Presentation given at the EDEN Annual Conference 2019 in Bruges. Results and comparative analysis of transnational reports on active learning for soft skills development in higher education and the corporate sector. eLene4Life is supported by the European Union Erasmus+ programme under grant number 2018-1-FR01-KA203-047829

1. eLene4Life: Active Learning for Soft Skills
University-Corporate Connections and Cross-Fertilisation
Deborah Arnold, AUNEGe, France
Mirela Mazalu, European University Colleges Association, Belgium
Matteo Uggeri, Fondazione Politecnico di Milano, Italy
The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the
views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
This project No. 2018-1-FR01-KA203-047829 has been funded by Erasmus + programme of the European Union.
EDEN Annual Conference
June 16th-19th 2019
Bruges, Belgium
@DebJArnold
@eLene2learn

2. BACKGROUND

3. The eLene family of projects
• Teacher training in innovative pedagogical uses of ICTeLene-TT
(2005-2006)
• Economics of e-learningeLene-EE
(2006-2008)
• Teaching and Learning CentreeLene-TLC
(2007-2008)
• ICT and learning to learn in lifelong learning transitionseLene2learn
(2011-2014)
• Soft skills and digital soft skills for employabilityeLene4work
(2014-2016)
• Learning and Interacting to Foster EmployabilityeLene4Life
(2018-2021)

4. eLene4Life
Learning and Interacting to Foster Employability

5. eLene4Life goals
● overcome skills mismatches with
respect to transversal skills
● develop new innovative curricula
and educational methods
integrating active learning
● improve the relevance of HE
curricula in Partner Countries in a
VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain,
Complex, Ambiguous) world

6. METHODOLOGY

7. The eLene4Life Soft Skills
proposed definition
eLene4work, the predecessor of the current project, chose
the ModEs Project’s Taxonomy (2012):
“Soft Skills represent a dynamic combination of
cognitive and meta-cognitive skills, interpersonal,
intellectual and practical skills. Soft skills help people
to adapt and behave positively so that they can deal
effectively with the challenges of their professional
and everyday life”.
eLene4work soft skills framework →

8. The eLene4Life Active Learning
proposed definition
Active learning is generally defined as any instructional
method that engages students in the learning process. In
short, active learning requires students to do meaningful
learning activities and think about what they are
doing…[in] the classroom.
(Prince, 2004, p. 223).
Key characteristics:
• Focus on how to learn rather than what to learn.
• More than just listening and note-taking
• Less emphasis on transmitting information and more
on developing students' skills.
• Students engaged in the (co)creation of new
knowledge based on previous knowledge and socio-
cultural context.
• Students involved in higher-order thinking (analysis,
synthesis, evaluation, critical thinking, problem-
solving, metacognition and reflexivity).
• Greater emphasis on students' exploration of their
own attitudes and values.
Sources: adapted from Bonwell & Eison (1991), Prince (2004), Raynal &
Rieunier (2010), University of Minnesota - Center for Educational Innovation.

9. The 7 Outputs of the eLene4Life project
O1: Transnational
analysis (HE)
O2: Transnational
analysis (Corporate)
O3: Dynamic Toolkit O4: Pilot Projects
O5: discussion-based MOOC for teachers
O7: Lessons Learned Kit
O6:Communityof
Practice

10. Focus on Transnational Analysis
• Provide examples of active learning (AL)
approaches in soft skills teaching (SST) that will
help higher education actors to develop an
innovative curriculum that improves students’
employability.
O1: Transnational
analysis
HE
• Provide universities with examples, scenarios and
good practices for the improvement of soft and
transversal skills training that are used in corporate
training.
O2: Transnational
analysis
Corporate

11. Period
From December 2018 until the end of March 2019.
Numbers and
Geographic Coverage
HE:
1. Teachers from Higher Education Institutions
2. Students affairs professionals from University Halls of
Residence
Corporate:
1. Company representatives (HRM, trainers, CEOs of SMEs)
2. Training providers (trainers, coaches, companies)
Populations involved Higher Education Corporate
Desk analysis: 35
initiatives
43 qualitative
interviews
43 qualitative
interviews
Belgium, France,
Germany, Hungary,
Italy, Netherlands,
Spain, Poland,
Portugal, UK, USA
Belgium, France,
Germany, Ireland,
Italy, Netherlands,
Poland, UK

12. RESULTS

13. Factors Influencing
Soft Skills Integration
into HE Curricula

14. What Motivates Teachers to Invest Time and Energies
Into Soft Skills Training?
Teachers’ personal initiative
is quoted as key by all
interviewees for integrating
soft skills and active
learning methodologies into
the curricula.
● Student learning and
development
● Graduate employability
● Renewal of teaching methods
● Institutional commitment

15. Student Learning and Development
● teachers note students’ difficulties in staying motivated, handling
group work or communicating effectively
● students report the same challenges and demand soft skills
training

16. And from the
corporate side…

17. The typical methodology to
teach soft skills is
structured as follows →
The descriptions may
vary, but these aspects
are evident in nearly all
interviews.
● Organised in small groups being observed by a facilitator,
researching a topic and then reporting it back
● Very much work-based: often supported by the use of an
organisational ‘online people system’ to help people set
goals and link activities to those
● Focused on letting the learners drive the learning,
sometimes using peers or line managers to come up with
tasks to allow learners to practise areas of perceived
weakness or to build on strengths
● Assessed through critical reflection on practice and often
via peer-feedback
Corporate

18. Advice on Teaching
Soft Skills Using
Active Learning
Methods

19. 1. Share expectations
2. Allocate time
3. Get institutional buy-in
4. Leverage external collaborations
Worth considering when planning
a soft skills curriculum

20. Leverage External Collaborations
Why?
show the real-world application of classroom
knowledge
facilitate the contact with the world of work
bring in experts on soft skills training
How?
HR experts, trainers or certified coaches who lead
workshops on certain soft skills
experts who share their career path
professionals who lead business or legal cases or
give feedback on students’ projects
partnerships for internships or traineeships,
company study visits, presentations or career fairs

21. WHICH SOFT
SKILLS TO CHOOSE?

22. The Most Taught* Soft skills in HE
1. Communication skills
2. Teamwork
3. Critical thinking
4. Analytical thinking
5. Self-awareness
6. Emotional intelligence
7. Leadership
8. Negotiation skills
9. Accountability
10. Quantitative literacy
11. Lifelong learning skills
12. Creativity
13. Problem solving skills
14. Productivity skills
15. Resilience
*These soft skills are listed in order of the frequency with which they were mentioned by interviewees, from the most quoted, to the less common ones.

23. Main Active Learning approaches - Corporate

24. Main Active Learning approaches - Corporate

25. POINTS for DISCUSSION

26. CHALLENGES TO
OVERCOME in HE

27. Challenges
Time
● AL requires a high initial investment of time and energies
● Number of training hours sometimes insufficient
● Students’ own busy workload
Support / integration
● Risk of losing continuity (pilots linked to a specific person, not integrated into the curricula)
● Lack of organisational or logistical support, access to proper equipment
● Physical learning environment not adapted to AL
Teachers’ Professional Development
● Re-shaping the roles of teachers
● Need for coaching / mentoring skills
● Improving digital skills
The only real methodological indication
we give to our trainers is “you’re not a teacher,
you’re a facilitator” [Training Manager, Italy]

28. In short...

29. However…
A few sceptical opinions on the corporate side about the possibility
of universities to teach soft skills: only possible to learn and
develop soft skills after studies.
Universities should not try to overreach: they cannot teach
students everything, perhaps the most important thing is to
truly teach them how to learn and be open to new learning
experiences. [Sales manager, US Company, the Netherlands]

30. TOOLS AND
METHODOLOGIES:
a mismatch?

31. Collected Examples of Active Learning Methodologies
• Collaborative learning
• Work in teams / pair
• Think - pair - share
• Group discussion
• Socratic questioning
• Presenting in class
• Project-based learning
• Experiential learning: simulations, role-
playing, internships, hackathons, field trips
• Audience response systems*
• Problem-based learning: problem solving and
case studies

32. Suggestions on digital tools to be used in Active Learning
A plethora of digital tools, open, free or proprietary are available nowadays, always
changing, developing and growing. This list is only a little set of potentialities.

33. Most Frequently Used Digital Tools in HE
The most common tool is the classroom or audience
response system, while file storage, workflow planning,
assessment tools and learning platforms come in second
place.
=> The role of digital tools and media in Soft Skills learning
in HE?

34. ASSESSMENT

35. Assessment Challenges
Limited knowledge or training on how to assess soft skills learning properly.
Perceived lack of objectivity => diverse opinions on the rationale, if it can or should be
done and if so how.
Most common challenges:
● how to determine the impact of the activity (how to measure the before and after)
● how to assess the progression of the skill for each student
● how to provide objective and personalised feedback
● how to analyse the learning data collected
Even: “It is an illusion to think you can assess soft skills” [Training provider, France]

36. OVERALL CONCLUSIONS

37. Cross-fertilisation
Potential
• Interest in HE for
applying AL methods
used in corporate sector
• Existing mobilisation of
external experts
(trainers, coaches, etc.)
• Awareness of need for
SST
Limitations
• Less interest in
Corporate sector for
learning from HE
• Cost of bringing in
external experts
• Difficulty of authentic
learning in HE context

38. Hot off the press!
Transnational Analysis – HE
• Full report
• Short report
Transnational analysis – Corporate
• Full report
• Short report
Lessons Learned Kit N°1
+ Infographics
www.eLene4Life.eu

39. Universities can demonstrate that,
in spite of the big number of students in classes, limited budget
and human resources, and time constraints,
they can improve their learning and teaching
- with the help of digital technologies, OERs and active learning methodologies -
in order to support,
in any field,
the development of individuals.

40. Yes, HE can!
Photo by Victoria Heath on Unsplash

41. Project
Hub
http://elene4life.eu
Contact:
Deborah Arnold
National and international
projects coordinator, AUNEGe
projets@aunege.fr
@DebJArnold