Assessment of secondary school students’ transversal skills in Latvian language at optimal and highest levels

Abstract

Transversal skills are a set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are needed today by all sectors and professions to respond effectively to different life situations, critically assess and solve problems, work with others, and make meaningful use of technology. In school, it is essential to develop transversal skills as they help students not only to learn the subject content but also to develop the skills needed for further life and careers. Accordingly, a study was carried out on transversal skills in Latvian language at the optimal and highest levels in secondary school. Research question: How do secondary school students who learn Latvian language at the optimal and highest levels self-assess their transversal skills? The results indicate that civic participation, digital, and collaboration skills are better developed than self-directed learning skills at the optimal and highest levels. Students who learn Latvian language at the highest level assessed all their transversal skills slightly higher on average compared to students who learn Latvian language at the optimal level, and the difference for all transversal skills except collaboration skills is statistically significant.