FROM SYLLABUS TO SKILLABUS: MAPPING 21ST-CENTURY COMPETENCIES IN TEACHER EDUCATION

Abstract

21st-century competencies are widely viewed as essential outcomes of high-quality teaching and learning. In teacher education, this implies that future teachers must develop these competencies and learn how to foster them in their students. This study maps the extent to which teacher educators explicitly embed 21st-century competencies in course syllabi and identifies which competencies are emphasized across program levels. The study draws on competency-based teacher education and constructive alignment, treating the syllabus as a document that makes intended learning outcomes visible and informs pedagogical and assessment design. Making competencies explicit in syllabi is expected to strengthen transparency and the perceived relevance of course goals. We conducted a quantitative document analysis of all syllabi submitted after the first year of implementing Skillabus in an Israeli teacher education college. Skillabus adds a competency section to the existing syllabus template: lecturers select course-relevant competencies from a structured list of 26 skills in 10 domains, which are then displayed in the syllabus. The dataset included 2,028 courses across initial teacher education (ITE) and master’s programs. Findings show partial adoption: 46% of courses (n=930) incorporated Skillabus, while 54% did not. Uptake was higher in master’s courses (66%) than in ITE courses (41%). The number of competencies selected per course ranged from 1 to 26 (M=15); only 11% of courses listed 1–5 competencies. The most frequently selected competencies were critical thinking (86%), creative thinking (81%), and self-directed learning (78%). The least emphasized were mediation skills, entrepreneurship, and global awareness. Artificial intelligence tools were selected in 49% of courses, signaling emerging digital priorities. The study provides a baseline mapping of explicit competency integration in teacher education syllabi and highlights uneven uptake across programs and informs ongoing institutional improvement efforts. Year-two data collection is underway to enable longitudinal comparison and to examine lecturers’ rationales and potential pedagogical impact.