The Need for Meta-Skills Development Among Secondary Education Personnel

Abstract

Meta-skills are a type of higher order cognitive skill becoming more critical each year as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation begin to reduce the need for lower order thinking skills in the modern world. While many studies have established the importance of student meta-skills, the purpose of this study was to assess and analyse the skills needed by secondary school personnel, a cohort that few studies have adequately addressed so far. This study measured the specific desired meta-skills among 556 individuals working at 33 St. Paul de Chartres Schools across Thailand. Each respondent answered questions about their educational background, in addition to self-assessment of existing meta-skills. The data were analysed using Prioritised Needs Index (PNImodified), which compares each respondent’s current skills (“reality”) with their desired skills (“expectations”). PNImodified elucidates the largest perceived gaps in meta-skill development amongst school system personnel. Respecting the human dignity of others was identified as the top priority meta-skill among respondents. This underscores the importance of fostering a positive and inclusive school culture that values human dignity. It also provides evidence that education personnel are open to growth through meta-skill development, and suggest there may be benefits of formulating policies within establishments to nurture these types of skills. Future studies should investigate a paradigm for how to prioritise and grow these skills within secondary school personnel.