A POSSIBLE MODEL FOR DEVELOPING STUDENTS' SKILLS WITHIN THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY

Nowadays the knowledge-based society and economy as well as the growing demands for highly skilled and educated people are elements that claim for the change of traditional teaching and learning processes in higher education. Therefore, this study explores how students' skills for the knowledge-based economy can practically be developed. The study disclosed a possible teaching and learning model based on multi-session approach that we have built and applied in order to develop students' creative and critical thinking skills. The model target group consisted in third year students, distance learning, Faculty of Management, Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies, based in Bucharest and Piatra Neamt territorial centres. The professor chose as subject the analysis of the statement "Renewable energy may help the development of the region you live in" in order to improve students' creative and critical thinking skills by identifying the logic connections between renewable energy and regional development. The teaching and learning activities have been divided into three sessions, in the end of the third session a questionnaire was used in order to reveal students' opinions regarding the usefulness of this original method of teaching and learning. Thus, this study also disclosed the results of using the model from students' point of view, derived from the analysis of empirical data collected during the class through personal observation and questionnaire. The findings of the study revealed that the model for developing students' skills we have proposed may be successfully applied, due to its strong emphasis on creativity and thinking, responding to students' needs within the knowledge-based economy and society.