Cultivating Cognitive Competencies: Pedagogies for Executive Functions and 21st Century Skills

Pedagogies in schools around the world increasingly aim to inculcate so-called '21st century' skills for learners to live and function in a knowledge economy age. Among these competencies, creativity, problem solving and... [ view full abstract ]

Pedagogies in schools around the world increasingly aim to inculcate so-called '21st century' skills for learners to live and function in a knowledge economy age. Among these competencies, creativity, problem solving and innovation enjoy particular prominence and appear to offer wide-ranging benefits for sustainable development.  However, the education systems responsible for delivering teaching often overlook the psychological processes that underpin their acquisition.  Specifically, core executive functions, comprising working memory, inhibition control and cognitive flexibility, must be not only mastered but also automatised for children to achieve higher-level competencies.  This presentation draws on a critical review of international literature regarding skills development, child psychology and interventions to enhance executive functions in a school setting.  In particular, it challenges claims around the transferability of knowledge on children’s cognitive development across diverse contexts, and recommends increased research to understand executive functioning among the most disadvantaged learners.  Through such research, we can better nurture the learning processes to support 21^st century competencies for inclusive innovation and participatory problem solving towards more prosperous futures and sustainable social development.