Conceptualisation of University Students’ Civic Transversal Competence

Abstract

Education plays a key role in promoting fundamental values, citizens’ rights and responsibilities as well as social inclusion, in particularly so by reducing hostility towards vulnerable social groups. Therefore, all stages of education, including higher education, are important in the development of civic transversal competence. To ensure sustainable, qualitative, modern, and competitive higher education, the education facilitating the productive involvement of students in civil society and, consequently, their competitiveness in the labour market is a topical issue in the context of Latvia too. In keeping with this rationale, in January 2020, the University of Latvia started the implementation of the first round of the research “Assessment of Competences of Higher Education Students and Dynamics of Their Development in the Study Period” with the study of students’ civic transversal competence as its part. The paper aims to conceptualize students’ civic transversal competence, to determine its criteria and their indicators at different levels of higher education. Using the qualitative data processing program NVivo 12.0, there was carried out an analysis of 20 recent studies and higher education documents (2014-2020), as well as examples of good practice. The result is a descriptive matrix for civic transversal competence assessment, which can be used as a basis for the development of assessment tools.

The Development of Civic Competence in Higher Education to Support a Sustainable Society: The Case of Latvian Higher Education

“…It also involves grasping the concept of social justice as a foundational element for peaceful and prosperous coexistence at the community, national, and global levels. Additionally, it encompasses understanding and actively addressing various forms of prejudice, barriers, and social exclusion to mitigate associated risks [21]. Furthermore, civic competence equips individuals with knowledge and comprehension of various issues, including laws and regulations, democratic processes, media literacy, human rights, the economy, sustainable development, the global community, justice, equality, freedom, and autonomy [22,23].…”

The Power Of Storytelling in Improving Students’ Emotional Well-Being

“…Which is an essential resource, because in the context of Latvia, the COVID-19 pandemic also brought up an active discussion about civically responsible behaviour. The resources of storytelling as a method clearly define the place of the teacher as an emotional support person in the educational process, which provides for an expanded interpretation of the pedagogical mastery of the university lecturer, including marking the teacher as the determining human resource in the implementation of civic education (Medne et al, 2021), which is currently being used in the space of higher education, defined as cross-cutting competence.…”

Digital Storytelling as a Resource for Reducing Students’ Emotional Burnout

“…This theoretical knowledge clearly positions the teacher in the educational process as a person of emotional support. In turn, the role of the teacher and pedagogical mastery in higher education is outlined as an essential part of the pedagogical process (Medne & Jansone Ratinika, 2019), as well as marks the teacher as a determining human resource in the implementation of civic education (Medne, et al, 2021).…”