READY for the future? New roles and professional practices for 21st century educators

Abstract

The expectations of educators’ roles and professional practices have changed considerably due to emerging societal trends and external factors. This paper proposes a structured way to capture and present these changes. We have conducted a literature review of 70 academic and grey publications, an in-depth analysis of 50 existing frameworks, standards and profiles, and a validation workshop with policymakers, researchers and educators. As a result, we have developed a meta-model called READY (Reference Model for Educators’ Activities and Development in the 21st centurY) that focuses on practices which are relatively new or are receiving increased attention in guiding educators’ professional development. READY comprises six-plus-one domains of professional activity, twenty-two professional practices, and seventy-three descriptors of how the practices can be implemented. As a reference model, READY can support educators in identifying development needs and updating their professional practices for responding to the changing needs of society.

Keywords

• READY Reference Model
• 21st Century Educators
• Educators’ Professional Practices