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The digital revolution enabled by social and ubiquitous technologies is constantly transforming macro and micro levels of society including industry, organizations and government as well as ways in which we communicate, we work, and we carry on our daily lives. Education is therefore also being challenged to respond to evolving societal demands by supporting the development of competent and engaged citizens. In this context, individuals¿ capability to get involved and exploit the affordances of networked environments for learning and development may condition their opportunities to cope with societal and labor demands. In this chapter, the metaphor of learning ecologies is proposed to provide a framework from which to analyze interactions between individuals and their environment, and the way their experiences across different contexts throughout life promote and shape learning processes. Learning ecologies allow us to explore frontier pedagogies connecting formal, non-formal and informal educational contexts, acting as personal strategies that may orchestrate life-long, life-wide and life-deep learning. We start by defining and framing learning ecologies, providing the theoretical roots and reviewing some recent studies in the field. Next, we propose constructs and models but also strategies and tools that may be of help to enhance and support personal ecologies for learning. Finally, the concept of personal pedagogies is proposed to refer to a set of autonomy and agency skills and attitudes that can be dynamically integrated by individuals to support an ecology for self-development and personal learning. We articulate from this perspective several trends in the area of self-directed learning located in the technological and pedagogical intersection: MOOCs, current awareness, e-portfolios and social networks. ; La revolución digital habilitada por las tecnologías sociales y en todas partes transforma constantemente los niveles macro y micro de la sociedad, incluyendo industria, organizaciones y gobierno, así como las formas en que nos comunicamos, trabajamos y vivimos nuestra vida cotidiana. La educación, por tanto, está llamada a responder a las cambiantes demandas de la sociedad mediante el apoyo a la formación de ciudadanos competentes y comprometidos. En este contexto, la capacidad individual para involucrarse y explotar las posibilidades de los entornos de red para el aprendizaje y el desarrollo puede condicionar sus oportunidades para hacer frente a las demandas sociales y laborales. En este capítulo, se propone la metáfora de la ecología de aprendizaje para proporcionar un marco a partir del cual analizar las interacciones entre los individuos y su entorno, y la forma en que sus experiencias en diferentes contextos a lo largo de la vida promueven y dan forma a los procesos de aprendizaje. Las ecologías de aprendizaje nos permiten explorar la pedagogía de frontera que conecta contextos educativos formales, no formales e informales, en calidad de estrategias personales que puedan orquestar el aprendizaje a lo largo de toda la vida. Empezamos por definir y enmarcar las ecologías de aprendizaje, proporcionando las raíces teóricas y la revisión de algunos estudios recientes sobre el tema. A continuación, proponemos constructos y modelos, y también las estrategias y herramientas que pueden ser de ayuda para mejorar y apoyar las ecologías personales para el aprendizaje. Por último, se propone el concepto de pedagogías personales para referirse a un conjunto de autonomía, habilidades y actitudes que pueden integrarse de forma dinámica por los individuos para apoyar una ecología para el desarrollo y el aprendizaje personal. Articulamos desde esta perspectiva varias tendencias en el ámbito del aprendizaje autodirigido ubicadas en la intersección tecnológica y pedagógica: MOOCs, alertas de información permanente, e-portfolios y redes sociales. ; La revolució digital habilitada per les tecnologies socials i a tot arreu transforma constantment els nivells macro i micro de la societat, incloent indústria, organitzacions i govern, així com les formes en què ens comuniquem, treballem i vivim la nostra vida quotidiana. L'educació, per tant, està cridada a respondre a les canviants demandes de la societat mitjançant el suport a la formació de ciutadans competents i compromesos. En aquest context, la capacitat individual per involucrar-se i explotar les possibilitats dels entorns de xarxa per a l'aprenentatge i el desenvolupament pot condicionar les seves oportunitats per fer front a les demandes socials i laborals. En aquest capítol, es proposa la metàfora de l'ecologia d'aprenentatge per a proporcionar un marc a partir del qual analitzar les interaccions entre els individus i el seu entorn, i la forma com les seves experiències en diferents contextos al llarg de la vida promouen i donen forma als processos d'aprenentatge. Les ecologies d'aprenentatge ens permeten explorar la pedagogia de frontera que connecta contextos educatius formals, no formals i informals, en qualitat d'estratègies personals que puguin orquestrar l'aprenentatge al llarg de tota la vida. Comencem per definir i emmarcar les ecologies d'aprenentatge, proporcionant les arrels teòriques i la revisió d'alguns estudis recents sobre el tema. A continuació, proposem constructes i models, i també les estratègies i eines que poden ser d'ajuda per millorar i donar suport a les ecologies personals per a l'aprenentatge. Finalment, es proposa el concepte de pedagogies personals per referir-se a un conjunt d'autonomia, habilitats i actituds que poden integrar-se de forma dinàmica pels individus per donar suport a una ecologia per al desenvolupament i l'aprenentatge personal. Articulem des d'aquesta perspectiva diverses tendències en l'àmbit de l'aprenentatge autodirigit ubicades a la intersecció tecnològica i pedagògica: MOOCs, alertes d'informació permanent, portafolis digitals i xarxes socials.

Consistent research has identified that a marked skills gap exists in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This skills gap results in high youth unemployment rates in a competitive market which has seen an increase in employers seeking specific skills when recruiting. To provide better opportunities for students entering the workforce the African HE system should adapt and search for innovative ways to respond to market demands. Universities can redesign the curriculum to focus on the key skills required by employers such as technical skills, transferable skills, and digital skills to address the skills gap in an attempt to reduce youth unemployment rates. EPICA, a strategic partnership between African and European institutions and organizations, highlights the important role that technology plays by introducing an innovative ePortfolio in universities aimed at showcasing graduates' employability skills. This project consisted of an empirical study demonstrating the implementation of the ePortfolio used to assess and present graduates' skills. The core findings suggested that a marked skills gap exists in graduate students' employability skills in SSA and that the ePortfolio provides a viable solution to reduce it. Results, strengths and limitations as well as ideas for future research are interpreted in the discussion.

AbstractIncreasingly, among international organizations concerned with unemployment rates and industry demands, there is an emphasis on the need to improve graduates' employability skills and the transparency of mechanisms for their recognition. This research presents the Employability Skills Micro-credentialing (ESMC) methodology, designed under the EPICA Horizon 2020 (H2020) project and tested at three East African universities, and shows how it fosters pedagogical innovation and promotes employability skills integration and visibility. The methodology, supported by a competency-based ePortfolio and a digital micro-credentialing system, was evaluated using a mixed-method design, combining descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis to capture complementary stakeholder perspectives. The study involved the participation of 13 lecturers, 169 students, and 24 employers. The results indicate that the ESMC methodology is a promising approach for supporting students in their transition from academia to the workplace. The implementation of the methodology and the involvement of employers entails rethinking educational practices and academic curricula to embed employability skills. It enables all actors to broaden their understanding of the relationship between higher education and the business sector and to sustain visibility, transparency, and reliability of the recognition process. These findings indicate that there are favourable conditions in the region for the adoption of the approach, which is a meaningful solution for the stakeholder community to address the skills gap.