Learning, Knowledge and Human Development MOOC’s Updates

Future-readiness: A proposal for Purpose Development

A counseling practice that can be further developed and more in-depth researched would be providing individual and/or peer counseling in which an alignment with authenticity and social contribution is found. In other words, identifying a development plan and possible studies and career direction (in line with Vector 6 of Denice Hood’s work for purpose development).[1]

As illustrated in Deborah Hall’s 2023 research on how to facilitate purpose development and future-readiness,[2] counselors should provide a psychologically safe setup for self-discovery. To break down the broad goal of purpose development, the focus would be to explore 3 main areas:

  • What is the learner good at (natural and/or developed inclinations and strength areas)
  • What does the learner like doing (what gives them energy and drives interest)
  • How can the combination of these 2 serve a greater societal level (aka. what the society needs nowadays.)[3]

A counselor plays a crucial role in guiding the learners to answer these main questions. This can happen by providing a narrower set of guiding questions covering discovering strengths and weaknesses, understanding social contribution, challenging assumptions, values clarification and mind mapping.[4]

The expected outcome would be that the learner feels aligned with their authenticity and persona while identifying tangible ways in which their own development can be brought to fruition for society and work-life.

In conclusion, similar setups (focusing both on individual and peer discussion) could be provided and tailored for each one of the 7 Vectors to allow a deepened sense of self in the learners and alignment with their development path.[5]

Footnotes

  1. ^ https://education.illinois.edu/faculty/denice-hood
  2. ^ Impact of defining ikigai in developing future-ready university graduates with self-leadership skills: A whole university mixed-methods study during Covid, Hall, D., 2023. 19https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02188791.2023.2231645
  3. ^ Impact of defining ikigai in developing future-ready university graduates with self-leadership skills: A whole university mixed-methods study during Covid, Hall, D., 2023. 19https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02188791.2023.2231645
  4. ^ https://positivepsychology.com/introspection-self-reflection/
  5. ^ https://education.illinois.edu/faculty/denice-hood