Active and responsible citizens Fostering innovation and creativity in society

Preconditions for Creativity with Accountability - inner

• Teachers themselves must be creative and innovative Learn how to do it

• Quality culture in teaching, learning and research

• Taking responsibility for quality and outcomes at each level

• To use technology (e-learning, e-portflolio, Web2.0…)

• Students professors ratio • It is time and resource consuming

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B. Divjak

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What is quality culture?(Student Support Service Network)

• An organisational climate in which groups of staff work together to realise their specific tasks

• Two components: An organisational/structural aspect – refers

to task, standards and responsibilities of individuals, units and services

A psychological aspects – refers to understanding, flexibility, participation, hopes and emotions

Balancing

• Balancing between standardization of QA procedures and encouraging for diversity and creativity in HE and science Not just “pockets of fame”, but institution-wide

consistency “learning communities” “sustained and productive conversation among faculty

(staff)” Assessment as learning – students engage in self-

evaluation against clear criteria and are thus accountable for their own improvement

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Education Sector Development Plan 2005-2010 MSES

Priorities in Educational Development:

1. Improving the quality and effectiveness of education

2. ...

Objectives: QA system will be introduced into HE in Croatia by

2006 By 2010 decreasing the drop-out rate in tertiary

education to 50%

To support creativity – outside

• Essential to guarantee continuity in research, innovation and creativity is that private funding never replace public funding of universities (HE as public responsibility argued by ministers in Leuven 2009)

• To stick nationally to minimal quality standards concerning professors’ and studenets’ workload and oversubscribed courses

• To establish links industry – university – public bodies – NGOs

Our moto

“Student should strive to acquire self-direction

and creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, collaborative team work and communication skills.”

([6], p. 16)

Source: [6] Open Educational Practices and Resources, OLCOS Roadmap 2012 (2007), edited by G. Geser. Available at: www.olcos.org

Respect diversity of student population

• Motivation• Learning styles• Background – prior knowledge• Underrepresented groups

• At the beginning of a course – tests for motivation and learning styles

• New techniques for teaching and learning E-learning Team work• Projects

• Even for Maths

CREATIVITY & INNOVATIVITY → EMPLOYABILITY

Conclusion – in ideal world

Has Bologna solved our problems ?

• No• … but it has not prevented us to seek for

solutions • … it gives us some advices, examples of good

and not so good practices• And open discussion about higher education –

it’s roles and responsibility • Funds and legal framework • We have to take responsibility and

opportunitynot try to find excuses