Are Skills more valuable than Knowledge (Article first published Tempus-Issue one-2017)

We all know about IQ, most people have heard of EQ, but what about AQ? The Partners in Leadership website defines them as:

• IQ or Intelligence Quotient: The intelligence, knowledge, facts, and trivia that one possesses.
• EQ or Emotional Quotient: The emotional understanding and capability of oneself and others that helps with differing situations and people.
• AQ or Adaptability Quotient: The ability to adapt to and thrive in an environment of change.

Research shows that more and more employers are looking for high levels of emotional intelligence and adaptability in their job candidates.

So, what does this mean for our students?

The bottom line is that skills are now more valuable than knowledge. And not just any skills, but skills such as creativity, collaboration, curiosity, empathy, critical thinking, connectedness and effective communication. Our students will be moving into a world where knowledge is not a commodity - it is freely available to anyone with a smart phone in their pocket. Routine jobs will become increasingly automated - the Chief Executive Officer of Tesla Australia has conservatively estimated that all vehicles in Australia will be self-driven by 2030 because of the ability to now retro fit the technology. The ability to learn, unlearn and relearn in order to keep pace with this fast changing workforce will be the new currency.

So what is the role of education in this fast changing world?

Frances Valentine, the Founder of The Mind Lab and Tec Futures, says we need to open students’ eyes even wider than before. The relevance and context of what we choose to do in class is everything. Frances has challenged educators to “stop valuing only what we can measure” and celebrate divergent thinking. The purpose is to produce students who are design thinkers, social crusaders, politically mobilised and educative disruptors. All of which demonstrate high levels of EQ and AQ.

Woodford House has leaned into the discomfort to adapt and, more importantly, thrive in this changing environment. Eight staff have completed, or are part way through, The Mind Lab Postgraduate Certificate in Digital and Collaborative Learning. This is an impressive achievement considering we only have a total of 28 fulltime teachers. More so when you consider that integrated and independent schools have the lowest participation rates of any education sector in The Mind Lab courses nationwide.

The Mind Lab were so impressed by our commitment to professional development that they created a video of our school to examine why we had the highest uptake of any school in Hawke’s Bay in the first two intakes of their course. The spread of teachers across the curriculum at Woodford House is outstanding. Staff from English, Biology, Physics, Drama, Business Studies and the Intermediate Department have been involved in The Mind Lab. These teachers have committed to a demanding schedule, including four hour-long hands-on sessions once a week for the first 16 weeks followed by another 16 weeks of independent online study, while working fulltime. Juggling postgraduate study with fulltime work is always a challenge, but the unique nature of The Mind Lab course is that all research is based on the teachers’ actual classroom practice.

Staff are able to put the latest educational theory around digital and collaborative learning into practice so their students can experience and benefit from it immediately. The benefits of The Mind Lab have extended beyond those involved. Each Friday, we spend 40 minutes on professional learning. During Term 1, the teachers on The Mind Lab course shared what they had learnt only a few days prior. The reach of the new learning was magnified. The most exciting aspect was that if all staff were exposed to the latest research and developments in digital and collaborative learning, so too were our students, and we owe it to them to ensure they are prepared for their future.

Are we there yet? Not even close, but we are making giant strides, which are based on sound educational principles that are future focused and supported by current research. With support from our Boards, Woodford House staff are ensuring our students (and our own) AQ is on the rise.