The Contextualisation of 21st Century Skills: Assessment in East Africa

Group Submission Type: Book Launch

Description of Session

The book titled "Contextualisation of 21st Century Skills - Assessment in East Africa" addresses the global concern regarding the readiness of young people to face the challenges of the modern workplace and society's ability to tackle 21st-century social and economic issues. Education systems in East Africa have recognized the importance of incorporating life skills and values into their policies and curricula, but there is limited understanding of how these skills are taught, learned, and assessed both inside and outside the classroom. The book draws upon the work of the Assessment of Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE) project, conducted by the Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI), to fill these gaps.
The initial chapters of the book lay the groundwork for the ALiVE project. They discuss the crucial concept of contextualization, ensuring that the skills and values being promoted are relevant and understood in the local context. The book also explores the motivation behind the ALiVE initiative and outlines the process from engaging a large technical team to assessing over 45,000 adolescents in the participating countries.
The following chapters delve into the specific targets of the assessment, such as collaboration, self-awareness, respect, and problem-solving. Each chapter provides detailed information on the conceptual structures and assessment frameworks for these skills and values, drawing from global literature and the ALiVE project's measurements.
The final chapters highlight the unique features of ALiVE's assessment approach, focusing on household-based and scenario-based methods used in sub-Saharan Africa to measure 21st-century skills. The book also discusses the technical details of test and scale development and describes the proficiency levels of adolescents in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zanzibar in practical terms. It concludes by showcasing the collaborative effort across the three countries, their networks, organizations, and individuals involved in the project, and explores the strategic impact of educational shifts on global and local policies for Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Throughout the book, a central theme is the collaborative work of the team, which has built a regional community of practice. This community is instrumental in sharing methods and measurement techniques for life skills and values. One of the key outcomes of this collaborative effort is the development of a skilled professional workforce capable of translating learning goals into assessment tools, instructional strategies, and policy guidance. The ultimate goal of the ALiVE project is to inform the education visions of the participating countries by providing evidence of adolescents' current levels of functional proficiency in the life skills and values valued by their education systems. This evidence is essential as it goes beyond the intentions and inputs of education systems, providing a roadmap for further development based on the actual functioning of adolescents.
In summary, the book aims to contribute to the improvement of education systems in East Africa by providing valuable evidence on the functional levels of life skills and values among adolescents, ultimately guiding the development of these skills and values in young people.

Sub Unit

• Pre-Conference Workshops, Book launches, and Visual Art Exhibits / Book Launch

Chair

• Erin Ganju, Echidna Giving

Book Launch Presenters

• Esther Care, University of Melbourne

• Mauro Giacomazzi, Luigi Giussani Institute of Higher Education

• John Mugo, Zizi Afrique Foundation

Discussant

• Joyce M Malombe, Collective Rising Leadership Institute