The T-Shaped Learner (and Educator)

From The Irish Times (2016):

Over the past decade, high-profile employers across the world have emphasized the need for today’s young professionals to possess not just deep disciplinary knowledge but a keen ability to operate effectively across disciplinary, social and cultural boundaries.

These so-called “T-shaped professionals” are in high demand for their ability to solve problems, lead teams, innovate, build relationships and strengthen their organizations.

In this context, the vertical stroke of the T represents the disciplinary specialization and the deep understanding of one or more specific areas. The defining characteristic, however, is the horizontal bar, which represents broader generic attributes and the ability to collaborate across a variety of different disciplines.

In the Ontario college system, educators are hired for their subject matter expertise and are well-equipped to develop deep domain knowledge and skills in their learners (the vertical). The knowledge and skills that constitute the cross or horizontal are often more difficult for subject matter experts in terms of content creation and assessments. The activities and assessments in this open text were designed to assist educators with the difficult task of developing the cross of Ontario learners.