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dc.titleSkills for life: A review of life skills and their measurability, malleability, and meaningfulness
dc.contributor.authorMcGrath, Robert E.
dc.contributor.authorAdler, Alejandro
dc.contributor.orgunitEducation Division
dc.coverageLatin America and the Caribbean
dc.date.available2022-08-18T00:08:00
dc.date.issue2022-08-01T00:08:00
dc.description.abstractIt is widely accepted that schools and other settings catering to youth can play an essential role in offering education in life skills and character. However, there exists a broad array of potential targets for such programs, suggesting the need for guidance on which targets are most likely to result in demonstrable and valuable results. This report attempts to integrate a broad literature addressing the universe of targets for skills development programs for youth. After identifying a set of 30 candidate skills to investigate further, research literature was reviewed to evaluate each skill on three dimensions. Measurability had to do with the extent to which adequate measurement tools were available for evaluating skill level, with emphasis on those tools specifically used for younger populations and available in multiple languages, particularly in Spanish. Malleability had to do with the extent to which there is evidence that interventions have the potential to modify skill level, with emphasis on those that have been extensively evaluated through randomized controlled trials. Finally, meaningfulness had to do with the extent to which evidence exists demonstrating that the higher levels of skill can result in consequential outcomes. Based on these criteria, 10 skills were selected for further review as having the most compelling evidence to date that they are life skills that matter: Mindfulness, Empathy and compassion, Self-efficacy/ Self-determination, Problem solving, Critical thinking, Goal orientation and goal completion, Resilience/Stress resistance, Self-awareness, Purposefulness, and Self-regulation/Self-control/Emotion regulation. The evidence for each is summarized. We finish with a review of key issues to consider in the design, implementation, and evaluation of life skills that matter.
dc.format.extent76
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0004414
dc.identifier.urlhttps://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Skills-for-life-A-review-of-life-skills-and-their-measurability-malleability-and-meaningfulness.pdf
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherInter-American Development Bank
dc.subjectLearning
dc.subject21st-Century Skill
dc.subjectSkills Need
dc.subjectEducational Institution
dc.subjectSkills
dc.subjectLearning Skill
dc.subjectSkill Gap
dc.subjectOccupational Skill
dc.subjectSocio-Emotional Skill
dc.subjectDigital Skill
dc.subjectSkilled Labor
dc.subjectSkills System
dc.subjectSkilled Labor Movement
dc.subjectCognitive Development
dc.subjectHuman Capital Investment
dc.subjectLifelong Learning
dc.subjectHuman Capital
dc.subjectEducational Research
dc.subjectEducational Test
dc.subjectEducation
dc.subjectEducation Management
dc.subjectEducational Evaluation
dc.subjectEducational Service
dc.subjectTeacher Education
dc.subjectSocio-Emotional Development
dc.subjectTeachers' Self-Efficacy
dc.subjectCritical Thinking
dc.subjectTeams Dynamic
dc.subjectCurriculum
dc.subjectResilience
dc.subjectMetacognition
dc.subjectAutonomous Learning
dc.subject.jelcodeI20 - Education and Research Institutions: General
dc.subject.jelcodeI28 - Government Policy
dc.subject.jelcodeI30 - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: General
dc.subject.jelcodeI31 - General Welfare, Well-Being
dc.subject.keywordslife skills;21st century skills;measurability;malleability;meaningfulness;soft skills;creativity;critical thinking
dc.typeMagazines, Journals and Newsletters
idb.identifier.pubnumberIDB-JN-00366
idb.operationRG-T3591
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