Backed by Research
Durable skills, which include traits, qualities, mindsets, and attitudes, aren't something you can simply learn by reading or memorizing definitions. Just acing a test on responsibility doesn't automatically make you responsible. Studies show that developing durable skills, or non-academic skills, happens when individuals realize the need for change and actively work on cultivating the necessary traits, qualities, or mindsets. This journey can only begin when a person is willing to become aware of their current thought patterns, understand the reasons behind them, and then choose to grow in those specific durable skills. This is called a metacognitive approach.
Moreover, studies suggest that younger individuals tend to have shorter attention spans (you already knew that) and often acquire knowledge from multiple platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, or Google articles, when they want to learn about something they are interested in. Aligning with these insights, MindSage lessons were designed to resonate with this learning behavior, leveraging the proven efficacy of micro-learning. By delivering information in smaller, digestible segments through micro-learning, we enhance young learners' comprehension and retention.
Our Metacognitive approach, combined with the micro-learning framework, has allowed us to produce an impactful program, grounded in research-backed methodologies.
Tailoring Solutions by Listening to Teachers' Challenges
When we initially showed educators the Durable Skills program we developed for our interns, they loved what they saw. However, things got tricky when they tried to implement the program. During testing, they identified three issues: 1) Lack of time, 2) Reasons for buy-in, and 3) Lack of supportive culture.
We listened to their feedback and revamped our initial intern training program based on the challenges teachers highlighted.
We designed our lessons to be modular, allowing for effective teaching in fifteen-minute or less time blocks, a few times a week. We prioritized flexibility, ensuring educators with varying time constraints could still implement the program successfully.
Recognizing that not all teachers initially appreciated the value of teaching durable skills, even with an easy-to-implement program, we developed professional development (PD) sessions to explain why durable skills are important for students to develop. Many teachers became more supportive when they better understood the concept of an innovation economy and the increasing demand for durable skills in the job market.
SEQUENCE MATTERS
One of the questions we get a lot is ‘Where do we start?’
Over the past seven years of continual testing, we realized that there are three core foundational skills that most students need to cultivate first before they are comfortable with developing additional durable skills. The MindSage program is the only durable skill program that focuses on the development of the traits of self-awareness, self-appreciation, and self-acceptance as the first or foundational durable skills. Once students goes through the process of
Tailored Learning: Concise Lessons Aligned with Students' Natural Content Consumption
Our lessons are intentionally designed to align with the organic learning preferences of young people, mirroring their natural engagement with content such as reading articles and exploring videos on a single subject. They are intentionally concise, catering to shorter attention spans, providing immediate relevance and a clear connection to their lives.