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21st Century Skills for All: Adults and Problem Solving in Technology Rich Environments

DOI:10.1007/s10758-019-09403-y
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Tatiana Íñiguez-Berrozpe at University of Zaragoza
Tatiana Íñiguez-Berrozpe
Ellen Boeren
Ellen Boeren
Ellen Boeren
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Abstract and Figures

The current Information Society requires new skills for personal, labor and social inclusion. Among the so-called 21st Century Skills (Care, Griffin & Wilson 2018) is Problem Solving in Technology Rich Environments (PS-TRE), a skill evaluated in PISA and PIAAC tests (OECD 2016). This skill, although currently receiving considerable attention in compulsory education, has not received the same level of thought in adult education. In this article, the presence of the PS-TRE skill among adults of working age (25-65 years) in Europe is analysed in relation to the factors that potentially affect a higher level of PS-TRE proficiency. This analysis is carried out using structural equations modelling, taking into account socio-personal and educational factors, as well as the use of different skills at work and in daily life. The results indicate that educational attainment and the use of different skills (reading, numerical skills, ICTrelated skills) at home and at work, as well as participation in non-formal education activities, decisively relate to a higher level of PS-TRE. This result is positively mediated through risk factors such as being older or being a woman. This study concludes that it is necessary to reinforce these skills, not only in children, but also in the adult population, in order to avoid social and labour exclusion
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Vol.:(0123456789)
Technology, Knowledge and Learning (2020) 25:929–951
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-019-09403-y
1 3
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Twenty‑First Century Skills forAll: Adults andProblem
Solving inTechnology Rich Environments
TatianaIñiguez‑Berrozpe1 · EllenBoeren2
Published online: 27 March 2019
© Springer Nature B.V. 2019
Abstract
The current Information Society requires new skills for personal, labor and social inclu-
sion. Among the so-called Twenty-First Century Skills (Care etal. (eds) in Assessment and
teaching of 21st century skills, Springer, New York, 2018) is Problem Solving in Technol-
ogy Rich Environments (PS-TRE) competence evaluated in PISA and PIAAC tests (OECD
in Survey of adult skills (PIAAC). Retrieved from https ://goo.gl/cpb3f Q (2016)). This
skill, although currently receiving considerable attention in compulsory education, has not
received the same level of thought in the case of adult education. In this article, the pres-
ence of the PS-TRE skill among adults of working age (25–65years) in Europe is analysed
in relation to the factors that potentially affect a higher score in this skill. This analysis is
carried out using structural equations modelling, taking into account socio-personal and
educational factors, as well as the use of different skills in work and daily life. The results
indicate that educational level and the use of different skills (reading, numerical, related to
ICT) at home and at work, as well as participation in non-formal education activities, deci-
sively relate to a higher level of PS-TRE. This result is positively mediated through risk
factors such as being older or being a woman. This study concludes that it is necessary to
reinforce these skills, not only in children, but also in the adult population, in order to avoid
social and labour exclusion.
Keywords Problem solving· Adult education· Technology· Twenty-first century skills·
Inclusive education
1 Introduction
In recent years, technological revolution has invaded all domains of public and private life.
This resulted into a new type of society, the Information Society (Castells 2002). Currently,
access to and efficient use of ICT are essential for effective participation in society, both at
* Tatiana Iñiguez-Berrozpe
tatianai@unizar.es
Ellen Boeren
Ellen.Boeren@ed.ac.uk
1 University ofZaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
2 University ofEdinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
Content courtesy of Springer Nature, terms of use apply. Rights reserved.
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